Category: Western
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The Ultimate Western Antagonist: Lee Van Cleef, the Scene-Stealer Who Outshone Clint Eastwood
Move over Wayne and Eastwood — Lee Van Cleef is here to steal your scene! Sure, John Wayne and Clint Eastwood are practically synonymous with Westerns (and for good reason), but Van Cleef is the most under-appreciated and overlooked regular of the genre. His hawkish, piercing eyes and naturally intimidating demeanor make him an effortless…
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Hidden Horrors: Clint Eastwood’s Controversial Decision in the Dollars Trilogy Exposed
Starring in Sergio Leone’s The Dollars Trilogy, Clint Eastwood starred in a genre of movies called Western spaghetti. Portraying the role of The Man with No Name, Eastwood’s dedication to the role is both commendable and a bit disgusting as he reportedly never washed his character’s cape over the course of three years! Clint Eastwood…
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1948 John Wayne Western’s Surprising Survival Twist Leaves Experts Amazed
A 1948 John Wayne Western directed by John Ford gets one desert survival trick right, much to the excitement of survival expert Les Stroud. 3 Godfathers depicts one desert survival trick very accurately, much to the excitement of survival expert Les Stroud. Released in 1948, the Western film stars John Wayne, Pedro Armendáriz, and Harry…
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High Noon’ Vs. ‘Rio Bravo’: How Rivalry Created Two Of The Best Westerns
The 1950s saw the release of two of the most important westerns of all-time: Fred Zimmerman’s romantic morality tale High Noon in 1952, and Howard Hawks’ signature “hangout western,” Rio Bravo, in 1959. Both films are now regarded as classics, and you don’t have to look very far to see how they’ve influenced modern filmmakers.…
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Fueled by Opposition: The Legendary Creation of ‘Rio Bravo’ Driven by Discontent with ‘High Noon’
A certified classic Western was born totally out of spite. “Rio Bravo” was spearheaded by two of the biggest names in Old Hollywood — the on-screen cowboy John Wayne and the multi-faceted director Howard Hawks. The 1959 film was a direct response to a Western released seven years prior, “High Noon.” Hawks took issue with…
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Behind the Scenes of ‘Rio Bravo’: Angie Dickinson Unveils the Art of Acting Alongside John Wayne
“Fair to middling” is how Angie Dickinson is feeling this morning as she talks about “Rio Bravo,” the 1959 film that made her a star. “Somebody who says they’re great at 90, you can figure out that they lie a lot.” It’s a line that could have come straight from Jules Furthman and Leigh Brackett’s…
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Marlon Brando’s Cinematic Rebellion: How ‘One-Eyed Jacks’ Redefined Film Directing
Whether “One-Eyed Jacks” is a misunderstood masterpiece or a bizarre psychological Western, it’s notable for demonstrating the actor’s capability with filmmaking. It’s also notable that it destroyed any desire on Brando’s part to be in the director’s chair again, even as the movie produces beautiful and nuanced performances and had such stunning imagery that it…
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Clint Eastwood’s On-Set Showdown: The Confrontation That Made Him Gag and Say ‘I’m Going to Throw Up’
Clint Eastwood’s performance as the Man with No Name has its legendary iconography with his signature hat, poncho, and cigar. However, the actor reportedly had a tough time with one iconic element of the character in the films, which even once led to him shouting at Leone. Clint Eastwood In The Dollars Trilogy Sergio Leone’s…
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John Wayne’S Spanking Of Co-Star ‘So Authentic She Had Bruises For A Week’
John Wayne famously spanked his co-star in a satirical Western that left her actually bruised for a week. Back in 1963, John Wayne starred in a Western comedy loosely based on William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Duke played an ageing rancher called George Washington McLintock, a wealthy self-made man facing a number of…
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The Dark Secrets of John Wayne’s Rio Grande – Tragedy Strikes on Set in 1950’s Scorching Utah
John Wayne filmed a classic Western with Maureen O’Hara in which cast members were killed and their bodies never recovered. Back in 1950, John Wayne starred in Rio Grande, the third of his Cavalry Trilogy (alongside Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon) with director John Ford. Cast and crew struggled terribly with the…