New Custer Movie (1 Viewer)

[UKReb]

I must say that although in the main I like John Wayne's films there are certain scenes that make me squirm but in fairness they are the fault of the director rather than Wayne. The "humerous" punch ups, Wayne couldn't handle comedy, the unecessary songs, and that horrible little saccharine girl in "The Alamo", I wanted her stuffed into a cannon and fired at the Mexicans. Couldn't you work that into your Alamo diorama for me, Reb?

LOL trooper-that little saccharine girl was the Duke's daughter Aissa-if I depicted that in the Alamo dio his still very active fan club would fire me out of a cannon

I must admit the Duke turned out more corn-cobs than good movies afterall he was only a B-movie actor plucked from obscurity by Ford and the truth is he never believed or pretended he was anything else. However, as I mentioned on a previous post The Searchers was and still is an exceptional film and in 1956 a brave attempt to tackle the racial problem that was overwhelming America at that time. The fact that Ford used the redman instead of the blackman was lost-and still is-on a large number of cinema-goers and Damian is not alone in finding it boring simply because they lump it in with all the rest of Wayne's oaters and completely miss the nuances of the story and the great performances by Ford's stock company. I could still write a thesis on the movie-in fact I have- a couple of times. Jean Luc Godard; Truffaut; Scorsese; John Milius; Spielberg; George Lucas to name just a few have considered The Searchers one of the most important American movies in the history of cinema. So Michael me and you are in very good company in appreciating this particular Ford/Wayne outing

My admiration for the Duke is on a more personal level rather than his acting ability-I cannot remember if I have mentioned this before on the forum but I actually got to shake the man's hand when he was filming Brannigan in London. I was attending London university in 1974 and snuck out of a lecture to catch him filming in Covent Garden-when I got there he wasn't on set so I hung around until he eventually arrived and began to walk towards his caravan near where I was standing. Bear in mind these were the days before the tight security surrounding most celebrities today-this giant of a man loped toward me and I just stuck out my hand and mumbled some inanity, he smiled and grabbed me with his large paw and said "Good on ya! fellah!". True I was star-struck but I noticed a couple of things during that very brief encounter-age spots on his hand; the Navajo silver bangle he wore in most of his movies and sacking showing just beneath his toupee.

Great memories of a great man and a great American!

Reb

 

[Rob]

Nice one Reb,that must be quite a moment and something you'll never forget.

Rob

 

[UKReb]

Nice one Reb,that must be quite a moment and something you'll never forget.

Rob

Absolutely Rob and the attached are pictures of one of my many visits to the Ford/Wayne favorite location.

The Reb pays homage at John Ford's Point-one of the key locations for the film The Searchers
"Oh! there goes another view of Monument Valley".......dreadfully boring

The Reb continues his dumb Searchers homage this time at the location of the Edward's homestead in the movie whilst searching for those unimportant "historical facts".

And finally to just annoy Damian one last time Reb pays his respects to the man himself Note the Navajo bracelet I'm wearing-now that is just downright boring

Only kidding guys!

Reb

 

[Rob]

Great pics mate,very nice indeed.

Rob

 

[eborris]

I was drinking with a John Wayne re-enactor at the Texas show, does that count for anything? How about teddy Roosevelt, I was drinking with him too?

 

[UKReb]

I was drinking with a John Wayne re-enactor at the Texas show, does that count for anything? How about teddy Roosevelt, I was drinking with him too?

Top notch Ed as long as you didn't ask them for a history lesson-that's counts for zilch on here

Reb

 

[eborris]

No, I didn't ask them for a history lesson, I already knew that opinion counted for more then facts.

 

[OzDigger]

Custer and Patton have a lot in common in my opinion being flawed icons but no one could say they weren't brave. As for John Wayne, it's easy to say he was over rated and maybe he would have agreed and said he just got lucky with his acting career - but there's plenty of actors in that club. He's just like actors such as Mel Gibson that don't don't have the talent to venture too far away from a generalized character but I don't think that makes them bad actors - just limited in what roles they can play. Let's face it, John Wayne can't be too bad at acting considering The Searchers, Red River and Iwo Jima are still considered amongst the best examples of their genre despite being made many moons ago

 

[marco55]

Myself and countless others have enjoyed the Duke's movies and that's what counts,people enjoying something.As I get older I feel like old Mose,I want my rockin chair.
Mark

 

[trooper]

Anyone fancy opening a Custer thread on the Historical section so we can open a real debate?

 

[UKReb]

Anyone fancy opening a Custer thread on the Historical section so we can open a real debate?

trooper would love to but five would get you ten the thread would get hi-jacked after the first few posts as this very very controversial figure killed Indians regardless that Indians killed him if you get my drift.

Reb

 

[marco55]

Custer also killed southerners and hung his own men.I think he did what he thought was his duty regardless.This is not condoning him this was the way he was.
Mark

 

[eborris]

Anyone fancy opening a Custer thread on the Historical section so we can open a real debate?

I'm sure it would turn into a political debate after a couple of posts, probaly not worth the effort.

 

[Aleš]

yeah,i am sure too.What hapened to a topic about the indians in the other topic-i think someone deleted that?Why?
I didnt get the chance to read all the replys.

 

[Aleš]

marco55 open this new thread about indians in the HISTOTICAL DISCUSION and now i see that it is deleted.What hapened?

 

[eborris]

Not sure, perhaps it got too heated?

 

[marco55]

Not sure, perhaps it got too heated?

That's what I feel but let's face it most of us are not going to change our views about events in the past unless something unknown at present comes to light.
Mark

 

[maddadicus]

I have started a Bighorn thread over at Historical discussion..I hate being told that I cannot do something..If we are lucky, we can get a moderator involved to police the posts, we do not like..Michael

 

[eborris]

Or as hard as it may be, we could try not responding to the politicians. I know it's tough though.

 

[Mister Dave]

Wow, sounds like a missed a lot since last checking in. I will have to sneak a peek at the new thread, especially as I am more interested in the LBH campaign in general than Custer in particular. Anyway, I think it is pretty clear that the alleged movie that started this thread in the first place will never be made, but....in some of the same articles I read from '05 there was some talk of a possible rehashing of Son of the Morning Star as a feature film which would be a nice development.

As an aside, I have tracked something down that I remembered watching on TV as a youngster, and thanks to Netflix, will be watching it this evening. I will fight no more forever from 1975 tells the story of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce (sp?) tribe being forced onto a reservation and attempting to then escape to Canada. My hazy childhood memory reminded me that Luis from Sesame Street was in this and I found the movie's title by looking up his filmography on line.