Boy howdy! Legends of Western Cinema Week has been quite a ride, hasn't it? I'm simply glowing from basking in all the love for westerns that's going around!!!
And it's time for me to complete the official tag at last. I've been working on this all week, but my other posts kept taking precedence. Well, not anymore! Today is Tag Day.
1) Do you tolerate, like, or love westerns?
I'm not sure "love" is a strong enough word for how I feel about westerns. I'm not sure there is a strong-enough word. Maybe "cherish." I cherish westerns. If you go by the dictionary definition, that means I protect and care for westerns deeply, and hold them dear. Yeah, that works. Westerns make me happy, so I cherish them.
2) What do you enjoy about them and, more broadly, the west itself (e.g. the history, accompanying paraphernalia, etc)?
All the things. I love the wide-open spaces, the horses, the clothes, the focus on a person's intrinsic worth, the struggle to survive in an often harsh land, the central determination to do what you set out to do. All the trappings. I love the history of the west so much, I write a monthly newspaper column about it for the Prairie Times.
More specifically for western movies (and books), I love the way they explore good-versus-evil. I love the heroes in westerns. Whether they're rich ranchers or poor farmers, drifters or pillars of the community, outlaws or gunmen-for-hire or lawmen, western movies excel at showcasing heroes.
Also, DKoren and I have a saying: Cowboys make everything better. And it's totally true for us. No matter how badly a day has gone, a dose of cowboys will lift our spirits and set us back on our feet for the next day.
3) What's the first western you can remember watching?
So, this one is tricky for me. I'm pretty sure the first western I ever saw was The Man from Snowy River (1982), which we went to see in the theater when I was 2 years old. I've loved it ever since -- it's my favorite movie. But I don't actually remember going to see it. The first western I have a really clear memory of watching is Giant (1956), which is kind of a western, in that it's set in Texas and all about ranchers, but kind of not because it takes place in the 1940s and '50s. That movie really cemented my love of guys in cowboy hats riding horses, though.
4) Who are your favorite western stars, the ones whose presence in a western will make you pick it up off the shelf?
John Wayne. Alan Ladd. Glenn Ford. Maureen O'Hara. Barbara Stanwyck. James Stewart. Vic Morrow. Gregory Peck. Burt Lancaster. Dean Martin. Honestly, just the fact that a movie is a western will make me want to watch it, but if a favorite actor or actress is in it, it'll pop higher up on my list.
5) What's your favorite performance by an actress in a western?
Probably Maureen O'Hara in The Rare Breed (1966). She's brave, protective, determined, strong, feminine, and feisty... which is kind of what Maureen brings to all roles, which is why she's my favorite actress. But I especially love her in that one because she gets to portray a woman who is a mother, a widow, a businesswoman, and a romantic lead, which is neat.
6) What is your "go-to" western, the one you'll typically reach for?
Depends on my mood! But there are some that get a lot more watching than others. I'd say the five I watch the most often lately are The Lone Ranger (2013), 3:10 to Yuma (1957), Gunfight in Abilene (1967), Branded (1950), and Slow West (2015).
7) Do your family/friends share your interest in westerns, or are you a lone ranger (pun completely intended)?
My dad loves westerns the way I do, and so does my best friend, DKoren. My husband likes westerns pretty well, and he'll watch them with me. My kids like westerns enough to watch them with me. So I have lots of watching partners and sidekicks.
8) Pick one western to live inside for a week, and explain why you chose it.
Well, right now I'm on this huge Magnificent Seven (1998-2000) kick, so I choose it. That's the short-lived TV show, not one of the movies, by the way. And to be brutally, viciously honest, the reason I pick that is because I want to be wherever Vin Tanner (Eric Close) is, and since that's where he is, that's where I want to be.
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| (Can you blame me, though???) |
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| (Vin carries a sawed-off rifle in homage to Josh Randall, Steve McQueen's character on Wanted: Dead or Alive.) |
9) What are some of your favorite lines from western movies? Are there any you quote regularly?
I quote movies all the time, and since a high percentage of the movies I watch are westerns, yeah, I quote westerns regularly. Daily, probably. Here are some much-quoted lines I use in daily life:
"All right, let's do this." -- John Reid (Armie Hammer), The Lone Ranger (2013)
"Yes, just like [tries unsuccessfully to snap fingers] like that." -- Calvera (Eli Wallach), The Magnificent Seven (1960)
"Mansfield, you're being hoggish. Might I even say... greeeeeeeeeedy?" -- Banker Bates (John Dehner), "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres" episode of Maverick (1957-62)
"Let's drift." -- Silas (Michael Fassbender), Slow West (2015)
"Boy howdy." -- Heath (Lee Majors), The Big Valley (1965-69)
"Joe, you just make me feel tired all over." -- Jason McCullough (James Garner), Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)
"Our last sheriff was a good organizer. Yellow clear through, but a good organizer." -- Mayor Perkins (Henry Morgan), Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)
"Quit shovin' me, Harv! I'm tired of bein' shoved." -- Will Kane (Gary Cooper), High Noon (1952)
"That was an elegant meal, ma'am." -- Shane (Alan Ladd), Shane (1953)
"Okay, well, uh, let's go." -- Josh Randall (Steve McQueen), Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958-61) (You have to say this one just exactly right so it sounds like him, not just a collection of syllables.)
That's all, folks! I hope you've been having as much fun this week as I have :-) And don't forget that today is the last day to enter my giveaway! I'll draw the winners and announce them TOMORROW!
Those quotes from Support Your Local Sheriff!, The Big Valley, and Shady Deal at Sunny Acres put a smile on my face that won't fade for the rest of the day.
ReplyDeleteWhen our family is gathered for an occasion and there is pie, someone will say to cut them a slice like Marian in Shane. The perfect end to an elegant meal.
Caftan Woman, missed your comment earlier, oops! And aww, I love that reference to Shane :-) I found a recipe for "flannel cakes" like Marian makes for Joe & Shane & Joey (in the book, anyway -- suddenly can't remember if they mention them in the movie), and I made them for the kids a few weeks ago. So thick and fluffy and soft!
DeleteAT LAST!!!! Oh but I really enjoyed your answers... *happy sigh* (That's one reason I'm periodically still semi-annoyed that we live across the country from each other, as we can't settle in for a thorough viewing of Lone Ranger together -- or you could introduce me properly to the Mag7 show and I could share Lefty Brown.) *Sigh* This party has defffffinitely been the next best thing though. ;D
ReplyDeleteOh! And speaking of Lone Ranger, I forgot that "Let's do this" line. That's one I actually use allll the time without even thinking about it. So great and absolutely versatile. :D
Now off to work on my last post and hoping to get it up before midnight!
Heidi, well, airplanes to exist. It'll happen someday.
DeleteI wear a silicone bracelet on my right arm that says, "All right, let's do this." I use it a LOT.
Trying to catch up on post reading today :-) Looking forward to your last one!
*do, not to
DeleteRegular person's pronunciation: "Okay, well, uh, let's go."
ReplyDeleteJosh Randall pronunciation: "Ookie well, uh, let's GOOO." So many good quotes from that show. xD
Fun tag! This blog party's been great! :D
Faith, exactly. And "let's" is more like "lez." XD
DeleteGlad you're enjoying it!
HAHA, yeah, it is more like that. XD Lez GOOO!!
DeleteI love how you used the picture of the rancher and his kids from 3:10 to Yuma for the part about sidekicks.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally...did you realize that this blogathon is actually winding up tomorrow on National Day of the Cowboy? Or did you plan it that way? :)
Thanks, Elisabeth! I wondered if anyone would know what that was from. Should have known you would :-)
DeleteSo, yes, we discovered that AFTER we'd set these dates. Total coincidence, but a very cool one!
Hi, Rachel I don't have a blog, but these are my answers. I've added another question at the end. :)
ReplyDelete1) Do you tolerate, like, or love westerns?
Love, love westerns. My father was a western fan and in the 1960s parents controlled the television so children watched what their parents did.
2) What do you enjoy about them and, more broadly, the west itself (e.g. the history, accompanying paraphernalia, etc)?
Dusty clothes, chaps, beautiful horses, creaking leather, amazing scenery, the morals of the good guys, the actors and actresses, great theme music.
3) What's the first western you can remember watching?
Would have to be television westerns of the 1950s and 1960s - Bonanza(don’t remember Adam though), The Cisco Kid, The Lone Ranger, Rin Tin Tin, Daniel Boone, Zorro, The High Chaparral, Gunsmoke, Rawhide, Maverick, The Virginian, The Big Valley, Laredo, Lawman, The Big Valley, Wyatt Earp, My Friend Flicka, The Monroes and F Troop. The 1970s, when I was just into my teens, Lancer, Little House on the Prairie, Kung Fu, The Quest, Grizzly Adams and Centennial mini series. The 1980s - Paradise, The Young Riders, 1990s, Dr Quinn, Hawkeye, Legend, The Magnificent Seven
4) Who are your favorite western stars, the ones whose presence in a western will make you pick it up off the shelf?
Randolph Scott, Clint Eastwood, Kevin Costner, Pernell Roberts and Vic Morrow.
5) What's your favorite performance by an actress in a western?
Barbara Stanwyck in The Big Valley television series. Her character of Victoria Barkley was the first female I saw who ran a ranch and was the matriarch of a family.
6) What is your "go-to" western, the one you'll typically reach for?
This all depends on the mood I’m in and whether it’s a movie or a particular episode from a series. A ‘modern’ movie has to be Dances With Wolves and earlier movies The Magnificent Seven, Ride Lonesome, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. My go-to for television can be any one of the series mentioned earlier, however Bonanza, The Virginian, Lancer and Paradise are selected more often than others. F Troop, Blazing Saddles and the 2013 The Lone Ranger for laughs.
7) Do your family/friends share your interest in westerns, or are you a lone ranger (pun completely intended)?
My husband gave me a birthday gift of the complete set of Magnificent Seven movies, so he knows I love cowboys.He will watch a western if I put one on. There is also a poster of 1960s The Magnificent Seven in my lounge room too. Saddle Up.
8) Pick one western to live inside for a week, and explain why you chose it.
Little House on the Prairie because I wanted to be one of the Ingalls children.
9) What are some of your favorite lines from western movies? Are there any you quote regularly?
None offhand and none that I quote regularly.
10) What are your favorite western movies?
The sheepman 1959
Ride lonesome 1959
The Magnificent Seven 1960
Ride the high country 1962
The Sons of Katie Elder 1965
The good the bad and the ugly 1966
Two Mules for Sister Sarah 1969
True Grit 1969
Blazing saddles 1974
The outlaw Josey Wales 1976
Dances With Wolves 1990
The Quick and the Dead 1995
The Lone Ranger 2013
LINDA!!!!! I love that you joined in here! Your answers are fabulous and delightful :-)
DeleteMy kids and I have become firm fans of F Troop over the past year or so.
Victoria Barkley is a big heroine of mine. I want to be like her when I grow up :-) She's amazing.
I wanted to live next door to the Ingalls and be Laura's friend when I was a kid :-) My mom adores that show, so I've seen pretty close to all of it.
Great list of favorite movies! Mmmmmm, so many good ones there. When I was like 7, my parents watched The Outlaw Josey Wales with me, fast-forwarding through a couple parts, and for years, if we were playing cowboys, my name was Josey Wales.
Thanks for chiming in, Saddle Up! ::hugs::
Linda,
DeleteWhat lovely answers! It's such a broad and faceted subject, so I didn't post on any of the spaghetti westerns this year, but I'd like to sometime. ;) And ha, you made me laugh mentioning Blazing Saddles. It's one of my husband's favorites so we tend to watch bits and pieces (which often snowballs into just sitting down for the whole thing) at the end of a long day.
So glad you joined in! :)
Welp . . . no, I can't really blame you. Ahem.
ReplyDeleteAlso, all those quotes are so fun.
Olivia, nope, you can't. He's too sweet and adorable to be unloved.
DeleteThanks :-D I had fun collecting them up!
Oh, I love The Rare Breed!
ReplyDeleteKatherine, high five to another fan! Such a delightful movie :-)
DeleteOh, I totally forgot about Support Your Local Sheriff!! Haha, that movie is a gem. XD And almost the entire script is quotable! XD
ReplyDeleteGabby, totally. I have SO many lines from it I quote all the time. "Joe, you make me tired all over." And "Sixty fer who and forthy fer who?" and "Why do these jaspers always have to hit town at dinner time?" (The last is handy for when salesmen knock on our door while we're eating.)
Delete