January 10, 2007

Gratuitous Netflix Movie Review

Did you know that Gene Kelly, the Singing In The Rain guy, was a director as well? I didn't until I checked out his 1970 western:

Cheyenne.jpg

The Cheyenne Social Club.

The movie stars James Stewart as a Texas cowhand who receives a letter one day that his brother has died and left him a business up in Cheyenne. Accompanied by his talkative pal played by Henry Fonda, Stewart rides up, only to discover that the "business" at issue is a prominant local cat house. Hi-larity ensues as Ji-Ji-Jimmy tries to figure out wha-wha-what to do with gosh darn place.

Or maybe not.

I'm sorry, but it's not a very good movie at all. Too many cliches, too much predictability (I'm thinking it's movies like this that Mel Brooks went after with Blazing Saddles), a pretty limp plot and if you really believe Shirley Jones of all people as the madame of the place, well, God bless ye'.

Which is a shame, because Stewart did, in fact, make a number of very good westerns, including Winchester '73, Bend of the River and The Far Country with Anthony Mann directing, and of course John Ford's great The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance with the Duke his own self, pilgrim. (I've got on a Stewart cowboy movie kick again and all of these are in my queue at the moment.)

Having seen this one once, I'm pretty sure I won't bother again.

Posted by Robert at January 10, 2007 12:53 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Don't forget "The Man From Laramie". I always liked that flick. "Firecreek" is another one where he put in a great performance, even if the whole "antihero" story line puts you off your feed. "Two Rode Together" is another worthy viewing (probably more for Richard Widmark's performance, but Stewart was good as well), even if it's nowhere near classic.

Heck, he was even good as Doc Hostetler in "The Shootist". Small part, but he played it great.

Posted by: Russ from Winterset at January 10, 2007 10:22 PM