Riding the rails still fascinates me

 

My adult daughter reminded this week that traveling by railroad remains a fascinating means of transportation.

She works with developmentally challenged adults. She and a few of her coworkers are leading a group of the adults they work with on a summer vacation that includes travel by Amtrak from Chicago to Colorado and then to Utah, before returning back to Chicago. My daughter emails me regular updates and photos from the journey, and these reports indicate everyone is enjoying a wonderful time.

Amtrak, I know, has its critics and much of their criticism of the rail service is accurate and well-founded, I think, but none of that is important to my daughter and the individuals she is supervising on the trip. 

They're too busy enjoying the views from Amtrak's touring cars, the unique experience of dining on a train, and the deep sleep they enjoy from being rocked to sleep by the motions of a moving train. That's what my daughter reports, and her pictures capture images that support every detail.

Her email reports make me happy. I've always enjoyed trains, and everything about them. I grew up near multiple rail lines that carried both commuter and freight traffic. 

My dad frequently took me and my younger siblings to sit and watch the trains travel through town. It always interested me to see the passing trains and wonder where they were headed, what freight they carried, and who were the people riding in those commuter cars? 

Several of my neighbors at that time were businessmen who rode the commuter trains to Chicago during the business week, and their routine fascinated me as I child. Going back and forth to the big city by train seemed exciting, and I thought each day must have held the promise of thrilling new adventure on the rails.

I can still recall my first ride on that commuter train, and my first ride on Chicago subway. I've always enjoyed reading the history of railroads in this country and elsewhere. 

I suppose Hollywood's depiction of railroads and what is widely considered the "golden era" of rail travel (the late 19^th century through the mid-1950s) fuels some of my interest. Wouldn't it be nice to travel in the luxury of the Orient Express or something similar, particularly after enduring modern air travel? 

I seldom need to ride a commuter train today, but still try to enjoy the experience when I do. It's been more than 40 years since I've traveled by Amtrak. What I recall most is that the seating was comfortable, the train departed on time, arrived on time, and delivered us all safely. All of that was important to be me then, and remains a top priority to me today. 

In her most recent note to me, my daughter encouraged me to plan a trip by Amtrak. I'll discuss that with Mrs. B. We might look at that for next summer. In the meantime, I'm glad my daughter and her travel companions are enjoying their time riding the rails across America.

And that's the way I see it. 

-- Thank you for reading, You comments and questions are always welcome.

Hollywood's class of '83 is worth remembering

The year 1983 was one of the best years for Hollywood, one that offered something for audiences of all ages. Productions released that year included Oscar-caliber dramas, crowd-pleasing adventure movies and popular comedies. My list of favorites (and honorable mentions) includes many of the year's biggest box office hits and ones that I think capture Hollywood's spirit in that long-gone time. 

1. Terms of Endearment - When Hollywood made movies for adult audiences it made some fantastic movies, and this is one of them. Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson star in director James L. Brooks' Oscar-winning tale of a demanding mother and her relationship with her adult daughter and her family,  and a former astronaut. The movie won five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (MacLaine), and Best Supporting Actor (Nicholson). The movie is at times funny, and a true tear-jerker. The great supporting cast includes Jeff Daniels, John Lithgow, and Danny DeVito. 

2. The Big Chill - Director (and writer) Lawrence Kasdan's tale of seven former college friends reuniting for the funeral of another friend from their college days was a hit with fans and critics alike. The movie received three Oscar nominations (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Glenn Close) and Best Writing). In addition to Close, the stellar cast includes William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Jeff Goldblum, JoBeth Williams and Meg Tilly. Oh, and it has a rockin' soundtrack. 

3 The Right Stuff - Director Philip Kaufman's engaging and gripping telling (Kaufman shared script-writing credits with Tom Wolfe, the book's author) of the Mercury Project during the early days of America's effort to put a man into space. A talented ensemble cast delivers wonderful performances and includes Sam Shepard, Dennis Quaid, Veronica Cartwright, Levon Helm, Fred Ward, and Pamela Reed. The movie earned five Oscar nominations (including Best Picture) and won for Best Sound. And it has a powerful soundtrack.

4. Risky Business - Tom Cruise stars (in his breakthrough performance) as a high school student who gets involved with a high-end prostitute and her friends. Rebecca De Mornay and Richard Masur also star. And Joe Pantaliano is terrific as Guido, the killer pimp. 

5. Trading Places - The best comedy of 1983, in my opinion. Director John Landis hit gold with his tale of what happens when a snobby blue-blood (Dan Akyroyd) is manipulated into trading places with a slick con man from the streets (Eddie Murphy). Jamie Lee Curtis and Denholm Elliott also star.

6. Silkwood - Director Mike Nichols' film received five Oscar nominations, including Best Actress (Meryl Streep), Best Supporting Actress (Cher), and Best Director. Kurt Russell delivers a solid dramatic performance, and the supporting cast includes a number of noteworthy actors. The movie is largely forgotten today, but is well worth watching, or watching a second time.

7. A Christmas Story - It's now a holiday classic and needs no summation. You know it and love it. 

8. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi - The third installment of the original Star Wars trilogy earned four Oscar nominations (all in technical categories). The movie was a hit with critics and audiences alike, and the original trilogy remains the best of the Star Wars franchise, in my opinion.

9. Scarface - Al Pacino stars as a Cuban migrant who makes it big in Miami's cocaine distribution market in the early '80s. The movie closely matched real life in 1983, struck a chord with audiences and remains popular with younger audiences today. The cast includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Loggia, and the late Mark Margolis. Good stuff.

10. Valley Girl - Director Martha Coolidge scored a commercial and critical hit with this work, one of the best of the teen romance movies, which were a Hollywood staple in the 1980s. A young Nicholas Cage and Deborah Foreman star as a dude from the wrong part of town in love with a girl from the Valley. The supporting cast includes Michael Bowen, Elizabeth Daily, and Frederic Forrest, who delivers a memorable performance as the girl's father. This one is reflective of the early '80s and includes an impressive soundtrack.

11. Lone Wolf McQuade - Chuck Norris stars as J.J. McQuade, Texas Ranger. Norris was well-established as an action star with a loyal and growing fan base, and this one certainly added to his popularity. Norris stars opposite David Carradine ("Kung Fu"), who plays a gun-running drug king. As one might expect, there's a climatic fight featuring Norris and Carradine. The supporting cast includes L.Q. Jones, R.G. Armstrong, and William Sanderson. It still packs a punch and captures the basic formula of the Norris films to follow.

12. Under Fire - Gene Hackman, Nick Nolte, and Joanna Cassidy star as three journalists covering the final days of the Somoza regime in Nicaragua in 1979. Many things are not what they appear to be. While the politics of the late 1970s seem a bit naive today, the film remains engaging and entertaining. Hollywood lost its interest in political thrillers some time ago, and that's unfortunate for audiences. The supporting cast includes Richard Masur, Ed Harris, Hamilton Camp, and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode 

Honorable Mentions - (Ten entertaining productions that I think reflect the spirit of 1983 and are worth viewing.)

All the Right Moves

Blue Thunder

Breathless

Flashdance

Gorky Park

The High Road to China

National Lampoon's Vacation

The Outsiders

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Wargames

-- Thank you for reading. Your comments and questions are always welcome. Post them here or send an e-mail to kbotterman@gmail.com.

I enjoyed 1982 at the movies

Before closing the book for 2022, I need to fulfill a commitment made earlier in the year, and compile a list of my favorite movies from 1982, 40 years ago. 

A reader asked me to compile the list a few months ago, but schedule commitments kept me from completing the task. So here's a look at my top 10 films from 1982, Ronald Reagan's second year as president, and a pretty good year for movies. I also added a few titles on a short list of honorable mentions. (All are presented in no particular order.)

My Top 10:

1. Blade Runner - Director Ridley Scott's dark but fascinating look at Los Angeles in the future (2019), where special police units known as blade runners hunt and "retire" human replicants. It remains one of the best sci-fi movies of the last 50 years, in my opinion. Harrison Ford stars and the cast includes Rutger Hauer, William Sanderson, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah, M. Emmet Walsh, Edward James Olmos, James Hong and Joanna Cassidy. 

2. Diner - Director Barry Levinson's first installment of his trilogy of films set in Baltimore. Mickey Rourke, Steve Guttenberg, and Kevin Bacon lead an ensemble cast as a group of young men preparing for a friend's wedding. It's a wonderful movie that sadly is mostly unknown to younger audiences. 

3. The Year of Living Dangerously - Dark, moody, and moving. Mel Gibson plays an obnoxious young reporter covering political turmoil in Indonesia. He's in over his head, but is helped by Sigourney Weaver, who plays an assistant in the British embassy. Linda Hunt won an Oscar for her work as an assistant to Gibson's character. 

4. An Officer and a Gentleman - Richard Gere portrays an officer candidate at the Navy's challenging aviation training center. Debra Winger plays a new-found girlfriend, and Louis Gossett Jr. won an Oscar for his performance as the drill sergeant. It's an entertaining movie that stands the test of time.

5. Tootsie - Dustin Hoffman stars as a man dressed as a woman in order to land an acting job on a day-time soap opera. The supporting cast includes Jessica Lange, Dabney Coleman, Teri Garr, and Bill Murray. Lange won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Director Sydney Pollack delivers a comedy for the ages with this work.

6. The Verdict - Paul Newman is a lawyer on the back end of a once-promising career who takes a case to trial when everyone around tells him to settle out of court. The supporting cast includes Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, and the great James Mason.

7. 48 Hours - Nick Nolte plays a cop who teams with temporarily paroled convict Eddie Murphy to hunt a cop killer and his partner. Director Walter Hill delivers with the best action film of the year and one of the best entries in the "cop-buddy" genre of the 1980s. The supporting cast includes Frank McRae, Annette O'Toole, and James Remar as Albert Ganz, a criminal audiences loved to hate. 

8. The Thing - Director John Carpenter gives audiences the best version of the sci-fi classic. Kurt Russell leads a solid cast that includes Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Richard Dysart and David Clennon. A team in Antarctica confronts an alien creature that is killing them one at a time.

9. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - Arguably the best of the Star Trek movies. The special effects have lost some of their impact over the years, but the movie still delivers, thanks to the cast and an engaging story about revenge and friendship. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and others from the cast of the original TV series appear and are joined by Ricardo Montalban and a young Kirstie Alley.

10. Fast Times at Ridgemont High - This movie led the field in the genre of 80s teen movies, and there were many good ones in that category. Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judd Reinhold, and Phoebe Cates. The movie remains a classic for its characters, their lines and for a few key scenes.

Honorable Mentions:

My Favorite Year 

Cannery Row: 

First Blood 

Missing 

-- Thanks for reading. Please feel free to leave a comment or submit a question. I can be reached by email at kbotterman@gmail.com.

Wading through the headlines

 

An interesting announcement

Jesse Sullivan, a Republican running for governor in Illinois, recently announced Kathleen Murphy, a Republican strategist, would be his running mate.

Sullivan, a venture capitalist from Petersburg Illinois, promotes himself as an outsider and a down-stater. He says his campaign is about fighting high taxes, crime, and corrupt politicians. He has not previously held elected office.

Neither has Murphy, a mom and political operative from DuPage County. I don't know either one of them. I have never met or spoken with either Sullivan or Murphy. They seem like nice people, from the little I know of them, and they might do well in Springfield, if elected.

The pair are in a crowded field. There's something like five or six other candidates seeking the Republican nomination and the chance to face Governor JB Pritzker in the general election. The biggest challenge I see for the Sullivan-Murphy team at present is name recognition among Illinois voters. Perhaps they can overcome that challenge. The Illinois 2022 primary election is in June.

Speaking of politics

If you want to see something strange, check out Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's video announcing her campaign for reelection. Her friends and supporters might like it, but I found it creepy and unsettling. Let's just say sincerity is not Pelosi's strongest characteristic

Pelosi to U.S. Olympians: Be cool

I thought it odd when Pelosi warned American Olympic athletes last week not to anger the Chinese government with comments about things like China's forced labor camps, political prisoners and human rights violations. The instructions seemed bizarre to me. I don't understand why she didn't simply wish them well, tell them to do their best and offer prayers for a safe journey. Career politicians do weird things. 

Stirring the pot

I came across this nasty report from Catherine Herridge at CBS. Herridge tells us that some of President Trump's advisers talked about seizing voting machines in the days after the 2020 election. It's only deeper in the report that those involved in the "discussion" dropped the idea when they learned they lacked legal authority to do that sort of thing. 

In fact, it appears those involved were brainstorming ideas, came up with a weird one, but did nothing with it, because someone said they couldn't do it. Of course, that isn't much of a story, is it? 

Better to make it sound like Trump's top men plotted to seize voting machines with the possible intent of either destroying them or at least significantly tampering with them.  Still, that's not the way it was. 

I found it all disappointing, particularly coming from Herridge, who once did some highly competent reporting while covering the Pentagon.

It flows across the Southern border

A recent news report told about two Connecticut high school students who overdosed on weed laced with fentanyl. They were among thousands of Americans who overdose on the drug every month, according to authorities. These are the same authorities who tell us fentanyl flows across the Southern border, which exists in name only since President Biden took office.

I found it interesting that on the same day the two high school overdoses were reported CBS News told us the demonstrations by Canadian truckers threaten U.S. trade with that country. It seems our priorities are a bit mixed up, but that's just one guy's opinion.

Lori Lighfoot plays the blame game - again

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot routinely plays the blame game, pointing the finger of responsibility for everything wrong with Chicago at nearly anything but herself and her policies. This week she blamed the city's ongoing surge in carjackings on the remote-learning efforts the Chicago Public Schools employed during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Previously she attributed Chicago's street violence to Indiana, Trump, the court, and Cook County's State's Attorney. Lightfoot frequently cites guns as the reason for the bodies that pile up in the city's streets, even though Chicago has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation. 

I'm one of those who believes Chicago's crime epidemic runs much deeper than any one weakness, but I also believe much of what Chicago experiences today is directly linked to Lightfoot's accommodation of crime and lawlessness during the summer of 2020. She doesn't even think that far back. It's much easier, you see, to blame teachers, the federal government and a long list of others.

 

Suddenly Illinois Democrats are concerned about crime

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, two Democrats, made headlines this week talking about new efforts to fight crime in Chicago and other parts of the state. Both accommodated the lawlessness seen across the state during the summer of 2020, but now strike a 'get-tough" stance. Could it be both have finally seen the light, so to speak, or is there an election approaching? 

Tired old Hollywood

I had a good chuckle while reading a report about Hollywood's plan to remake 1990's "Presumed Innocent," a mediocre film adaptation of Scott Turow's bestselling novel of the same name. Hollywood is looking to produce an eight-part TV series. The original film starred Harrison Ford, and I remember it as slow and disappointing.

Maybe the new series will strike a chord with audiences, but I think the effort is further evidence that today's Hollywood is incapable of making original and outstanding movies that engage audiences and ultimately are timeless in their appeal. Prove me wrong.

  

-- Thank you for reading. Comments and questions are always welcome. 

My favorite films from 1981

Hollywood produced a diverse collection of movies in 1981, including one about the Russian Revolution, a comedy about life in the modern Army, ​and a tale of murder that I consider to be the best addition to the film noir genre in a generation.

​The year included blockbuster adventure and comedy films as well as a lesser known body of character-driven stories that Hollywood no longer seems interested in making. ​

​Here are my favorites (followed by some noteworthy contenders):​

"​Reds" - (Directed by Warren Beatty) My favorite film of 1981 and one of my favorites of all time. Beatty directs, writes and stars in a brilliant work that received 12 Oscar nominations and won three, including Best Director and Best Cinematography. The terrific cast includes Maureen Stapleton (Best Supporting Actress winner) Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Edward Herrmann, and Gene Hackman. At 3 hours and 15 minutes, it's probably one of the longest movies you will ever watch, but I think it is worth every minute. In my opinion, it's Hollywood filmmaking at its best. 

"​​Body Heat" - William Hurt is good and Kathleen Turner is smoking hot in Director (and writer) Lawrence Kasdan's tale of infidelity and murder. ​A great addition to the film noir genre. ​The cast includes Richard Crenna, Mickey Rourke and Ted Danson.

​​"On Golden Pond​" - ​Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn won Oscars for their work in Mark Rydell's (Oscar nominee for Best Director) film about a crusty old man and the strained relationship he has with his daughter (Jane Fonda). The film received 10 Oscar nominations and won three, including Best Writing (Ernest Thompson).

"Absence of Malice" - (Directed by Sydney Pollack) Paul Newman is subtle and intense as a warehouse owner trying to figure out how a newspaper report tied him to the murder of a union boss. Oscar nominations for Newman (Best Actor) and Melinda Dillon (Best Supporting Actress). The cast includes Sally Field, Bob Balaban, Josef Sommer, and Wilford Brimley. 

"​Indiana Jones and the ​Raiders of the Lost Ark"​ - The first (and best installment) of the franchise series. ​Director Steven Spielberg is at the top of his game with this Oscar-winning adventure tale (screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan) that introduced archeologist Indiana Jones and his associates. The cast includes Karen Allen, Denholm Elliott, Paul Freeman, and John Rhys-Davies. 

"​Stripes" - ​Two friends join the Army and an outstanding comedy movie unfolds. ​Bill Murray and Harold Ramis star. The supporting cast includes John Candy, P.J. Soles, Warren Oats, Sean Young, Judge Reinhold, and John Diehl. Ivan Reitman ("Meatballs," "Dave," "Draft Day") directs​​

"Eye of the Needle" - Donald Sutherland stars as a German spy in Great Britain during World War II, He finds himself hunted and stranded on a remote island with an Englishwoman, her disabled husband, and child. The cast includes Kate Nelligan and Stephen MacKenna.

​"True Confessions" - ​An ambitious priest (Robert DeNiro) clashes with his brother (Robert Duvall), a police detective who is investigating a murder that might involve members of the Catholic archdiosese in post-war Los Angeles. The remarkable supporting cast includes Burgess Meredith, Ed Flanders, Charles Durning, and Kenneth McMillan. Joan Didion penned the screenplay. 

​"Ghost Story"​ - ​John Houseman, Fred Astair, Craig Wasson, Alice Krige, and Patricia Neal star in a story about two generations of men haunted by a beautiful ghost. Loosely based on Peter Straub's popular book, the film delivers its share of frights and memorable moments.

​​​"​Thief" - ​(Directed by Michael Mann) ​James Caan stars in this tale of a thief forced to do one more job. The cast includes Robert Prostky, Tuesday Weld and James Belushi.

A few others I found entertaining and noteworthy: 

"Neighbors"​ - (Directed by John Avildsen) ​Starring John Belush, Cathy Moriarty, Dan Aykroyd, and Kathryn Walker.

"An American Werewolf in London" - (Directed by John Landis) Starring David Naughton and Jenny Aguttter.

"The Four Seasons" - (Directed By Alan Alda) Starring Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, Bess Armstrong, Sandy Dennis, and Jack Weston.

"Cutter's Way"​ - (Directed by Ivan Passer)​ Starring Jeff Bridges, John Heard and Lisa Eichhorn.

"Four Friends" (Directed by Arthur Penn) ​Starring Ted Wasson, ​Michael Huddleston, Jodi Thelen and Jim Metzler. 

"Raggedy Man"​ - (Directed by Jack Fisk) Starrying Sissy Spacek, Sam Shepard, Eric Roberts, William Sanderson, and R.G. Armstrong.

"Taps" (Directed by Harold Becker) Starring George C. Scott, Timothy Hutton, Sean Penn, Ronny Cox, and Tom Cruise

-- Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment or email me at kbotterman@gmail.com.

Mr. B remembers director Henry Hathaway

I want to take a few minutes to remember Henry Hathaway, an American film director who was born March 13, 1898 and died Feb. 11, 1985.

His parents named him Henri Leopold de Fiennes, but he became Henry Hathaway when he started working in movies. During a career that began in 1930 and continued through 1974, Hathaway directed 67 movies and worked with many of Hollywood’s most popular stars, including Gary Cooper, James Stewart, John Wayne, James Cagney,  Dean Martin, David Niven, Richard Conte and Robert Mitchum.

Hathaway is credited with drawing out impressive work from his stars and with helping to establish actors Karl Malden, Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson.

Hathaway’s movies were popular with audiences but frequently received mixed reviews from critics, who often noted he was a “contract’ director for the studios, reliable but not particularly creative. It’s an arguable point, but somewhat accurate - Hathaway was a contract director, and his films reflected studio priorities.

His films typically featured strong supporting casts that included some of the best character actors of their time, including Walter Abel, John Doucette, Dean Jagger, Hugh Marlowe, and Cameron Mitchell. I think the supporting casts made Hathaway’s movies memorable as well as entertaining.

I like Hathaway’s work because I find his movies engaging and entertaining, valuable qualities that contribute to the affection audiences have for his films decades after they were released.

Here’s a chronological list my favorite Hathaway films, ones that I believe represent the essential Hathaway collection.

The Lives of the Bengal Lancers (1935) - Gary Cooper stars in an action film set in India. The movie received six Academy Award nominations, including best director, best film editing and best picture.

The Real Glory (1939) - Gary Cooper stars again; this time as an army doctor working in the Philippines. David Niven, Reginald Owen and Broderick Crawford also appear.

Brigham Young 1940 - This one is from the era of Hollywood’s bio pictures that often contained as much fiction as nonfiction. Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell star, with Dean Jagger in a supporting role.

13 Rue Madeliene (1946) - James Cagney, Richard Conte and Walter Abel star in a World War II tale about secret agents and betrayal.

Call Northside 777 (1948) - James Stewart, Richard Conte and Lee J. Cobb star in this story about a Chicago reporter’s efforts to re-open an old murder case. It’s a classic.

The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951) - James Mason, Jessica Tandy and Richard Boone star in a movie that generated some controversy when released just six years after the end of World War II. Many argued it presented a sympathetic portrayal of the German general. Maybe so, but Mason delivers an impressive performance.

O Henry’s Full House (1952)- (“The Clarion Call” segment.) Hathaway is one of five directors in this anthology film featuring five of O. Henry’s stories. It’s an interesting production that’s worth watching. The cast includes Marilyn Monroe and Richard Widmark.

Niagara (1953) - A film noir thriller starring a smoldering Marilyn Monroe and Joseph Cotten. Some steamy stuff from back in the day.

Prince Valiant (1954) Robert Wagner, James Mason and Janet Leigh star in a tale about a Viking Prince’s efforts to earn a knighthood in King Arthur’s Court. It's campy and a long way from "Game of Thrones", but still enjoyable, and the kids can watch it, too.

Garden of Evil (1954) Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward, Richard Widmark, Cameron Mitchell and Hugh Marlowe star in this often overlooked western about adventurers recruited to save a woman’s husband. He’s trapped in a gold mine deep in Apache territory.

North to Alaska (1960) An odd romantic comedy starring John Wayne, Stewart Granger, Capucine (a true beauty), Ernie Kovacs and Fabian. 

How the West Was Won (1962) - Hathaway, John Ford and two other directors contributed to this epic that follows an ensemble cast through the westward expansion.

The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) - John Wayne, Dean Martin, Earl Holliman, James Gregory, Michael Anderson Jr., George Kennedy, Dennis Hopper and John Doucette star in this tale about four brothers determined to find out who was responsible for swindling their mother and killing their father.

Nevada Smith (1966) - Hathaway takes another look at the revenge theme;  this time with Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Arthur Kennedy, Suzanne Pleshette, Martin Landau, and Brian Keith. McQueen is hunting the three men who killed his parents. The running time (126 minutes) could have been trimmed to make a tighter story, but this is worth watching for the wonderful supporting cast, particularly Brian Keith’s performance. Watch also for Martin Landau.

5 Card Stud (1968) Dean Martin, Robert Mitchum, Roddy McDowell, Yaphet Kotto and Inger Stevens star in a story about a poker game that ends in a lynching. Things get interesting when someone starts killing men who were at the card table that night. I consider this one of Hathaway’s most entertaining movies. It also serves as a fine representative of the type of westerns Hollywood produced in the late 1960s - movies that featured familiar themes (revenge) mixed with film techniques some considered gimmicky.

True Grit (1969) - The first (and in my opinion best) of the two versions of this story about a girl who hires a federal marshal to hunt the man who killed her father. John Wayne won an Oscar for his work, and the supporting cast is wonderful. 
– Thank you for reading. Comments and feedback are always welcome. Send email to kbottswrites@gmail.com. Savor the coffee and make the most of your day.