Posts by General Sterling Price

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  • What Was The Last Western You Watched?

    Just watched "Tall in the Saddle" and each time I see it, it goes up a few notches in my like for the film. It was Gabby Hayes' best performance, and had his classic line about Wayne: "Oh boy, has somebody come to town!!" This statement seems to me to mean more now than what it did in the film, because Tall in the Saddle was the FIRST Wayne western that captured all the elements that would become Wayne's permanent western personna that would carry him all the way through The Shootist. Earlier westerns were different, because in Dark Command, Stagecoach, In Old California, In Old Oklahoma, The Shepherd of the Hills (if that one is truly a western), Wayne's character had a naivety around the edges, and his character talked too much. No more starting with Tall in the Saddle. Wayne was tough, smart, and in control both in word and action. Example:

    Old woman: "I saw you, I saw you strike that poor man"
    Wayne: "Yes Ma'am, just as hard as I could"

  • How the West was Remade

    What I think would be cool, would be to make a new western, but use technology to integrate the Duke into the plot using old clips from the B western part of his career. Those clips could be cleaned up digitally, colorized, and blended in with new film. I have had this idea ever since Forrest Gump shook hands with JFK. Not sure if the Wayne family would approve, but I think it would be terrific.

  • The Duke: John Wayne's Centennial

    I clicked on that photo, and it popped open a photo gallary, and there was a picture in there of Wayne on stage with Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and some other guy. I was trying to figure out from that picture when it was taken. Based on how Duke looked, along with Bing, I would guess 1973...does anyone know? Bob Hope looked like he did there in that photo for about 20 years, so he is no help. I think Crosby passed away in like 1977, so its before then for sure, but its clearly in the 70s, because Duke is wearing the bracelet he got while filming Green Berets in the late 60s.

  • Maureen O'Hara- Biography & Discussion

    Wow, what a great opportunity to suggest questions that would get asked of Maureen O'Hara. I would recommend that you ask which film starring John Wayne that she was not a part of does she look back and wish she had starred opposite Wayne. Hondo? Rio Bravo?

    Also, I wouldn't give up on the question as to what she whispered to Duke at the end of Quiet Man. But here is how you do it....ask all your questions, wait until the end of the interview, when she is comfortable with you, and you are wrapping it up, then say, "one final question..." I know you have never wanted to answer this before..." (she will know where you are going) and then ask "is there anything you can tell us about what was whispered to John Wayne at the end of the Quiet Man?" Maybe she won't say what it was, but maybe she will at least say something about it, that would be a good capstone to your interview. Good luck!

  • Does anyone here also like Hogan's Heroes?

    It just occurred to me, that Colonel Hogan's mention of John Wayne in this fashion is really an anachronism. When they filmed that episode (60s?) John Wayne's exploits in war films were well known. However, they were portraying 1943-1944 in a German prison camp. At that time, the only war film that Wayne had starred in was the Flying Tigers. The Fighting Seabees may have been in production by then, but certainly would not have been common knowledge to any POW.


    GSP

  • Big Jake (1971)

    Robbie,


    Thanks for straightening me out on the Devries. Maybe Billy left the bandits because he was too embarrassed that his brother was taken out by Bobby Vinton.


    Seriously, I wonder if maybe the answer to all this, is both the Devries were killed at the McCandles ranch, and they cut the scene of Billy Devries getting taken out. That would explain why only seven were shown riding away. I don't recall ever seeing Devries the rest of the movie.


    GSP

  • Big Jake (1971)

    I went back and tried to do some more research on my question about the death of the outlaws...there were nine at the start of the raid of the McCandles ranch...

    John Fain - Michael shot him at the end of the film
    Will Fain - Jake shot him at the start of the big shootout
    "Pop" Dawson - James shot him standing in a doorway during shootout
    John Goodfellow - Jake got him with a pitchfork at the end of the big shootout
    Trooper - Sam shot him from atop a wall during big shootout
    "Kid" Duffy - Michael shot him off the bell-tower
    O'Brien - James shot him off a rock during big shootout
    Billy Devries - Shot during the opening raid on the McCandles ranch
    Walt Devries - ?? The mystery bandit...whatever happened to him?

    As was said earlier, only 7 are shown to leave the McCandles ranch, and I have yet to try and count them later in the film. I will have to watch closer next time...unless someone else can solve this mystery.

    GSP

  • Big Jake (1971)

    We have watched Big Jake probably 20 times, and we still have a tough time accounting for the death of all the outlaws. There were nine men at the beginning, one killed during the rampage at the McCandles ranch...leaving eight. Then as we counted them off at the end, it seems like there should be one left. But then maybe the goof mentioned on page one of this thread explains it, in that only seven rode away from the McCandles ranch, though only one was killed. Is it possible that someone else was killed and they cut the scene? Anybody know which character introduced at the beginning is the one that went missing? Next time I watch it, I am gonna write it all down, and check them off as they go.


    GSP

  • Tall In The Saddle (1944)

    I know I said it before, but I just love this film. As Gabby said, "someone has come to town!" And that someone of course was Wayne. I think I have pointed it out before too that this Western, is the FIRST in which Wayne solidified all the characteristics of his Western character personna. He dropped the "aw shucks I am just a simple cow-hand" element of his character that you see in Stagecoach, Dark Command, In Old California, and War of the Wildcats. For the first time, His western character is tough, smart, and not to be shown-up by anyone. From this western forward, his character would change very little.


    GSP

  • In Old Oklahoma (1944)

    Another thought I had about this film, was that they portrayed a sitting president (T.R.) as a character in the film.

    Question: Are there any other Wayne films that has as one of its characters the president of the U.S.? I cannot think of any others.

  • In Old Oklahoma (1944)

    Quote from etsija

    The first part is highly enjoyable, Hunk trying to besiege Cat, and Dan constantly coming between them. Dekker is very good in these not-so-bad bad guy roles. The run for the oil delivery post is too much, how many wagons and barrels they loose and still fulfill their agreement?



    Yeah, we noticed that too. It seemed like they lost more oil than they started out with, and yet arrived with plenty to spare!

    Have to love Gabby in these films though....other than him, War of Wildcats is basically the same as In Old California, except its oil, instead of gold.

    GSP

  • They Were Expendable (1945)

    I think that in a way, They Were Expendable really ended with a victory, in that the top brass finally saw the value of the PT boats...but obviously the circumstances were tragic. Interesting too that Ward Bond's crutch was for the real leg injury he sustained when hit by a car. Before the scene where he was shot in the PT boat, Bond is never seen walking in the film...because he couldn't without the crutch. We just watched the film for the third time...wow it was good.


    GSP