Budd Boetticher in an interview a year or two before he passed on said that at the time of casting and planning that Duke had stated....Put Randy in it!He's through!After Duke seen the end result Duke stated.....I shoulda did it myself!I should cut my throat!Someone some where has read that same interview.Duke knew instantly that this one was special.The Searchers rightfully is remembered today,but what if Duke had did 7 Men from Now!Also.Budd put the blame on Michael Wayne,but Micheal is now passed on too.I don't know what is holding it up now.I have seen an E-bAY bidding war for it at over 35 dollars and that was a video camera filmed copy of a dark,scratchy 16mm print.I seen it once 35 years ago,Randy rode his palomino,Stardust.The favor Duke did for Randy got him started with Budd and culminated with Ride the High Country for Sam at age 64.I tip my stetson to Duke for giving an old friend,craggy,leathery,long in the tooth and teetering on has been obscurity in B westerns the chance of a life time.A chance that millions and millions and millions of people have never seen.
