Posts from ethanedwards in thread „Warlock (1959)“

Just watched this again, for the second time only.

I enjoyed it more this time, probably looking at it
from a different aspect.

The story line is good all though somewhat formulaic,
town run by baddies, weak lawman, gunslinger stranger enters town,
in this case invited, cleans up town etc etc.
and everyone lives happily ever after.

Never been a fan of Richard Wydmark or Anthony Quinn,
and though both of them, completely outplayed by Henry Fonda..
Always thought Quinn was poor and overrated and although
it is said he was miscast in this, and yes it certainly shows, he was!!

Wydmark got top billing, but make no mistake
this is a Fonda dominated movie, and he was also miscast
as a mean Fonda, much like as in 'Once Upon a Time in The West!

A great menacing side to Fonda

Warlock is a 1959 film, released by Twentieth Century Fox
and shot in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope.
It is a Western adapted from the novel by Oakley Hall
(screenplay written by Robert Alan Aurthur).
Directed by Edward Dmytryk,
it stars Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, and Anthony Quinn.

The supporting cast includes DeForest Kelley who was a regular in Western films
before becoming best known for Star Trek,
Frank Gorshin, known for his role as the Riddler
on the television series Batman,
and Tom Drake, probably best known as John Truett,
"The Boy Next Door", in Meet Me In St. Louis.

Of course the big Duke 'Pals' in this one
Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, Anthony Quinn

User Review

Quote

About changing and the fear of changing.
19 July 2003 | by tmwest (S. Paulo, Brazil)

This great film never got the recognition it deserved. Edward Dmytryk had a lot of problems starting in 1947,
because he was an ex member of the communist party, he ended up in jail,
and eventually revealed some names that apparently were common knowledge.
Richard Widmark is Johnny Gannon a man who changes and also changes sides.
He was a member of McQuown's gang and in spite of his brother remaining in the gang
he becomes the marshal.
He is very much like Marlon Brando in "On The Waterfront"
which was made by Elia Kazan who had the same political problems.
Henry Fonda is hired to clean the town and he comes along with his partner Anthony Quinn.
Fonda falls in love with Dolores Michaels and wants to change(get married and settle down)
but Quinn has a terrible fear of changing and being alone.
There is nothing homosexual in their friendship-partnership, only too much mutual dependency.

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Information from IMDB

Plot Summary
The town of Warlock is plagued by a gang of thugs,
leading the inhabitants to hire Clay Blaisdell, a famous gunman,
to act as marshal. When Blaisdell appears,
he is accompanied by his friend Tom Morgan,
a club-footed gambler who is unusually protective of Blaisdell's life and reputation.
However, Johnny Gannon, one of the thugs who has reformed,
volunteered to accept the post of official sheriff in rivalry to Blaisdell;
and a woman arrives in town accusing Blaisdell and Morgan
of having murdered her fiance.
The stage is set for a complex set of moral and personal conflicts.
Written by David Levene

Full Cast
Richard Widmark ... Johnny Gannon
Henry Fonda ... Clay Blaisedell
Anthony Quinn ... Tom Morgan
Dorothy Malone ... Lily Dollar
Dolores Michaels ... Jessie Marlow
Wallace Ford ... Judge Holloway
Tom Drake ... Abe McQuown
Richard Arlen ... Bacon
DeForest Kelley ... Curley Burne (as De Forest Kelley)
Regis Toomey ... Skinner
Vaughn Taylor ... Henry Richardson
Don Beddoe ... Dr. Wagner
Whit Bissell ... Petrix
Bartlett Robinson ... Buck Slavin
Robert Adler ... Foss (uncredited)
Joel Ashley ... Murch (uncredited)
Don 'Red' Barry ... Edward Calhoun (uncredited)
June Blair ... Dance Hall Girl (uncredited)
Wally Campo ... Barber (uncredited)
Harry Carter ... Bartender (uncredited)
Paul Comi ... Luke Friendly (uncredited)
Walter Coy ... Deputy Sheriff Roy Tompson (uncredited)
Sheryl Deauville ... Dance Hall Girl (uncredited)
Ann Doran ... Mrs. Richardson (uncredited)
David Garcia ... George 'Pony' Benner (uncredited)
Frank Gorshin ... Billy Gannon (uncredited)
Sol Gorss ... Bob Nicholson (uncredited)
J. Anthony Hughes ... Shaw (uncredited)
Roy Jenson ... Hasty (uncredited)
L.Q. Jones ... Fen Jiggs (uncredited)
Stan Kamber ... Hutchinson (uncredited)
Gary Lockwood ... Gang Member (uncredited)
Ian MacDonald ... MacDonald (uncredited)
Robert Osterloh ... Professor (uncredited)
James Philbrook ... Cade (uncredited)
Hugh Sanders ... Sheriff Keller (uncredited)
Roy N. Sickner ... Bush (uncredited)
Mickey Simpson ... Fitzsimmons (uncredited)
Bert Stevens ... Townsman (uncredited)
Joe Turkel ... Chet Haggin (uncredited)
Tom Wilson ... Townsman (uncredited)
Harry Worth ... (uncredited)
Henry Worth ... Burbage (uncredited)

Writing Credits
Robert Alan Aurthur (screenplay)
Oakley Hall (novel)

Original Music
Leigh Harline

Cinematography
Joseph MacDonald

Trivia
Henry Fonda's name in the original US version is definitely "Clay,"
but some other sources refer to him as "Curt."
Perhaps some foreign versions of the film renamed him because "Clay"
as a first name was unfamiliar there, while "Curt" was.

Two important roles were played by actors going very much against type.
The often strong, tough, macho Anthony Quinn here is cast as a hesitant, even weak man.

Tom Drake, who once played sensitive composer Richard Rodgers and while at MGM
specialized in nice, clean-cut "boy next door" roles, here is cast as the chief villain,
the evil boss of the vicious "San Pablo" gang.

Film debut of Gary Lockwood.

DeForest Kelley rather famously told an anecdote about the filming
of this movie in his later years on the Star Trek convention circuit,
about the time Princess Sofia of Greece was visiting the set and Kelley flubbed a scene
by falling over a chair onto his backside and saying "Oh, shit," in front of the princess.
Henry Fonda told him the following Monday not to worry about it because he had danced
with the princess over the weekend and ascertained that she had no idea what "shit" meant.
This did not stop Kelley from getting a standing ovation at the commissary
when the cast and crew broke for lunch.

Goofs
Character error
At around 1:12:20, Fonda is made to draw his gun, when he goes to put it back in the holster,
he clearly misses the holster and gets it right on the second try.
As a gunfighter he was obviously better at getting his gun out of the holster than putting it back.

Memorable Quotes

Filming Locations
20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA
(Town scenes, exteriors)
Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, USA
Dead Horse Point State Park - State Highway 313, Moab, Utah, USA
(target practice scene)
Moab, Utah, USA
Professor Valley, Moab, Utah, USA
White's Ranch - Milepost 14 Utah Hwy 128, Moab, Utah, USA