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McLintock! (1963)

Loosely based on Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” “McLintock!” is one of my dad’s favorite John Wayne films. In my quest to broaden my knowledge of classic Hollywood, I gave this one a try. Wayne stars as G. W. McLintock, a cattle baron who owns a town. Well, he doesn’t own all of it, but just about, and it’s named after him, too. With all that wealth and prestige, you’d think he’d have it made in the shade, but he doesn’t. His estranged wife Kate (Maureen O’Hara) really is a shrew. They were much happier in the days before … Continue reading →

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

In 1941, Hollywood released a film which introduced Americans to a life they knew little about unless they came from similar backgrounds themselves. “How Green Was My Valley” is based on Richard Llewellyn’s novel of the same name, and examines coal mining in Wales. In this film we meet the Morgans. They have several sons, only one daughter, and every son old enough works in the coal mines. Their earnings are meager but their mother is frugal, and they have enough to live on and very little else. Still, they are a tight-knit family and strive together for all that … Continue reading →

Trouble Along the Way (1953)

John Wayne takes a break from westerns to bring us “Trouble Along the Way,” the story of a man named Steve Williams who used to be a football coach but got thrown out of the game. He is a single parent, father to an eleven-year-old girl named Carol (Sherry Jackson). They have a close, if unconventional relationship – she makes him coffee and orange juice every morning to chase off the hangovers he gets the night before. When Steve’s ex-wife Anne decides to make his life miserable again, she knows just how to do it – she sends the state … Continue reading →

A Look at Patrick Wayne

Sometimes I’m not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. I’ve seen Patrick Wayne here and there my entire life, mostly with small parts on shows such as “Fantasy Island” and “The Love Boat.” I remember him best for hosting the game show “Tic Tac Dough.” Yes, I am a child of the seventies. My dad is a huge western fan and I’ve been watching some of his favorite films, trying to broaden my overall cinematic repertoire. I’ve recently seen “The Quiet Man,” “McClintock,” and “The Alamo,” and one night while popping a DVD out of the player, had the … Continue reading →

Movies Week in Review – March 3rd-8th

I had so much fun watching movies this week! I’d like to share with you the highlights of the films I saw. I’ll be adding some reviews from the previous week, as well. “McLintock!” is a classic John Wayne movie and one of my dad’s favorites. Possessing one of the longest fight scenes in history, this is definitely a man’s movie, although there were elements of it I enjoyed as well, despite Maureen O’Hara’s tendency to overact. “Gypsy” is a Sondheim musical which tells the story of Gypsy Rose Lee, first famous exotic dancer. The show explores her past and … Continue reading →