pynchon-l-digest V2 #1230

[FrodeauxB at aol.com]

Since we are digressing, I pass on a thought or two on Hollywood's version of 
"Warlock." No, not the one about Armageddon and all that silly stuff, the 
Oakley Hall Western. The wife (can't call her the little woman-she's at least 
5'11") read it and decided we should see the movie. So, it was readily 
available at the neighborhood nonchain video rental on a slow Saturday night 
(LSU had already won its first two NCAA Regional baseball games by 19-1 and 
21-0 (yep, that's baseball, not football sports fans). My opinion? Not bad.
Remaining true to the novel if not the descriptions in it, Henry Fonda was a 
good Blaisdell. Things we're simple-he was in charge of order, and he killed 
to insure it. On the other hand, Richard Widmark as Bud Gannon was the same 
way, except the complications of being the enforcer bothered him more, at 
least on the surface. Anthony Quinn as Morgan was interesting, if for no 
other reason than here he was in yet another different role. The man's a 
pro-an actor's actor. Check out not just the variety but the number of flicks 
this guy's been in-129 since 1936, including Zorba the Greek, The Ox-Bow 
Incident, Irish Eyes Are Smiling, La Strada, Viva Zapata, The Guns of 
Navarone, Barabbas, Behold a Pale Horse, Lust for Life, Lawrence of Arabia, 
Requiem for a Heavyweight, (both in 1962), Sinbad the Sailor, The Shoes of 
the Fisherman, etc., etc. The worst aspect was the relatively shallow 
weakness of the female characters-- Misses Jessie and Lilly. The novel gave 
them more depth and involvement in a contributing to the point sort of way. 
Here, they appeared more as window dressing, female releases for the 
testosterone. Actually, as lacking as that is, given the Puritanism of movies 
at the time, they did well. Ya gotta see Hank give the closed lip passionate 
kiss to Dolores Michaels (Miss Jessie) and Richard Widmark and Dorothy Malone 
(Miss Lilly) hugging the night before the big showdown. Malone is pretty, but 
not quite as hard as Lilly was in the book. In reverse, Miss Jessie appeared 
not as soft as she was. The background actors were recognizable as the usual 
chorus of character actors from those days (1959) in studio (Fox) Hollywood. 
All in all, a pleasant diversion. I actually quit comparing it to the novel 
fairly early into this 122 minute color genre piece from Tinsel Town. Before 
I transmit, allow me to replicate the blurb from the recently acquired 
Classic Movie Companion:
This is a terrific end-of-the-West Western, with Fonda in the role of the 
aging gunfighter brought to a small mining town to clean up the community. He 
brings along adoring sidekick Quinn with him, and former hoodlum Widmark 
signs as deputy. Once the bad guys are run off, jealousies surface and the 
town questions having a gunslinger, even a fading one, around. Fonda 
establishes his dominance and rides off into history. An emotionally complex 
Western balanced with believable action, and an unusual outing for director 
(Edward) Dmytryk....Writer: Robert Alan Arthur.
Well, pardners, we know who wrote this epic novel, and I'm sure Mr. Hall, who 
received "based on" screen credit, made a dollar or two on this celluloid 
adaptation. I'm sure he probably didn't mind the "slightly" different end-his 
point was made long afore Hank saddled up and hit the dusty trail to the next 
town seeking the transition to law and order.
So saddle up and mosey over to your local video rental store and lease 
yourself two hours plus of some gosh darn good ole entertainment with not so 
much of a message that ya gotta think a lot but enough to make you feel you 
were more than just entertained. Happy trails to you, cow pokes and pokettes, 
'til we meet again!
TTFN,

frodeauxb