Sunday, August 20, 2006

Should've Been a Cowboy

Mostly Sunny - Hi 117 Lo 90 for Baghdad, Iraq
Partly Cloudy - Hi 84 Lo 66 for Northern KY, USA

Song of the week: Should've Been a Cowboy, Toby Keith

Ramble:

I've been working on my post for 2996 so I need to keep things kinda light and easy this week. Saturday was a real lazy day-Michael had to work so I went to my grandparents and made them lunch--- BLT's... the T's being straight from Michael's garden. YUM!!

I went home and plopped on the sofa, read a couple of magazine articles then decided to watch a movie... but what??... no girly movies today... I wanted to be inspired... I dusted off an old VHS and watched High Noon--- This is one of my favorite movies... It only makes sense that my Sunday morning post be about movies of the western genre... this in turn keeps with my theme of recent weeks of heroes and good vs. evil. So, here is my movie list titled:

So What if I'm a Girl and I like a Good Cowboy Movie?

High Noon - Gary Cooper portrays a sheriff that is retiring... just got married to Grace Kelly, and plans to settle down... but a few of the bad guys he sent away to prison are coming back on the train... Noon. He decides to stay, asks his friends for help... but not one soul will stand beside him... even his new bride tells him they should leave. Despite the odds... this man stays and stand alone against the bad guys. I love this movie!!!!!

The Magnificent Seven - Have I ever mentioned I love Yul Brynner? Well, if I haven't I do... And Steve McQueen- the coolest of cool is in this one too... as is Charles Bronson, James Coburn and Robert Vaughn. This is a remake of The Seven Samurai which is also a phenomenal movie. This group of seven is hired by a village protect them from some seriously nasty bandits. Yul Brynner in black in the desert... not a drop of sweat on that brow...

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - Two American movie icons and heroes in their own right-- John Wayne and James Stewart are in this John Ford classic. Need I say more?

The Sons of Katie Elder - I remember watching this movie for the first time late at night at my grandparents when I was maybe 10 or 11 years old. John Wayne was bigger than life to me. I often daydreamed that John Wayne was my dad- a protector. Anyway, this is a great movie... The sons of Katie Elder, John Wayne, Dean Martin and two other guys (I can't remember) righting the wrongs done to their family. Dean Martin was great in this too.

Shane - Alan Ladd plays a gunfighter that wants to settle down, but there are more bad guys on the horizon that need killin'. "Shaaane! Shaaane! Come back!!"

The Alamo - John Wayne directed and starred in this one. The Alamo speaks to the American heart. In modern times this story is replayed again in the heroes of United Flight 93. Against the odds... never give up-- never.

How the West Was Won - This movie had all my favorite actors in it - John Wayne, Henry Fonda, James Stewart. I watch this movie and I say things like... "Oh! That's so and so" and "I didn't know he was in this movie!" This movie by today's standards is total cheeseball- but I love cheeseball.

The Good The Bad and the Ugly (Il Buono, il brutto, il cattivo) - Clint Eastwood in what we fondly refer to as a spaghetti western. Who knew that Sergio Leone knew how to make a great western? How? Because Italians are full of grit and determination... that I have learned here in the blogosphere...
And now for a musicinterlude, whistle it with me, won't you? "dolululu... wah wah wah... doalululu wah waah..."

My Darling Clementine - John Ford presents his version of the Fight at the O.K. Corral. Henry Fonda plays Wyatt Earp and Victor Mature is Doc Holliday.

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral - This version stars Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp and Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday. I like this version as much as the Henry Fonda version.

Support Your Local Sheriff - Who said taming the west can't be funny? The hero is just trying to make some money so he can go to Australia. Along the way he catches the bad guys. James Garner is perfect in this role.

There are other westerns that I enjoy didn't include for various reasons... movies that have the hero as the bad guy--- perfect example is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I love this movie... but they were train robbers... The Treasure of Sierra Madre.... Blazing Saddles is on another movie list.

Do you have a favorite western?

My other movie lists:

* I'm Really Not a 15 Year Old Boy
* Chick Flicks
* Musical Mania

Blogs and Links to Check Out This Week & Keeping in Tune with the Cowboy Theme:

Lone Ranger at Important Stuff or Not
Wyatt Earp at Support Your Local Gunfighter
Big White Hat - Good guys wear white hats. And they never run out of bullets.
Sam Houston -Throwing Heat


Have a great week everyone!

8 comments:

WE Speak said...

It's been a while since I stopped in. Nice job on the the new look.

Anonymous said...

"Lonesome Dove."

Anonymous said...

Great list! Most of my faves are there...

Another one I love is Quigley Down Under. Not exactly a western, but it's a good flick.

Cathy said...

B- Glad you stopped by- Keep everyone in check above the border!!

Mark - I never saw Lonesome Dove.

Joe - Quiqley Down Under--- My gun totin', card carrying member of the NRA, Mr. Tom Selleck. That was a fun movie.

Anonymous said...

OMG! You must, must rectify "I never saw Lonesome Dove." The absolute best Western ever. It was a mini-series and it's about 6 or 8 hours long but I've got it on DVD and I watch it at least twice a year. LOL Send me an email Cathy please, I lost your addy when I formatted.

J.M. Rob said...

I have to mention Tombstone simply because Val Kilmer absolutley rocked as Doc Holiday! Best thing he ever did!

"I'll be your huckleberry... "

DAKOTARANGER said...

A buddy and I drove two hundred miles to see "The man Who shot Liberty Vallence" because it was on the silverscreen a couple of years ago, well worth the drive.

I aggree with most your list except I Like 310 to Yuma more than High Noon, similar plot, but the hero has the bad guy trying to bribe him to let him go. Just personal Preference.

Great post

Cathy said...

Diane: I've been meaning to get Lonesome Dove, but just haven't gotten around to it. Maybe this winter. Check your email. I sent a note to you at both addresses I have for you.

Jedi Man: I agree. I liked Tombstone immensely too, but that would have been 3 movies on my list about the O.K. Corral. Then again, we could take an impromptu poll on which is your favorite version. I don't think I could rank those 3...

Dakotaranger: First and foremost- thanks for stopping by--- always love your pithy comments over at Kimosabe's place. You have also made mention of a movie I have never seen... so sounds like I'm going to have to make my way over to Blockbuster and see if they have 310 to Yuma, if not... Amazon here I come.