Author: thehorsesheadblog

#47) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

OR “Lee Dies at the End”

Directed by John Ford

Written by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck. Based on the story by Dorothy M. Johnson.

Class of 2007

The Plot: Told through flashback, Senator Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) recounts coming to the small town of Shinbone as a young attorney. His stagecoach is robbed by local outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin), who beats Stoddard nearly to death. It turns out no one in Shinbone will stand up to Liberty, except for Doniphon (John Wayne), who knows that Liberty doesn’t respond to anything but violence. Stoddard spends his time educating the town and pushing the territory towards statehood, all the while leading to his inevitable showdown with Liberty.

Why It Matters: The NFR calls it “Ford’s last great Western” and contemplates what was lost when the West became civilized.

But Does It Really?: I give this one “minor classic” status. Everyone involved has done better, but it’s probably the most meditative western you’ll find this side of “Unforgiven”. Wayne’s character represents what the West was, and Stewart’s what the West will become, and it’s a perfect vehicle to bring these two legends together. The film has something to say about the end of an era in American history, coming from filmmakers at the end of their era in movie history.

Shout Outs: If there’s a stagecoach in a John Ford western, does it count as a reference to “Stagecoach”?

Wow, That’s Dated: As always with a John Ford western, Native Americans are vilified or completely ignored, in this case both. No natives in sight, except for a passing reference to “savage redskins”.

Title Track: Only once does someone actually say “The man who shot Liberty Valance”. The real drinking game for this film is every time John Wayne says “pilgrim”. He really over-does it.

Seriously, Oscars?: Perhaps because Ford’s day in the Oscar sun was long over, the film only received one nomination; costume design for the legendary Edith Head. She lost to “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”.

Other notes

• Shout-out to cinematographer William Clothier, the man who shot “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”.
• There’s that “Young Mr. Lincoln/Ascot Gavotte” theme again! What’s the deal, Ford?
• So when we flash back Jimmy Stewart is the exact same age?
• If you’re Lee Marvin and you want to leave a mark on films, beating up Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne is a start. Quick! Someone call the town’s comically drunk gunfighter!
• They never explicitly say which state/territory they’re in, but we know that this film takes place sometime in the early 1880s, so let’s just say West Dakota.
• Woody Strode’s character is named Pompey. Like the city?
• More westerns should have Swedes in them.
• And yes, Edmond O’Brien’s character is frequently referred to as Mr. Peabody.
• The love triangle is a bit unnecessary (and creepy, both Stewart and Wayne are 20 years older than Vera Miles).
• One of the songs in the saloon is so close to being “West of the Wide Missouri”.
• Sheep Wars? Now that’s a film I wanna see!
• Geez I keep expecting Andy Devine and Edmond O’Brien to have a “comic relief-off”.
• Ummm…where’s the music in the convention coming from? That hall is way too small to fit a band.
• For those of you keeping score, that’s a flashback WITHIN a flashback at the end. Christopher Nolan, take note.
• Wait, they go the whole movie without actually singing the song? What a jip!

Legacy

• Whenever a John Wayne impression contains the word “pilgrim”, it’s because of this film.
• “Liberty Valance” gives us the saying; “When the legend become fact, print the legend.”
• Sergio Leone once called this film his favorite John Ford western. Only appropriate since he picked up the torch from there.

#46) Tess of the Storm Country (1914)

OR “Squatter Knows Best”

Directed by Edwin S. Porter

Written by B.P. Schulberg. Based on the novel by Grace Miller White.

Class of 2006

Here is the film. It is a thing that happened.

The Plot: Tess (Mary Pickford) is a young girl living in a shantytown with her father (David Hartford). In addition, there’s the evil landowner (William Walters) who plots to get rid of the squatters, his son (Harold Lockwood) who falls for Tess in the process, and his daughter (Olive Carey) who has a child out-of-wedlock. And as if Tess isn’t busy enough with all of this, her father is arrested for a murder he did not commit. Oh, and there’s a storm too I guess.

Why It Matters: According to the NFR, this is the film that made Mary Pickford “America’s Sweetheart” and launched her iconic celebrity status. An essay by Pickford expert Eileen Whitfield is a love letter to Mary and her performance in this film, plus sheds a little more light on her cult following.

But Does It Really?: If you say so, NFR. This film is so plodding I have virtually nothing to say about it, other than this; if you’re going to adapt a novel into a silent film, maybe choose one that doesn’t rely so much on words or dialogue. And if you have to, maybe use more intertitles? Half the time I didn’t know what was going on, and the other half I just didn’t care. We have one other Mary Pickford film on the list, 1917’s “The Poor Little Rich Girl”, and here’s hoping it’s a better representation of this legendary movie star.

Everybody Gets One: Mary’s leading man Harold Lockwood was quite the matinée idol at the time. Sadly, he died in 1918 of Spanish Flu.

Wow, That’s Dated: The name Tessibel.

Other notes

• Again, I have nothing to say about this film. It happened, I saw it, I can cross it off the list. Moving on.

Legacy/Further Viewing: The novel has been remade for film a few times throughout the years, most notably in 1922 by Mary Pickford again!

#45) Toy Story (1995)

OR “When Disney Met Pixar…”

Directed by John Lasseter

Written by Joss Whedon and Andrew Stanton and Joel Cohen & Alec Sokolow. Original Story by John Lasseter & Pete Docter & Andrew Stanton & Joe Ranft.

Class of 2005

This is my original post regarding “Toy Story”. You can find my revised and expanded version here.

The Plot: Andy (voiced by John Morris) is a young boy with a room full of great toys. What he doesn’t know is that when he’s away, the toys have a life of their own. Andy’s favorite toy, cowboy doll Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), is threatened by the arrival of new spaceman toy Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen). The two toys fight and end up stranded out in the real world. Will they make it home before Andy moves away? Well it’s a Disney movie, so you figure it out.

Why It Matters: The NFR acknowledges the film for being the first full-length computer animated feature, and applauds the film’s “magical and hilarious secret world of toys”. It should also be noted that this is one of the rare films to make the NFR after only 10 years, the minimum eligibility period.

But Does It Really?: The ripple-effect that Pixar created with “Toy Story” cannot be denied. But on top of that, it’s also a really good movie. “Toy Story” hits all the right notes; it’s appealing to kids without talking down to them, and appealing to adults without being racy. It taps into a fantasy world that every child has dreamed of and then runs around and has a lot of fun with it. Good animation is never about technique or technology, but rather about a good story and strong characters. “Toy Story” has all of these in spades.

Get Off My Lawn: I saw “Toy Story” in the theater on its original release in November 1995. I don’t remember much, other than the CG animation was pretty amazing. And the video release in October 1996 was like the second coming of Christ. It was seriously that big a deal.

Shout Outs: Quick nods to previous Pixar shorts “Luxo Jr.” and “Tin Toy”. Among the many films that get referenced throughout are NFR entries “The Wizard of Oz”, “The Exorcist”, “Star Wars”, “Alien”, “Apocalypse Now”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “The Lion King”.

Everybody Gets One: Tim “The Tool Man” Allen, Laurie “Jackie” Metcalf, Jim “Ernest” Varney and the recently departed Don Rickles. And that’s Penn Jillette (of “& Teller” fame) as the announcer of the Buzz Lightyear toy commercial.

Wow, That’s Dated: The whole film has that early ‘90s CG look about it. 22 years later it takes a second to remember that that’s what cutting-edge technology looked like. Also check out the credits for “Soundtrack available on cassette and compact disc” and a reference to the film’s CD-ROM (which I had).

Seriously, Oscars?: Lasseter received an honorary Oscar for his technical achievements (a call-back to when they used to give Walt Disney these kinds of awards). As for actual nominations, it lost its Original Screenplay nod to “The Usual Suspects”. By missing out on Best Original Score and Best Song, Randy Newman lost his 7^th and 8^th Oscar nominations. He would eventually win on number 16 with another Pixar film, “Monsters Inc.” and on number 20 with “Toy Story 3”.

Other notes

• Yes, it’s that Steve Jobs and Joss Whedon listed in the credits as executive producer and writer, respectively. Jobs was a majority shareholder of Pixar at the time, and Whedon was a script doctor who helped Lasseter and company navigate the exciting new world of screenplays.
• The Toddle Tots (because “Little Tikes” is a registered trademark) sound a lot like Jawas.
• I always forget how much more antagonistic Mr. Potato Head is in this film compared to the sequels. I guess married life softened him a bit.
• This film – along with “Finding Nemo” – leads us to believe that humans have no peripheral vision or ability to hear anything outside a few feet of them.
• They live in a two-story house and yet Andy has to share a room with Molly?
• For whatever reason I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of the lines “Look, I’m Woody! Howdy, howdy, howdy!” and “Would you like some tea, Mrs. Nesbitt?”
• It’s a good thing that he’s voiced by Tom Hanks, because Woody is a real jerk for the first half of this film. The story goes that Disney Animation head Jeffrey Katzenberg unsuccessfully pushed for Woody to be meaner and for the film to be edgier. Hmmm, kinda like a certain animation company Katzenberg might just have founded a few years later…
• So about Sid: from a toy’s perspective he’s pure evil, but I actually think he’s cool. He’s way more interesting than that goody-two-shoes Andy, plus he’s very creative with how he reconfigures his toys. And his mom makes Pop-Tarts! I’d much rather hang out with him.
• Nice foreshadowing of Al’s Toy Barn. Newman!
• With this film, Pixar begins their tradition of listing “Production Babies” in the end credits. Those babies are now in their early-to-mid-‘20s.

Legacy

• Two sequels; one that is among the best sequels ever, and one that is also very good and very intense.

• Of course, every Pixar movie made since “Toy Story”; plus that weird theory that they’re all in the same universe. (No no, they just share in-jokes).
• “Three hours in line for a video game?”

• Randy Newman: Act II
• The animated shorts that used to play on Saturday mornings that gave Jim Hanks a nice round of residuals.

• The Buzz Lightyear TV series that gave Patrick Warburton a nice round of residuals.

• Toy Car Story

• And in 2019, a fourth one.

Further Viewing: Someone did a shot-for-shot remake of this film using real toys. Admire their commitment.

#44) Swing Time (1936)

OR “Fred & Ginger and Lucky & Penny”

Directed by George Stevens

Written by Howard Lindsay and Allan Scott. Based on a story by Erwin S. Gelsey.

Class of 2004

The Plot: “Lucky” Garnett (Fred Astaire) is a dancer with a gambling problem. After a broken engagement and a promise not to return until he’s respectable, Lucky ends up in New York with his friend “Pop” (Victor Moore). They meet dance instructor Penny (Ginger Rogers) and her sassy confidante Mabel (Helen Broderick) and…oh who cares? Fred & Ginger dance together and sing the Great American Songbook and it’s just great.

Why It Matters: The NFR calls it a candidate for “the duo’s best film” and gives praise to director George Stevens, composer Jerome Kern, as well as Astaire and Rogers of course.

But Does It Really?: Yes, with one big reservation (see “Wow That’s Dated” below). That scene notwithstanding, the film is an enjoyable, pleasant musical. Fred & Ginger compliment each other beautifully on screen and they’re still fun to watch over 80 years later. When they try to shoehorn in a plot things lose momentum (especially towards the end), but Stevens keeps things moving as best he can and creates a delightful film. Now if only we could get rid of that Bojangles number we’d have a bona fide classic, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Shout Outs: No specific references, but a lyrical shout-out to the “March of Time” newsreel series in “A Fine Romance”.

Everybody Gets One: Most of the cast were Astaire/Rogers regulars whom we’ll see again in “Top Hat”. Though I’d like to give special mention to Broadway star Victor Moore and character actor Eric Blore, a.k.a. the voice of Disney’s Mr. Toad.

Wow, That’s Dated: Sure there’s a lot of ‘30s talk like “screwy dames” and “ducky”, but we’re not here for that, we’re here for the BLACKFACE WARNING. About 75 minutes in we get Fred’s “Bojangles of Harlem” number and Bill Robinson is nowhere to be found. If the number wasn’t painful enough, the next big scene takes place in Fred’s dressing room and HE KEEPS THE BLACKFACE MAKEUP ON THE WHOLE TIME. And the film was doing so well up to this point.

Title Track: Fred says the phrase “swing time” once right before the title number, almost exactly halfway through the film.

Seriously, Oscars?: Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields won Best Original Song for “The Way You Look Tonight”. The film’s legendary choreographer Hermes Pan was nominated in the category of Best Dance Direction. That’s right, for a hot second in the ‘30s, the Oscars gave an award for choreography. Meanwhile we can’t even get a Stunt Coordination category now.

Other notes

• For some reason Warner Brothers (the film’s current rights holders) go out of their way to digitally remove all RKO Pictures references from the opening and end logos.
• Fred even gambles gracefully!
• That “great big ditch” line must have been quite the shocker in 1936.
• All films should feature reaction shots of Eric Blore. All of them.
• Not counting the opening shot, “Swing Time” doesn’t have its first musical number until 25 minutes in.
• Why does no one instinctively trust a woman in this film?
• And then Fred & Ginger dance together and it’s pure movie magic.

• I always find it amazing that a song like “The Way You Look Tonight” had to be written, and didn’t just emerge fully formed. Also amazing is that it was written for a specific scene in a specific film.

• The print I saw started visibly wobbling during the New Amsterdam scene. It must have really been cold!
• Oooh, Mabel’s a multiple divorcee. How scandalous back now.
• Ricardo makes his orchestra play at his own wedding? What a jerk.
• As previously mentioned, the ending starts to fall apart quickly, but then they sing in counterpoint and it’s all lovely and I don’t care anymore.

Legacy

• Fred & Ginger did four more movies together, but “Swing Time” is considered the peak of their success as a dance team.
• After their break-up, Ginger did a movie with no dancing or singing in it and won an Oscar!

• Fred retired a few times, but always came back for more. He received an honorary Oscar for his body of work, and received a Supporting Actor nomination for… “The Towering Inferno”?

• Everyone has covered “The Way You Look Tonight”. Most recently some kid on “The Voice” sang it (though really he’s covering the Sinatra cover).

• Everyone has also covered “A Fine Romance”, but once you learn that one of those people is Dame Judi Dench the others do not matter.

• President Obama referenced the lyrics to “Pick Yourself Up” in his 2009 inauguration speech, and a small portion of the internet lost its minds.

• “Swing Time” came to Broadway in 2003 under the name “Never Gonna Dance”. In a season that included “Avenue Q” and “Wicked”, the show never took off and closed after two months. Good choreography, though.

Listen to This: Before teaming up with Ginger, Fred’s dance partner was his sister Adele. While appearing on Broadway in “Lady Be Good” they introduced the standard “Fascinating Rhythm”. This recording features George Gershwin on piano, and is one of the rare recordings of Adele Astaire before she retired from showbiz.

#43) Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)

OR “Southside with Abe”

Directed by John Ford

Written by Lamar Trotti

Class of 2003

I wasn’t able to track down the film’s original trailer, so here’s the film’s recreation of a landmark moment in American history; Lincoln judging a pie contest.

The Plot: In the early 1830s young Abe (Henry Fonda) teaches himself common law and heads off to Springfield, Illinois to practice. His first big case involves two brothers (Richard Cromwell & Eddie Quillan) accused of murdering a man during a 4^th of July celebration. Abe uses his book smarts, his keen eye of human behavior, and his average sized stovepipe hat to help defend the boys. And that man grew up to be President Abraham Lincoln. And now you know the rest of the story!

Why It Matters: The NFR cites this film alongside John Ford’s two other 1939 offerings; “Stagecoach” and “Drums Along the Mohawk”. They also point out that Ford and Fonda would collaborate six more times after this film. So for the record, nothing of note about the film itself, other than it was Fonda’s “most significant role up to that point”, a claim that would be eclipsed just eight months later.

But Does It Really?: Well, it’s definitely a step up from my previous Fonda screening, “The Ox-Bow Incident”. Being a John Ford film it can’t help but be interesting to watch, and Fonda gives a very strong performance here that is more Fonda than Lincoln, but I have no problem with that. As a biopic it’s a bit on the nose (there are more historical nods in this film than in “Shakespeare in Love”). As courtroom drama it’s a bit more engaging. As a classic film worthy of preservation, I have my doubts. I’m also convinced the NFR thought they were voting for “Abe Lincoln in Illinois”, which came out around the same time as this film.

Everybody Gets One: Rounding out the historical figures are Marjorie Weaver as Mary Todd, Pauline Moore as Ann Rutledge, and Milburn “Doc” Stone as Stephen Douglas. Slightly odd mention to Judith Dickins, who is credited for playing Carrie Sue, a character that’s not in the film. Now that’s a good agent. And as always, special mention to Fred Kohler Jr. as Scrub White, aka “The Vic”.

Wow, That’s Dated: It’s not a John Ford film until someone vilifies Native Americans. In this case a “drunk Indian” killed Abigail’s husband. Also I was not expecting this film to discuss the origin of “The Jew’s Harp”.

Seriously, Oscars?: Facing competition from the bevy of films that made up “the greatest year for movies ever”, “Young Mr. Lincoln” received only one nomination; Best Original Story (a forerunner to the Original Screenplay category). It lost to the significantly more famous 1939 political film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (Interestingly enough, that film’s only win at the Oscars).

Other notes

• I don’t know the exact timeline, but John Ford made this film either right before or right after “Stagecoach”, arguably his first true classic. (UPDATE: It was right after)
• As for historical accuracy, this film muddles the details, but overall gets things correct. The case that Lincoln tries is based on one that actually took place several years later right before he was a nominee for the Senate.
• Kudos to that make-up team. There are some shots where Fonda looks just like Lincoln.
• This may be the folksiest film on the Registry. I suddenly understand why “Matlock” was on the air for so long.
• He runs into Stephen Douglas AND meets Mary Todd in the same scene? Does he shake hands with JFK too?
• Yes, Honest Abe, the man who cheats in a tug o’ war contest.
• Let’s all get our fingerprints over the murder weapon. Good idea everyone.
• How come whenever Fonda shows up in a movie a lynch mob breaks out?
• “By Gene”? Who’s Gene?
• Awkward Lincoln trying to dance with Mary Todd is adorable.
• There’s a passage in the score’s main romantic theme that keeps turning into “Ascot Gavotte” for a second.
• Alice Brady kinda looks like she should be Patricia Neal’s mother. Also, I’m surprised Brady didn’t get a Best Supporting Actress nomination for this film. She was a previous winner, and this performance is the kind of “strong, protective mother” character type that has done well for others. Plus she died just after the film was released but before Oscar campaigning had begun. No room for one final nomination bouquet?
• Ward Bond plays John Palmer Cass here. A favorite of John Ford’s (despite their very antagonistic relationship), Bond appears in 25 of his films. Bond is also in 14 films on the National Film Registry, which has got to be the record.

Legacy

• The film produced one sequel: “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”.

• Though he did not portray Lincoln during his presidency, Henry Fonda did run for President in 1964’s “The Best Man”.

• Tom Hanks

• While Lincoln’s courtroom antics got laughter from the crowds, he didn’t attempt standup until many years later.

• When it comes down to it there’s only two kinds of Lincoln movies; the ones where he’s a Vampire Hunter, and the ones where he isn’t.

Further Viewing: The aforementioned “Abe Lincoln in Illinois”, which covers most of the same territory as “Young Mr. Lincoln”, and throws in his first presidential campaign for good measure. Plus it’s got young Ruth Gordon as Mary Todd!