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jeanbarb
Reviews
The Return of Jack Slade (1955)
Good flick but could have been better!
I like all the films staring Ericson. He has always been an under rated actor. No one would know he was born in Germany. The film is a good, not great, Western. Why it was not done in color is beyond me. I wished it would have been a bit more true historically but thats the way of the westerns of the fifties! The film does have some witty moments. Another asset is Neville Brand. He was one of the all time heavies and shows his stuff in this flick. Worth the time to watch! The outdoor scenes are also good. Was also a good start for Angie Dickinson who does not have a great part but still shines. The interaction of Slade and "Com padre" is also good but could have been longer. I also like the fact that the weapons are accurate for the period. Most flicks of this era didn't pay much attention to the details. Although an older film parental discretion should be used because of the violence.
Cast a Long Shadow (1959)
Typical 50's western!
Murphy was a hero in World War 2, being the most decorated soldier of the war, but as an actor he left much to be desired. Black and white should have gone the way of the arc projector lamp by the 1950's! The film does have a good cast of character actors doing they're best to pull this film out of it doldrums. Ms. Moore seems out of place in this film, lacking her usual sensuality. John Dehner is his usual best as the stern character of the film, outdoing Murphy who's supposed to be the lead. James Best is in his heyday period and shows good acting. One wonders if Murphy being a co-producer has any bearing on the quality of this flick? I would recommend it to people who like typical westerns of the B class.
Runaways (2004)
Good documentary
Good retrospect of the teen band the "RUNAWAYS". I gave it a seven. Very blunt and to the point. Good time-line of what happens when teens are not allowed to grow up. I was unaware of the group although I grew up in that time period. I was very pleased to see the inner workings of a young group that has to grow up on the road. Comments by the parents were also enlightening. The all girl band came from all walks of life and different parts of the country. They spoke of their alcohol and drug abuse. How members were replaced as time went by. They had a very short life span of five years. Good insight that band members are hard workers that find life at time unbearable and good things don't always last. It also details how groups have changed since the 1970's