Rancho River

RELEASED IN 1966 and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, "The Rare Breed" chronicles events in St. Louis and Texas in 1884-85 when an English woman (Maureen O'Hara) and her daughter (Juliet Mills) conscript a lanky cattleman (James Stewart) to try and get their hornless British bull to mate with the longhorns of Texas, but they have to deal with venal thugs (Jack Elam), a curmudgeon ranch mogul (Brian Keith) and the harshness of nature itself.

The film meshes drama with lighthearted amusement in the manner of a screwball Disney family comedy, "fun" brawls reminiscent of John Wayne Westerns of that era, dead-serious sequences and romance. I didn't feel this inconsistent tone marred the movie; after all, doesn't real life include all of these things? The exception would be the "fun" brawling scenes which, while lively, are not true to life. In real fights people get broken noses, black eyes, bruises and broken bones. Anyway, the cast is great, but I didn't find the drama that engaging, especially the entire last act. Furthermore, the indoor sets substituting for outdoors are obvious and smack of old-fashioned movies & TV Western fare of the time period.

About a third of the way in there's an exceptional stampede sequence that includes a heart-stopping on-set accident involving the wagon carrying Martha (O'Hara) and Hilary (Mills) ahead of the stampede. The stunt women were supposed to be thrown clear, but the wagon rolled over them. Thankfully, the dipping ground underneath the wagon allowed the stuntwomen, Stephanie Epper and Patty Elder, enough room to survive without being crushed, although they did experience minor wounds and shock. In the same sequence a young man is forced to try to run UP the canyon wall in stark terror as the charging cattle threaten.

THE FILM RUNS 97 minutes and was shot in Jamestown, Mecca, Coachella Valley, Mojave Desert and Universal Studios, California. WRITER: Ric Hardman.

GRADE: C

I just saw bits of this film for the first time today and kept at it because all of the leads were some of my all time favorite actors. I can't speak for the quality of the film since I didn't see it all, but it seems apparent that no lesser light than James A. Michener not only saw it, but liked it a lot since the basic plot line about the great British bull being brought to America by an English widow and then dying in a record blizzard after leaving his stamp on a new generation of crossbreeds is used almost verbatim in "Centennial" which was published nine years after this film was released.

Anyway, what I saw I enjoyed. I can't not enjoy O'Hara, Stewart and Keith!!!

Middle-aged cowboy James Stewart agrees to transport Maureen O'Hara's Hereford bull (the first in North America) to to it's new owner Brian Keith, while at the same time making an underhanded deal to deliver it to a rival cattleman. Things get complicated when O'Hara and her daughter take it upon themselves to accompany Stewart.

This light-hearted western is offbeat and original enough to provide some entertainment and Stewart is great as the reluctant champion of a new breed of bull, but the story just isn't as compelling as it should have been and sometimes pretty silly, especially Keith (under a mountain of hair!) as a backwards Scottish rancher.

Jack Elam and Ben Johnson make the most of their limited roles as a vicious saddle-tramp and Stewart's aging, crippled mentor.

This is dire. Without James Stewart, this flabby, far-too-long cattle yarn would be unwatchable. As it is, it's not far off. Stewart made a few of these 'modern' westerns for Universal in the mid 60's ("Shenandoah" springs to mind) and they are consistently shallow and unrealistic.

Two English beauties, Martha and her daughter Hilary, travel out to the American West in 1884 to sell their prize hornless bull. They meet up with Bulldog Burnett, a trusty cowpoke, who helps them move their bull to Texas. Various adventures befall them along the way.

The film wants to be a comedy action movie, but fails in both departments. The script is very weak and the improbabilities of the story are just too much to swallow.

Stewart plays Burnett, and manages to inject a bit of human interest into even this poorly-drawn character who has to utter some dreadful lines. Martha is played by Maureen O'Hara. She reacts beautifully and wordlessly when Bowen proposes marriage, but other than that she has nothing to do in the whole interminable film except look pretty and seem aloof. Juliet Mills is passable as the female ingenue Hilary, as is her male counterpart (Jamie, played by Don Galloway), but their characters are too flimsy to merit further attention. Jack Elam plays the bad guy Simons, as ludicrous a villain as exists anywhere on celluloid.

And now for the daffy parts. Burnett and the English ladies have camped for the night on the trail, but their camp is as bright as day, thanks to the Universal 'look'. Somebody takes a shot at Burnett, the bullet striking the coffee pot in his hand, but everyone decides to ignore it and turn in for the night! The notion that these two fragrant English roses would sleep on dirt is preposterous, but worse is to follow. The next morning, they are wearing crisp new outfits, both featuring dazzling white blouses - even though they have no luggage with them! Simons shoots his partner dead for no reason whatsoever - even though he is within his victims' earshot and risks ruining his own plan.

When Simons stampedes Jamie's herd, nobody notices him firing his gun or riding in among the cattle, waving a yellow scarf. When he robs the travellers, the obvious thing for him to do is to kill them, but he lets them go free. Before and after the dry gulch sequence, the group moves through lush pasture land. The dry gulch simply doesn't fit with the terrain (which is probably meant to be Oklahoma Territory). Brian Keith as Alexander Bowen parades the most awful Scottish accent since Brig O'Doon - and because he's Scottish, he plays the bagpipes, of course.

The scenes in the Bowen ranch yard and the blizzard sequence are very obviously filmed in a studio.

Verdict - Too long, too shallow ... and too bad they decided to film it at all.

Entertaining and pleasant western comedy with acceptable interpretation, though no much action . It stars the great James Stewart as an ageing cowboy hand who helps two English women , as he is still looking for a deep dream and blazing with determination . As a ranch hand agrees to escort a Hereford bull to Texas where the widow of an English breeder , the prissy Mauren O'Hara, and daughter , Juliet Mills , plan to crossbreed the big bull with longhorn cattle . Stewart acquires a a fanatical belief on the potential of the bull and he sets out in blizzard to prove it .

Amusing Western comedy including action , stampede , thrills , shootouts , fights , human as well as warm roles and a love story . The plot is plain and simple , as a widow insists that she and her daughter accompany Stewart on a dangerous trip which features every kind of Western calamity imaginable . James Stewart gives an attractive acting as an obstinate cowboy who stubbornly wishes to get the crossbread when all others believe the attempt to be failed and he sets out to prove them wrong . And charming performances from Mauren O'Hara , Juliet Mills, and a red bearded Brian Keith as an extravagant Scots-accented rancher who has a whisky bottle and a bagpipe on his hand instead of a gun , an acting that sticks in the mind long after . Support cast is frankly good such as David Brian , Don Galloway , Perry Lopez, Harry Carey Jr , Ben Johnson , Barbara Werle, and an ominus bit part, with special mention , for usual baddie Jack Elam .

Colorful and evocative cinematography by William Clothier , adding genuine wide open spaces atmosphere . Imaginative and enjoyable score by the maestro John Williams , who gives a nice musical realization , including catching leitmotif. This engaging and richly coloured motion picture was decent and professionally directed by Andrew V McLagen . He was an expert in all kinds of genres as Wartime such as Dirty dozen next mission, Sea wolves, On wings of eagles , Wild Geese, The Devil Brigade, Breakthrough and Western such as Chisum, Shenandoah, McLintock, The Blue and the Gray , The way west , Bandolero , Undefeated , Cahill United United States Marshal and this Rare Breed. Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable. Well worth watching . The motion picture will appral to James Stewart and Mauren O'Hara fans .