Arizona Bushwhackers

This is the second of Howard Keel's westerns for producer A.C. Lyles that I've seen in the last several days and the fourth of Lyles during that same period. They've all been pretty enjoyable for the conventional oaters they are in the compact 90 or so minutes they run for. Among other players from previous of Lyles' pictures are: Marilyn Maxwell, Scott Brady, Brian Donlevy, John Ireland. Also, Yvonne De Carlo is the leading lady here. Keel is a rebel (Southern) turned Union soldier who becomes the new sheriff. But one doesn't know which side he's on until the middle portion. Anyway, there's also the appearance of one Roy Rogers, Jr., who shouldn't be hard to recognize especially since his character's name is Roy. Oh, and as one would expect in these oaters, Indians are also portrayed as savages though once they start moaning in pain, one by one, I couldn't help laughing since they sound soooo unconvincing! One more thing, since Ms. Maxwell's character is from New Orleans-which is a two-hour drive from where I currently live-I couldn't help but think that just three days before, when our house was out of power during Hurricane Issac, I relistened-for perhaps the upteenth time-to a cassette of her on "The Abbott & Costello Show" originally from the radio days of the '40s and she was singing "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?" during what the announcer referred to was New Orleans Jazz Week. Incidentally, this particular ep had the comedy duo performing "Who's on First?" since this was also the week Joe DiMaggio was recuperating in bed. Okay, so in summary Arizona Bushwackers was another of these old-fashioned westerns that I managed to enjoy for the entertaining yarns they are. P.S. James Cagney did the beginning narration for his old friend Lyles who produced the only picture Cagney directed: Short Cut to Hell.

Arizona Bushwhackers (1968)

** (out of 4)

Set during the Civil War, Lee Travis (Howard Keel) is a Confederate soldier who is released from a Union prison so that he can head to Arizona and become the new Sheriff to a small town that is controlled by Union supporters.

There's a lot of dialogue in the film that expands on the plot description I just gave but that's the basic plot to this film, which just seems too old-fashioned for its own good. The film was released in 1968 yet it seems like it should have been made thirty-years earlier but producer A.C. Lyles was attempting to make a Western that would appeal to an older crowd. The Italian Spaghetti Westerns had taken over so here was a throwback and that's also shown with the older cast.

Not only do you have Keel here but there's also Yvonne DeCarlo, James Craig, Barton MacLane and John Ireland. Obviously this film was meant to be a throwback to older Westerns but the problem is that there's just nothing interesting going on here. The characters are all boring. The story isn't anything to brag about. Then you've got to wonder why the producer would think this story would want to be seen by anyone in 1968.

Not only is the film very slow but it's just downright boring to the point where even the cast can't save it. The actors are all game for what they're asked to do but they just can't bring any energy to the material. You've even got narration from James Cagney to start things off but this turns out to be rather worthless as well.

This is one of a string of cheap westerns ground out by producer A.C. Lyles in the mid- to late '60s. The only thing they were notable for was that they gave work to faded stars who were otherwise unemployable. Everything about these films was second-rate--the stories were recycled (most of them were written by the same man, Steve Fisher), the photography was usually washed out and at times unsteady (Lyles was not a believer in shooting more than one take) and they looked rushed, which is what they were--they were usually shot in two weeks or less. This one is no different. The only advantage it has over Lyles' other pictures is that the beginning of it is narrated by none other than James Cagney, who did it as a favor to Lyles, a longtime friend. Other than that, this film has absolutely nothing going for it. It's tough to swallow even for diehard western fans like myself. Avoid it.

When I see a name like Howard Keel listed for a film, I can't resist having a look, particularly as Keel was probably my first screen hero (perhaps alongside Roy Rogers) as a six year old when I was taken to see Annie Get Your Gun. I still have vivid memories of him in that although it was around 65 years ago. I find it rather sad that stars like Keel ended up having to take jobs in feeble B westerns like Arizona Bushwhackers when they have so much more to give. Rather sad also that he's remembered better for Dallas than Seven Brides for Seven Brothers by some people. However, on to this film, Arizona Bushwhackers is a very tired looking picture that looks like it was made for TV, rather like those Warner Bros series in the 50's like Bronco with sets where everything looks so clean. Everyone wears clean clothes with shirts perfectly pressed and dresses that look like they've just been hired from the fancy dress shop. The movie is packed with actors and actresses who have seen better days, quite big stars some of them in their day like Yvonne De Carlo, John Ireland and Brian Donlevy (who doesn't look at all well here, in fact he died a few years later as did Marilyn Maxwell). Barton McLane although only in his sixties, looks about 80. Actors seemed to age far more quickly back then (1968) than they do today. Too much alcohol and cigarettes I think. The script here is very tedious, nothing I've not seen in westerns hundreds of times before, the colour is washed out and the direction listless and lazy. The final Indian attack is comical as this group of so called renegades just roar into town riding up and down and get picked off by the towns folk waiting for them. Must have been the most stupid Indians ever in a western. The only reason for watching this is to see your favourite old time movie stars of B films which does give one a sort of peculiar warm feeling as their easily recognisable faces appear. I thought John Ireland as a one armed deputy came off best in the acting stakes. Bless them all.

Actually, wearing a blindfold during a sitting for this movie seems like a pretty good idea given how lifeless it is. When you see it's produced by A.C. Lyles then realistic expectations are needed, his low budget Westerns grabbed the aged coat tails of a genre that had moved onto a different plain than the one Lyles now traversed. Lyles was astute enough to fill out these Oaters with names familiar to genre fans, regardless of the advent of time or box office appeal, so some interest in the said picture was there from the off.

Some of these Westerns rose above their budget limitations to be better than average, the likes of Johnny Reno, Waco and Stage to Thunder Rock, while not essential Western viewings, are good time wasters for the undemanding fan. The trouble with Arizona Bushwhackers is that it promises so much more than it can ever deliver. Proudly it tells us that it's in Technicolor and Techniscope, and it stars Howard Keel, Yvonne De Carlo, John Ireland, Marilyn Maxwell, Scott Brady, Brian Donlevy, Barton MacLane and James Craig. Hell! The opening narration is even by one James Cagney. And with a plot involving spies and gun runners in the town of Colton, where Union and Confederate operatives dwell, it's all in place for some solid "B" entertainment. Unfortunately it's a lame duck once Caggers has finished his narration.

Story limps on as the various citizens of Colton potter around wondering about who is trustworthy? Who will get caught out? Who will survive? And isn't it about time the Indians showed up? The actors, bless em', give it a good go, shuffling about in some sort of one- take wonderland, while director Lesley Selander tries hard to beef up the plot with the odd action scene; including a fight between two one armed men that I'm pretty sure isn't meant to be funny. It all builds to a hopelessly weak finale where the Indians do indeed turn up and they file in for cannon fodder duties. The colour photography is washed out, the scenic locations barely realised, and the musical score is 101 rank and file. Lifeless all told and only fans of the fading stars should seek this out so as to tick off of their completist lists. 3/10