Arizona

I don't normally write reviews, but this movie really caught me up watching it on TCM. Jean Arthur, though older, is such a sympathetic character, a tough old gal whose heart is captured by a younger William Holden. I watched it for a while before checking out the credits and it struck me that the young man's voice sounded so much like William Holden but his youth had me fooled. Edgar Buchanan's Judge Bogardus was a nice change from the tool of the bad guys to a simple town drunk full of himself as the 'chosen' judge passing judgment on the streets for a drink at the bar.

I just loved the plot and dialog in this movie, and the way it stuck to the actual history of Arizona through the Civil War from the goods to the weapons. After reading the Trivia section, I was surprised to see it was also later on the set for Rio Bravo, one of my favorite John Wayne westerns.

Just a wonderful and authentic treatise on the early days of Arizona, everyone in it did it justice. Nothing was wrong with it, everything was right.

I have been a fan of Jean Arthur for many years, and the reason for this post is not so much to review the movie (which I enjoyed), but to share some trivia about the production. I have a letter from a man associated with the production, Charles Bimbo, and in his letter he describes working on the set and how Jean Arthur gave him the job of taking care of the farm animals that appeared in the film. His letter has the name of the film, and directors name on the envelope itself. On the back of the letter is a studio stamp from the picture.

It's just a nice piece of history, and I'm glad to own it. I have submitted an additional crew member to the cast and crew list, as he was not listed and I have historical proof of his role. It still is in excellent shape even after 73 years. Apparently he was a friend of my family and sent them an update of his life and times; just wanted to share.

This is a refreshing western saga with well-defined performances of some unique characters. Adding to the overall quality, there is a strong current of authenticity in the staging, with both the gritty desert west (the scene is 1860's Tucson) and the settlers of that land making a strong showing. William Holden plays against type as an aw-shucks, boyish adventurer who is smitten with a bold, outspoken pioneer businesswoman played with gusto by Jean Arthur. Both characters have clearly-defined development arcs. While the plot is generally typical western fare, the narrative tends to bounce out of those well-worn ruts, including being mostly true to the period depicted and in the motivations of characters and groups. The video I watched was crystal-clear black & white. This is a western tale with a rich flavor.

At the risk of sounding jingoistic, this film shows in microcosm how the greatest nation the world has ever known, the United States of America, came into being. It was literally carved from the wilderness by brave frontier men and women who are played as archetypes of those heroes and heroines by screen legends William Holden (one of my favorites) and Jean Arthur (Mr. Deeds, Only Angels Have Wings, The Talk of the Town). The very precarious existence of America's pioneers is presented with stark realism in this entirely plausible film. For those who only celebrate the Fourth of July by enjoying the fireworks, let them understand the hardships (and triumphs) their ancestors faced . Terrific period drama. 7/10.

Fun but overlong western with a dynamite turn by Jean Arthur as a feisty pioneer gal that's as rough and tumble as any man you'll meet. She fights corruption and villainy in the form of Porter Hall and Warren William. She also finds time for romance with handsome (and considerably younger) leading man William Holden.

Arthur's the primary reason to see this. She dominates every scene. Also some good performances from Edgar Buchanan as a drunken judge and Warren William as a slimy crook. Holden's fine but he wasn't quite ready to be an A-lister yet. The romance element is one of the weaker parts of the film. Victor Young's Oscar-nominated score is excellent. It's an enjoyable western but, like I said, it goes on too long for such a simple story.