swojtak

I watched the movie today along with a man who played the piano non stop throughout the entire movie. It played at the Western Heritage Museum in Los Angeles, CA. It was like watching the real deal, none of the phony Hollywood cowboy movie junk. Here was what was different from the usual western: 1. Carey would sometimes carry his revolver behind his right hip inside his waistband without a holster. He also used a real cowboy slung holster from a gun belt straight across not slung in the fast draw style hanging down the pants.

2. When holding the cocked revolver pointing at someone, he and others would have the hammer cocked being held down with the thumb and the trigger depressed. This is Slip Hammer Style meaning if the bad guy shot the good guy, the hammer would be released automatically shooting the bad guy. See Elmer Keith's book Sixguns.

3. Carey was shown loading the lever action rifle with actual cartridges through the loading gate.

4. The really interesting part was when he was in the desert chasing the bad guy a sand storm came. In all the westerns I have seen this never happened. Carey got down on his knees, put his head down and covered his head with his hat with both hands. This way he would not be trapped by the sand. At the same time, other cowboys stopped, put their horse on its side, they covered the horses head with their bodies and covered themselves and the horse head with their long jacket or duster. This protected the horse and the rider from the blowing sand.

5. I believe many of the guns, holsters, and clothing belonged to the actors. They looked too real to be just props and they were worn like real working cowboys. Since the film was made in 1918, the USA still had many working cattle and other ranches where men like Ben Johnson came from.

All and all it was a genuinely worthwhile movie to watch like a time machine.

Yes it was a propaganda film but it showed the people as humans and not monsters. The director did a wonderful job and the actors also did well. The propaganda was subtle but still there and allowed the film to pass the censors. What was disconcerting was the disregard for the truth. The headlines of China attacking the Japanese at Shanghai and Japan as the victim. Even though the people were portrayed as human I kept thinking how could they commit Pearl Harbor, Singapore, Philippines, Rape of Nanking, Bataan Death March, the railroad like the movie Bridge over the River Quai, and attacking China in the 1930's. In the movie the soldiers and their families were happy to die for the Emperor and I feel no remorse that we were able to accommodate them. My mother, father, and wife's family were all in WWII and had the acquaintance of the Japanese.

Just watched today at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum in Los Angeles,Ca. It was a new restoration so it was watched as it was originally. The movie ran and was accompanied by live piano music. For someone who has only watched old silent movies that have been duped many times, the movie was a real treat. The best part was the scenery. The creation of the weather and sets was so real I felt chills from the snow. People who gave the film a poor rating should watch it again under the same circumstances as I did and then update their review.

The part I wished there was more of was title cards so I could have followed the action better. I guess he thought the minimal cards he had was enough. If given an opportunity to watch it like I did go for it.