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Archive for the ‘George Sherman’ Category

Blu-Ray News #388: Audie Murphy Collection V (1956-1964).

Posted in Alan Hale, Audie Murphy, Barry Sullivan, DVD/Blu-Ray News, George Sherman, Gordon Kay, Harry Keller, Jay Silverheels, Jesse Hibbs, John McIntire, Kino Lorber, R.G. Springsteen, Skip Homeier, Universal (International) on April 9, 2025| 1 Comment »

Kino Lorber’s Audie Murphy Blu-Rays keep on coming, with set Number 5 arriving in June. We get three more of Murphy’s pictures for Universal International, including two under-appreciated pictures from producer Gordon Kay.

Walk The Proud Land (1956)
Directed by Jesse Hibbs
​Starring Audie Murphy​, Anne Bancroft​, Jay Silverheels, Morris Ankrum

This was a nice change of pace for Murphy, playing an Indian agent. It’s got a great cast and gorgeouos CinemaScope photography from Harold Lipstein.

Seven Ways From Sundown (1960)
​Directed by Harry Keller (& George Sherman)
​Starring Audie Murphy​, Barry Sullivan​, Venetia Stevenson​, John McIntire​, Kenneth Tobey

The second, and some say the best, of Murphy’s last run of Westerns for Universal, produced by Gordon Kay. These films have always gotten a bad rap, but seen today, they hold up really well. Barry Sullivan is terrific. George Sherman directed maybe half the picture (the location stuff) before he and Murphy had a disagreement and Harry Keller was brought in.

Y’all have been wanting this one since I started up this blog all those years ago.

Bullet For A Badman (1964)
​Directed by R. G. Springsteen
Starring Audie Murphy​, Darren McGavin​, Ruta Lee​, Beverley Owen​, Skip Homeier, George Tobias

Darren McGavin is excellent, as always, in this one, and Ruta Lee knocks a good part out of the park. Murphy has to get outlaw McGavin and the money he stole past a crooked posse and plenty of Indians. All this is complicated by the fact that Murphy is married to McGavin’s ex-wife and raising his son. This one bears a Universal logo — U-I was no more.

These movies come highly, highly recommended — they’ll look great, and I’m so stoked to have done commentaries for Seven Ways From Sundown and Bullet For A Badman. Coming June 24th.

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Happy Birthday, Audie Murphy.

Posted in Audie Murphy, Felicia Farr, George Sherman, Universal (International) on June 20, 2024| 4 Comments »

Audie Leon Murphy
(June 20, 1925 – May 28, 1971)

Audie Murphy — the most-decorated American soldier of World War II and later a major star of 50s Westerns, was born on this day in 1925.

Here he is with the lovely Felicia Farr in what has become my favorite Murphy film, Hell Bent For Leather (1960). It was the first of the Murphy pictures produced by Gordon Kay for Universal International. George Sherman directed. It boasts some really incredible Lone Pine location work, in CinemaScope and Eastman Color, from Clifford Stine. The Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber is beautiful.

We all owe Audie a huge debt. Two debts, actually. One for his service — which certainly took its toll on him, and another for all those terrific movies.

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Olive Films: A Westerns Checklist.

Posted in Allan Dwan, Audrey Totter, Ben Cooper, Brian Donlevy, Budd Boetticher, Burt Lancaster, Charlton Heston, Clark Gable, Clint Walker, Dorothy Malone, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Edwin L. Marin, Ernest Borgnine, Fess Parker, Forrest Tucker, Frank Ferguson, Gary Cooper, George Sherman, Glenn Ford, Glenn Strange, Gregory Peck, Hank Worden, James Arness, Joe Kane, Joel McCrea, John Ford, John Sturges, John Wayne, Lydecker Brothers, Margia Dean, Marie Windsor, Maureen O'Hara, Nicholas Ray, Olive Films, Paramount, Paul Fix, Peggie Castle, Raoul Walsh, Republic Pictures, Robert Mitchum, Roy Rogers, Scott Brady, Skip Homeier, Sterling Hayden, William Castle, William Witney, Zachary Scott on August 27, 2023| 11 Comments »

You may remember a recent post about Olive Films shutting down. They put out some great DVDs and Blu-Rays over the years, particularly things from Republic and Paramount. (In fact, I watched their The Night Riders this morning, one of my favorite B Westerns.)

Some of these titles have already been re-issued by others (or are on the way). But some may never see the light of day again, given the current state of physical media. From Republic’s Three Mesquiteers series with John Wayne to a handful of Regalscope pictures, there are some real jewels here.

For those trying to pick these things up before they’re either gone or getting crazy collectors’ prices, here’s a list of their Westerns, ranging from the Silents into the 60s. If I missed anything, please let me know.

Special thanks for Laura from Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings, who was a HUGE help with bringing this thing together. 

Wagon Tracks (1919)
Neath The Arizona Skies (1934)
The Lawless Nineties (1936)
The Lonely Trail (1936)
King Of The Pecos (1936)
Overland Stage Raiders (1938)
Red River Range (1938)
Santa Fe Stampede (1938)
Pals Of The Saddle (1938)
The Night Riders (1939)
Three Texas Steers (1939)
Wyoming Outlaw (1939)
Westward Ho (1939)
Man Of Conquest (1939)
Frontier Horizon (AKA New Frontier) (1939)
Dark Command (1940)
In Old Oklahoma (AKA War Of The Wildcats) (1943)
Ramrod (1947)
Angel And The Badman (1947)
Pursued (1947)
The Fighting Kentuckian (1949)
South Of St. Louis (1949)
Rio Grande (1950)
Silver City (1951)
Bullfighter And The Lady (1951)
Only The Valiant (1951)
High Noon (1952)
Denver & Rio Grande (1952)
Pony Express (1953)

Woman They Almost Lynched (1953)
Johnny Guitar (1954)
Run For Cover (1955)
The Americano (1955)
King And Four Queens (1956)
Stranger At My Door (1956)
Gun The Man Down (1956)
The Quiet Gun (1957)
Showdown At Boot Hill (1958)
Ambush At Cimarron Pass (1958)
The Hangman (1959)
The Jayhawkers! (1959)
McLintock! (1963)
The Hallelujah Trail (1965)
The Night Of The Grizzly (1966)

I’ll forever appreciate the folks at Olive Films. Night Of The Grizzly was my first commentary track.

The non-Westerns list is now available over at The Hannibal 8.

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Dialogue Of The Day: Hell Bent For Leather (1960).

Posted in Audie Murphy, Dialogue Of The Day, Felicia Farr, George Sherman, Gordon Kay on April 20, 2023| 28 Comments »

Audie Murphy’s last seven films for Universal International, all produced by Gordon Kay, don’t get a lot of love. Not sure why. At their best, they’re tight little Westerns in the Ranown mold. At their worst, they’ve got Audie Murphy in them, which is good enough for me!

George Sherman’s Hell Bent For Leather (1960), the first of the seven, is excellent — and may be my favorite Murphy movie. It’s certainly worth another look if you haven’t seen it in a while. 

Janet (Felicia Farr): I used to love this country. Now it seems so ugly.

Clay Santell (Audie Murphy): It’s not the country. It’s some of the people who live in it.

Hard it believe that was written 60-something years ago. Sounds like today to me.

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Blu-Ray News #356: Audie Murphy Collection III (1960 – 1963).

Posted in Allan "Rocky" Lane, Audie Murphy, Bob Steele, Dabbs Greer, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Felicia Farr, George Sherman, Gordon Kay, Kathleen Crowley, Kino Lorber, Lee Van Cleef, LQ Jones, Post-1959, R.G. Springsteen, Ray Teal, Royal Dano, Skip Homeier, Stephen McNally, Universal (International) on April 10, 2023| 7 Comments »

This third volume in Kino Lorber’s Audie Murphy series gives us three of the seven pictures he did with producer Gordon Kay for Universal International — each shot in less than three weeks for about half a million bucks. They’ve been given a bad rap over the years. Some of them are really good. And they always have a great cast.

Hell Bent For Leather (1960)
Directed by George Sherman
Starring Audie Murphy, Felicia Farr, Stephen McNally, Robert Middleton, Jan Merlin, John Qualen, Bob Steele, Allan Lane

Audie’s mistaken for a murderer. A marshal (Stephen McNally) knows Audie’s innocent, but wants the reward and the glory.

Shot in Lone Pine in CinemaScope. Directed by George Sherman. A cast that includes John Qualen and Bob Steele — what’s not to like? I’m really excited to be doing a commentary for this one.

Posse From Hell (1961)
Directed by Herbert Coleman
Starring Audie Murphy, John Saxon, Zohra Lampert, Vic Morrow, Robert Keith, Rodolfo Acosta, Royal Dano

Audie rides into town right after four escaped convicts have shot the marshal and taken a woman hostage. He assembles a rather worthless posse and goes after them. Herbert Coleman was an assistant director for Hitchcock and others. Here he makes his debut in the top slot.

Showdown (1963)
Directed by R. G. Springsteen
Starring Audie Murphy, Kathleen Crowley, Charles Drake, Harold J. Stone, Skip Homeier, L. Q. Jones, Strother Martin, Dabbs Greer

Audie is shackled to killer Harold J. Stone (around the neck!) when they make their escape. Stir in some bonds and Kathleen Crowley and things get pretty tense. Directed by the great R.G. Springsteen and shot in black and white by Ellis W. Carter. By the way, Murphy was furious when he learned this would be shot in B&W, but it works well.

The chance to see these pictures again, certain to look terrific, is a real treat. Highly, highly recommended!

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DVD/Blu-Ray News #352: Border River (1954).

Posted in 1954, DVD/Blu-Ray News, George Sherman, Joel McCrea, Kino Lorber, Universal (International) on January 1, 2023| 37 Comments »

Directed by George Sherman
Starring Joel McCrea, Yvonne De Carlo, Pedro Armendáriz

Kino Lorber has announced Border River (1954) for DVD and Blu-Ray release in March of 2023. This year’s getting off to a pretty good start already, especially for me — I get to do a commentary for it!

This is the next-to-last of Joel McCrea’s six Westerns for Universal International, released from 1950 to 1954. It’s got a great cast, featuring Yvonne De Carlo, Pedro Armendáriz and the wonderful Mexican character actors Alfonso Bedoya and Nacho Galindo. George Wallace, Commando Cody himself, is in it, too.

It’s directed by George Sherman, so you know you’re in for a good ride. Highly recommended!

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DVD/Blu-Ray News #339: Hell Bent For Leather (1960).

Posted in Audie Murphy, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Explosive Media, Felicia Farr, George Sherman, Gordon Kay, Stephen McNally, Universal (International) on March 26, 2022| 15 Comments »

Directed by George Sherman
Starring Audie Murphy, Felicia Farr, Stephen McNally, Robert Middleton, Jan Merlin

Explosive Media out of Germany has announced another Audie Murphy picture coming to DVD and Blu-Ray in June — George Sherman’s Hell Bent For Leather (1960).

The first of the Audie Murphy pictures produced by Gordon Kay for Universal International, Hell Bent For Leather was directed by George Sherman in CinemaScope and Eastman Color. This one has a good part for Felicia Farr, one of my favorite actresses from 50s Westerns (The Last Wagon, Reprisal!, 3:10 To Yuma), and really incredible Lone Pine location work from Clifford Stine. This is a good one!

I’m so stoked that someone has gotten around to these Gordon Kay Murphy films on Blu-Ray, so a big thanks to the folks at Explosive Media. Highly recommended.

Thanks again to John Knight for the news.

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DVD/Blu-Ray News #337: Seven Ways From Sundown (1960).

Posted in Audie Murphy, Barry Sullivan, DVD/Blu-Ray News, Explosive Media, George Sherman, Gordon Kay, Harry Keller, John McIntire, Kenneth Tobey, Universal (International) on March 8, 2022| 15 Comments »


Directed by Harry Keller
Starring Audie Murphy, Barry Sullivan, Venetia Stevenson, John McIntire, Kenneth Tobey

One of the last run of pictures Audie Murphy did for Universal International, produced by Gordon Kay and directed by Harry Keller (with a day or two by an uncredited George Sherman), Seven Ways From Sundown (1960) is a good one. Murphy’s as cool as ever, and there’s a great part for Barry Sullivan. Plus, John McIntire and Kenneth Tobey are along for the ride.

Explosive Media has announced a May 22 release for the picture on DVD and Blu-ray. It’ll be in its original 1.85 and region free.

It’s a solid picture (and it gets a chapter in my book). Highly, highly recommended.

Thanks to John Knight for the news.

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Name That Stock Footage.

Posted in 1954, 1956, George Sherman, Jack Arnold, Rory Calhoun, Universal (International) on October 5, 2021| 4 Comments »

Will Freeman brought this to my attention.

Universal International used this really cool aerial gunfight shot from George Sherman’s Dawn At Socorro (1954) was used in a montage in Jack Arnold’s Red Sundown (1956).

Thanks, Will!

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Blu-Ray News #327: Rails Into Laramie (1954).

Posted in 1954, Audie Murphy, Barton MacLane, Dan Duryea, Dana Andrews, Douglas Kennedy, DVD/Blu-Ray News, George Sherman, James H. Griffith, Jesse Hibbs, John Payne, Lee Van Cleef, Mari Blanchard, Myron Healey, Universal (International) on June 7, 2021| 11 Comments »

Directed by Jesse Hibbs
Starring John Payne, Mari Blanchard, Dan Duryea, Joyce Mackenzie, Barton MacLane, James Griffith, Lee Van Cleef, Myron Healey

Universal’s German “branch” has announced an upcoming nine-movie Blu-Ray set featuring a good, but somewhat random, selection of Westerns — many available on Blu-Ray for the first time.

There are two Audie Murphy pictures, Jesse Hibbs’s Ride Clear Of Diablo (1954) and Gunpoint (1966).

Jesse Hibbs’s Rails Into Laramie (1954) is a cool, sadly under-seen 50s Western with a really terrific cast. It’s been on my Want List for quite some time. 

Also in the set are Jacques Tourneur’s Canyon Passage (1946), George Sherman’s Comanche Territory (1950), Douglas Sirk’s Taza, Son Of Cochise (1954), Smoke Signal (1955), Lonely Are The Brave (1962) and The Ride To Hangman’s Tree (1967).

While packages like this tend to lead to some duplication in your DVD/Blu-Ray collection, they offer up some really good stuff. Recommended.

Thanks to (birthday boy) John Knight for the tip!

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