Nevada Smith

Dir: Henry Hathaway

1966

****

Henry Hathaway's sprawling western covers one man's decade long pursuit of vengeance and the effect it has on his character.  It's a prequel to Harold Robbins's 1961 novel The Carpetbaggers which had been made into a film in 1964 staring Alan Ladd as Nevada Smith. The two films are unconnected however, with Steve McQueen taking the title role. I'm a big fan of Henry Hathaway films, even with some pretty big films under his belt I feel he is still underrated and often forgotten. True Grit and Kiss of Death are probably the two biggest films the director will be best remembered for but in my opinion, Nevada Smith is a much better western than John Wayne's True Grit ever was. The performances in True Grit are great but Nevada Smith's story and Steve McQueen's journey from innocent victim to fully fledged killer is absolute dynamite. The script is incredible and a little grittier than you'd expect, even from the grittiest of westerns. There is a line very early on delivered by Brian Keith after Smith states that he's going after the men who killed his parents, questioning how he's thinks he'll go about his pact of revenge; "You'll wind up stealing, and killing, and turn yourself into the same kind of animal you're trying to track down. Can't you see that?" To which smith answers, "I don't see nothing, except my father laying on a blood-covered floor, all burnt and cut, with the top of his head blown to pieces! And my mother, split up the middle, and every square inch of her skin ripped off".  While you never see any of this, it's still not for the faint hearted. It's only around two hours long, I say only because it feels much longer but I don't mean that in a negative way. The story stretches over time and even though McQueen doesn't age that much physically it does come across that way and Lucien Ballard's beautiful cinematography certainly makes this a western of the epic variety. Steve McQueen is effortlessly cool, not cool in a Vin Tanner sort of way but in that he somehow transforms his character with very subtle changes, never once falling at the hurdle. It's a blue sky, crystal clear water technicolor western with a killer script and deliciously dark undertones. A great leading performance, great direction and a supposing cast of actors you know you can rely on.

Niagara

Dir: Henry Hathaway

1953

***

There is a lot to enjoy about Henry Hathaway's Niagara but by the time the end credits roll it's clear that it is more a poor man's Hitchcock rather than classic noir-thriller. It was a big hit in 1953, thanks mainly to the star billing of Marilyn Monroe but also because it was in colour - unusual for a film noir. Personally I think it could have looked better in black and white but I don't have any issue with the visuals in the film, far from it. Some of the scenes featuring Niagara Falls itself are quite stunning and it is nice to see footage of the area before it became so commercialized. However, Niagara (and the story) come second to 20th Century Fox's new star, with most of the film dedicated to her. Even though she was the reason for the film's success and why they made so much money, she was still listed as a 'stock' actor and was on a fixed salary, so received very little money - far less than everyone else involved. It certainly made her a star though and in my opinion, she never looked as desirable as she did here. The camera follows her every move, almost to the point of distraction. Jean Peters was an incredibly attractive women, one scene sees her in quite a revealing swimsuit but it was still all about Marilyn. One particular scene in the movie sees Monroe wiggle away from camera down a cobbled road. At 116 feet of film used, the scene has since become famous for being the longest walk ever to appear on film. It's quite shameless really but what can you say, she was a class act and contrary to what I had read about the film, I thought her acting was quite good. It's an average thriller with moments of visual flare and moments of sizzling passion. However, it is almost ruined by Max Showalter. Now I don't want to speak ill of the actor but he is woefully miss-cast in one of the main roles. His constant grinning suited big bawdy comedies and showy musicals but not serious thrillers. It was as if an Abbot and Costello extra from the next studio had wandered onto the set and everyone was too polite to tell him he was in the wrong place. Thing get even worse when Don Wilson and Lurene Tuttle turn up and I don't blame them, it's just that their characters had no place in such a film. It's this poor casting and thoughtless bits of script that make Niagara a good film but not a great one, which is a huge shame. The continuity guy should have been sacked on the spot too but all in all, I did enjoy it for what it was. It's certainly a unique and memorable addition to the genre.

True Grit
Dir: Henry Hathaway
1969
****
The real genius behind Henry Hathaway's 1969 classic Western True Grit is the brilliant script. The performances are very good, the direction, pace and music too but the script is as sharp as a knife. Marguerite Roberts's script is one of the best of the 60s in my opinion and to give credit it where it is due John Wayne delivered it perfectly. It's a bit of a surprise that Wayne even worked with Roberts after she was blacklisted by the house of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) but then I guess he saw himself as working on a film written by Charles Portis rather than Roberts. Charles Portis's novel is fine but it is the changes made by Roberts that I think is the real key to the films success. Rooster Cogburn remains one of cinema's favorite characters and True Grit one of America's greatest Westerns and deservedly so.

The House on 92nd Street
Dir: Henry Hathaway
1945
**
For a film that is essentially about espionage, there is very little espionage. The House on 92nd Street is basically a pro-FBI propaganda film used an ammunition after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. That in itself leaves a sour taste in the mouth, but then further considering that a film with Spies, Nazis, and the FBI in it actually gives no clue how they cracked the secret ring, what their methods were and who really was involved but relies heavily on the assumption that they're doing a great job and everything they do is for the public's interest. To convince you even more so they adopt a documentary style, tell you that it's a true story and that they are using real FBI agents. The truth is that truths are bent and most of it is just plain untrue. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story or War propaganda for that matter. To sweeten the deal the story is finally shot in a noir thriller style with a good old fashioned gangster ending. Manipulative and untrustworthy, much like like the Nazis. Seriously, the Nazis where a bad lot, they did enough for people to dislike them, you don't have to make up stuff for people to hate them, they did that themselves! By the 10th of September 1945 (release date of the film) the War had been over for 8 days, so it was a bit late to try to convince the American public that entering the war was a good idea, so I can only imagine this was to appease those that had lost loved ones fighting abroad, which at only 8 days after the War seems like pretty bad taste to me. A fascinating historical piece but not something I enjoyed or agree with.

The Sons of Katie Elder
Dir: Henry Hathaway
1965
***
The Sons of Katie Elder raises many questions. How old was Katie Elder when she had her first Child? How old was she when she had her last? Did they all really have the same Father? To ask such question though would be facetious. The Sons of Katie Elder is a likable but average Western and maybe even a little contrived towards the end. The film is not as great as the sum of its parts but it does have some pretty brilliant scenes. My favorite scene by far is of Dean Martin hustling a drink for he and his brother by using nothing but a glass eye. It would probably work too!