Ride the High Country (1962) coming via WAC (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

94 minute movie. That is my point it shouldn't be that long but it is. I wanted to see a story about Scott and McCrae which is how the movie starts and ends before this big side plot. Her part is necessary for the ending but it doesn't need to be that long. It could be trimmed by 20 minutes easily but then they wouldn't have had a feature length film.

Again, I doubt it's 45-50 minutes, but whatever, we can't agree on everything.

 

[Dick]

Well... five titles and From Hell It Came...

So, still six...

 

[Alan Tully]

I love it all, esp. the stuff at the mining camp, all the parts are so well cast, including the great Warren Oates who was to become a Peckinpah regular (it looks like the two had worked together before on TV westerns). It's the relationship between the two leads that make the film, & it's interesting that they could have swapped parts & it still would have worked. This is the star title of this batch.

 

[AshJW]

So, I rewatched it yesterday evening.

I love everything about this movie, start to finish. The middle section is necessary for the movie to work. It is, in fact, my favorite Peckinpah movie.

Bruce is right. Elsa's story is the one that drives the story to its climax. Without her motivations there wound't be the shoot-out at the end.

 

[OliverK]

So, I rewatched it yesterday evening.

Bruce is right. Elsa's story is the one that drives the story to its climax. Without her motivations there wound't be the shoot-out at the end.

Glad you liked it and I hope you could at least watch it in some kind of HD version

 

[skylark68]

EDIT - Nevermind, I found the pre-order link elsewhere on this site.

I do have a question though, growing up, I wasn't a huge western fan but now have really picked up an interest in the genre. I was curious how other Randolph Scott films compare to this one and what some of the better films of his are. I've got Kino Lorber's blu ray Scott films on my shopping list on Amazon like Western Union and Canadian Pacific. Any recommendations?

 

[Robert Crawford]

EDIT - Nevermind, I found the pre-order link elsewhere on this site.

I do have a question though, growing up, I wasn't a huge western fan but now have really picked up an interest in the genre. I was curious how other Randolph Scott films compare to this one and what some of the better films of his are. I've got Kino Lorber's blu ray Scott films on my shopping list on Amazon like Western Union and Canadian Pacific. Any recommendations?

Western Union is very good with a somewhat hidden story line.

Commanche Station another very good Scott western is available at Amazon German and plays Region A, B and C. There is also Abilene Town released by Panamint which I believe plays Region A and B.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I viewed Canadian Pacific a long time ago. So long ago that I don't remember much about the film. Based on your inquiry, I'm going to sit down and watch my Blu-ray disc right now.

 

[OliverK]

EDIT - Nevermind, I found the pre-order link elsewhere on this site.

I do have a question though, growing up, I wasn't a huge western fan but now have really picked up an interest in the genre. I was curious how other Randolph Scott films compare to this one and what some of the better films of his are. I've got Kino Lorber's blu ray Scott films on my shopping list on Amazon like Western Union and Canadian Pacific. Any recommendations?

For Randolph Scott on DVD the Budd Boetticher Collection comes highly recommanded and of course Seven Men from Now.

You may also be able to catch an HD airing or HD streaming offer of The Tall T or Ride Lonesome.

 

[Randy Korstick]

So, I rewatched it yesterday evening.

Bruce is right. Elsa's story is the one that drives the story to its climax. Without her motivations there wound't be the shoot-out at the end.

That's true but we didn't need half of the movie to understand her motivations. 20-25 minutes of her would have more than done the job. The rest of her part is filler that makes the whole middle section very soapy. Just not what I wanted to see based on the way the movie started and the way it was promoted as a Scott/Mccrea western. So I think Warners new cover is more accurate. Many others obviously love it so I know I am in the minority. Its a classic now but from what I have read it wasn't a box office success with audiences when originally released and my guess is for the same reasons I mentioned.

 

[Robert Crawford]

That's true but we didn't need half of the movie to understand her motivations. 20-25 minutes of her would have more than done the job. The rest of her part is filler that makes the whole middle section very soapy. Just not what I wanted to see based on the way the movie started and the way it was promoted as a Scott/Mccrea western. So I think Warners new cover is more accurate. Many others obviously love it so I know I am in the minority. Its a classic now but from what I have read it wasn't a box office success with audiences when originally released and my guess is for the same reasons I mentioned.

From what I've read, it was because of the lack of marketing not the story line with Hartley. I'll try to drop Nick Redman a line about this issue.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Sorry for rambling on about this. It's just a movie that has always frustrated me because I have always wanted to love this movie because of its reputation, stars and directors but I have come to the realization that I just don't. So its something fascinating for me to discuss. I always love the movie when it starts but as soon as Hartley comes in at around the 20-25 minute mark and the central focus switches to her and stays on her until just before the shootout at the end the movie loses me. I definitely don't hate the movie and I do like it a little but one of my least favorites for both of the stars.

 

[haineshisway]

That's true but we didn't need half of the movie to understand her motivations. 20-25 minutes of her would have more than done the job. The rest of her part is filler that makes the whole middle section very soapy. Just not what I wanted to see based on the way the movie started and the way it was promoted as a Scott/Mccrea western. So I think Warners new cover is more accurate. Many others obviously love it so I know I am in the minority. Its a classic now but from what I have read it wasn't a box office success with audiences when originally released and my guess is for the same reasons I mentioned.

No, that's not why it wasn't a success - it wasn't a success and had no chance at BEING a success because it was released as the bottom half of a double bill (top half was The Tartars, so there you are). So audiences never had the chance to see it unless for some unknown reason they had a hankerin' to see The Tartars. I did, and so I saw it and thought it was great. The film was very well reviewed - the NY Times said: "The two young people are quite good, especially Miss Hartley, a newcomer with real promise. R. G. Armstrong and Edgar Buchanan also contribute telling bits. We know little about the director and scenarist, but Mr. Peckinpah and Mr. Stone certainly have what it takes. And so, if anybody ever doubted it, do a couple of leathery, graying hombres named McCrea and Scott." It beat out 8 1/2 for best film at the Belgium Film Festival, too.

 

[haineshisway]

From what I've read, it was because of the lack of marketing not the story line with Hartley. I'll try to drop Nick Redman a line about this issue.

See my latest post I'm on my way to visit Nick, who's recuperating from a little surgery. It went well and he's home and doing well, too.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

See my latest post I'm on my way to visit Nick, who's recuperating from a little surgery. It went well and he's home and doing well, too.

Please pass on my best wishes for a speedy recovery.

 

[Robin9]

In his famous book Adventures In The Screen Trade, William Goldman says an MGM executive told him the preview cards for Ride The High Country were very positive but MGM didn't believe them because the film didn't cost a lot to make! So they dumped the film to be sure of making a small profit.

 

[Robert Crawford]

No, that's not why it wasn't a success - it wasn't a success and had no chance at BEING a success because it was released as the bottom half of a double bill (top half was The Tartars, so there you are). So audiences never had the chance to see it unless for some unknown reason they had a hankerin' to see The Tartars. I did, and so I saw it and thought it was great. The film was very well reviewed - the NY Times said: "The two young people are quite good, especially Miss Hartley, a newcomer with real promise. R. G. Armstrong and Edgar Buchanan also contribute telling bits. We know little about the director and scenarist, but Mr. Peckinpah and Mr. Stone certainly have what it takes. And so, if anybody ever doubted it, do a couple of leathery, graying hombres named McCrea and Scott." It beat out 8 1/2 for best film at the Belgium Film Festival, too.

That's exactly what I heard about it. Pass my regards to Nick and a quick recovery.

 

[Robert Crawford]

In his famous book Adventures In The Screen Trade, William Goldman says an MGM executive told him the preview cards for Ride The High Country were very positive but MGM didn't believe them because the film didn't cost a lot to make! So they dumped the film to be sure of making a small profit.

After reading Bruce's posts, I checked my FB and got back this reply from Nick Redman:

It's a long story, but by the time the picture was in post the studio hated Peckinpah and only wanted to hurt the film - he was eventually fired - and the film only released to drive-ins as the bottom half of a double bill - its reputation was salvaged when it won some awards overseas at film festivals but too late of course to help the picture return its investment. All the details are counted in the commentary track on the disc. Nice to hear from you, by the way!

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm going to revisit the DVD tomorrow and listen to the audio commentary that NIck referenced.

 

[Robert Crawford]

By the way, I watched the Canadian Pacific BD from Kino. The film is just okay and the video presentation is mediocre at best. The saving grace was seeing Jane Wyatt and Nancy Olson in her first credited film role.