Wednesday, 10 October 2012

Western Classics - The Tall T (1957)

The Western Classics DVD issue of The Tall T marks the first time this Randolph Scott classic has been available on the digital disc. Made in 1957 and directed by Budd Boetticher,  co-stars Richard Boone, Maureen O'Sullivan and Henry Silva and was based on the Elmore Leonard short story, The Captives.  

The previous western from the star and director, Seven Men from Now was such a success that  star Randolph Scott, writer Burt Kennedy and director Budd Boetticher immediately set out to make another western . The previous movie had been produced by John Wayne's Batjac company,but scott wanted to produce through his own company at Columbia, Scott-Brown Productions. Writer Burt Kennedy adapted an Elmore Leonard's story The Captives for the project. Budd Boetticher would again direct Scott on a low budget and a short, three-week shooting schedule.

The result The Tall T was a typical Boetticher western, with a stark story presented against a wonderfully photographed western landscape. The director was a keen bull fighter and it's been suggested that he structured his movies in the style of a bullfight - check out this insightful essay by Jeremy Arnold HERE,


 Producer: Harry Joe Brown
Director: Budd Boetticher
Screenplay: Burt Kennedy (screenplay); Elmore Leonard (story)
Cinematography: Charles Lawton, Jr.
Art Direction: George Brooks
Music: Heinz Roemheld
Film Editing: Al Clark
Cast: Randolph Scott (Pat Brennan), Richard Boone (Frank Usher), Maureen O'Sullivan (Doretta Mims), Arthur Hunnicutt (Ed Rintoon), Skip Homeier (Billy Jack), Henry Silva (Chink), John Hubbard (Willard Mims), Robert Burton (Tenvoorde), Fred E. Sherman (Hank Parker), Chris Olsen (Jeff).
C-78m. Letterboxed.
 

1 comment:

Ron Scheer said...

Excellent Scott-Kennedy-Boetticher western. The movie is a fooler as you watch it because there's no hint in the early scenes that it will get so dark before it's over.