Imprint have a great history of putting out interesting and beautifully presented box sets. Their Essential Film Noir, After Dark Neo-Noir Cinema, Tales of Adventure and Film Focus sets all do a great job of giving often forgotten titles a new lease of life. Recently, they started a new range of box sets, with their Tales of the Wild West: Collection One. I missed out on that (or at least I haven’t picked it up yet), so I couldn’t resist taking up an offer to review Collection Two when it came around.
The films included in Tales of the Wild West: Collection Two (1968 – 1975) are:
5 Card Stud (1968)
Will Penny (1968)
Something Big (1971)
The Revengers (1972)
Posse (1975)
Below are my thoughts on the films and the set, in general.
5 Card Stud
Director: Henry Hathaway
Screenplay: Marguerite Roberts
Based on a Book by: Ray Gaulden
Starring: Dean Martin, Robert Mitchum, Inger Stevens, Roddy McDowall, Katherine Justice, John Anderson, Yaphet Kotto
Country: USA
Running Time: 102 min
Year: 1968
“When a drifter is caught cheating at a game of 5-card stud poker, the other players decide to take bloody revenge. One player, Van Morgan, tries to stop them but fails. But when the perpetrators of the lynching begin turning up dead one-by-one, Van investigates. Who is killing the players of this cursed game, and what does the newly-arrived Reverend Rudd have to do with it?”
The first film in the set is unusual in that it’s a whodunnit western. It has somewhat of a feel of Agatha Christie’s ‘Ten Little Indians’ (a.k.a. ’And Then There Were None’), though it’s based on a novel by Ray Gaulden (which, in turn, feels like it might have been inspired by the film noir Dark City, which was produced by Hal Roach, like this film).
Whilst I enjoyed 5 Card Stud, my main problem with it is that it’s pretty obvious ‘whodunnit’ from the offset. It doesn’t outright tell you, but my only surprise was that it ended up being exactly who you would expect, rather than throwing the usual curveball you get at the end of a murder mystery.
As mentioned, I still enjoyed the film, though. Dean Martin is as likeable as ever, even if his flirting with the ladies grows tiresome. Robert Mitchum eats up the scenery and throws in more than a splash of his Night of the Hunter performance as an unconventional, gun-toting preacher. Like a lot of westerns, it has a wonderful cast of character actors filling the rest of the roles. Yaphet Kotto gets an early meaty part to play. What’s refreshing is that not much is made of his race, other than some digs by the villain later on. Roddy McDowall doesn’t work for me here, though. He sounds too ‘posh’ and intellectual for such a character, and over eggs things a touch.
5 Card Stud is quite nicely shot, in places, particularly some of the night scenes. It also throws in one or two grim murder sequences to keep horror fans happy.
So, 5 Card Stud is a refreshingly unique spin on the western formula, even if it could have thrown a few more surprises into its narrative.
Film: 
Will Penny
Director: Tom Gries
Screenplay: Tom Gries
Starring: Charlton Heston, Joan Hackett, Donald Pleasence, Lee Majors, Bruce Dern, Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens, Clifton James
Country: USA
Running Time: 109 min
Year: 1968
“Will Penny is an ageing cowpoke who’s been hired as a line-rider, keeping trespassers and squatters off the vast cattle ranch. When he discovers that his own mountain cabin is occupied by a desperate woman and her young son, he takes pity and allows them to stay until the Spring thaw. But when a murderous band of rawhiders led by the Bible-bashing preacher Quint invade their refuge, Will must defend not just the property but his newfound family.”
Charlton Heston has repeatedly called Will Penny the best of the films he’s been in. I think it’s certainly one of his finest performances. He’s much more subtle and subdued than usual, playing an ill-educated older cowboy whose life has never amounted to much.
The film, whilst still containing elements of the traditional westerns of the past, paints a more authentic picture of the wild west. It opens by showing life on the trail and effectively captures the relationships between the drifters who would do that kind of work.
There are moments that break this mellow, naturalistic vibe, however. Most notably, we get Donald Pleasence and his gang shattering the peace on a number of occasions. Pleasance plays things quite large, but his psychotic villain is genuinely menacing, and the contrast against Heston’s performance works in the film’s favour.
The romance that develops between Will Penny and Joan Hackett’s character, Catherine, is quite delicately handled (other than a laughably ‘symbolic’ butter-churning scene), even if it gets a little sentimental in spots. The bond Will develops with her son (played by the director’s son, Jon Gries) is quite touching, too.
It’s a shame the film isn’t better known, as it’s a real gem and the writer-director Tom Gries never quite made a name for himself, either.
Film:
Something Big
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Screenplay: James Lee Barrett
Starring: Dean Martin, Brian Keith, Carol White, Honor Blackman, Ben Johnson, Albert Salmi, Don Knight
Country: USA
Running Time: 108 min
Year: 1971
“Penniless Joe Baker is determined to make it big before his fiancée Dover arrives from Pennsylvania. And if he’s going to do something big, he’s first going to need a Gatling gun. But can Joe get his gun and pull off his big heist without raising the suspicions of the local Cavalry and its cantankerous Colonel Morgan?”
Andrew V. McLaglen had a long career directing westerns on TV and film, as well as in making macho ‘dad’ movies, like The Wild Geese and North Sea Hijack. Something Big sees him tackling a comedy western, starring Dean Martin.
I felt like this was very much a product of its time. The comedy and blatant misogyny haven’t aged well. I don’t mind a bit of dated humour, but it all fell a bit flat for me, here. It’s too long for such a daft, paper-thin caper, too. The way some of the plot points ‘develop’ is rather silly, and its ‘twists’ can be seen coming a mile off. Then you get a big gun battle at the end that feels totally out of place when the rest of the film is lightweight and devoid of any real villains.
That said, there is a certain charm to Something Big. I think Dean Martin is an underrated actor. He’s up to his usual schtick here, but he’s always likeable. Brian Keith and Ben Johnson are probably my favourite actors in the film, though, and they have some nice moments together.
Overall, it’s the only misfire in the set for me. It’s perfectly watchable but lacks the drama or big laughs to make any sort of impression.
Film: 
The Revengers
Director: Daniel Mann
Screenplay: Wendell Mayes
Based on a Story by: Steven W. Carabatsos
Starring: William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Woody Strode, Roger Hanin, Reinhard Kolldehoff, Jorge Luke, Jorge Martínez de Hoyos
Country: USA
Running Time: 108 min
Year: 1972
”Civil War hero John Benedict has finally returned home to his family in Colorado and is ready for the quiet life. When his wife and children are killed by what appears to be a group of Comancheros, John vows to hunt down the killers at any cost. He travels to a Mexican prison camp, purchasing the freedom of six men in exchange for their help. But can John trust these hardened men, or has he just made his own quest all that much harder?”
The Revengers kicks off in brutal fashion with the murder of William Holden’s character’s family and even his dog! It’s done off-screen, but enough is shown and hinted at to make a big impact.
It’s a simple setup for a badass revenge movie, though it’s not always entirely successful. It’s a little goofy in spots, and the shift in the middle where we skip forward a few years and Holden is now a reckless psycho felt too abrupt, clumsily introducing a ‘revenge is bad’ theme.
Again, though, we get a strong cast backing things up. Holden is always worth watching, Ernest Borgnine is enjoyably annoying, if that makes sense, and Woody Strode is as cool as a cucumber, adding a dash of blaxploitation to the mix, aided by his sharp dress sense.
I wasn’t wholly convinced by Susan Hayward’s ‘Oirish’ accent later on in the film, and her scenes slow the pace down. Thankfully, an explosive final act gets things going again.
So, whilst rather simplistic and a little clunky in places, The Revengers is still a lot of fun. With handsome vistas, a strong cast and a healthy dose of action, it’s a solid 70s western.
Film:
Posse
Director: Kirk Douglas
Screenplay: William Roberts, Christopher Knopf, Larry Cohen (treatment – uncredited)
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Bruce Dern, Bo Hopkins, James Stacy, Luke Askew, David Canary, Alfonso Arau
Country: USA
Running Time: 92 min
Year: 1975
“When US Marshall Howard Nightingale and his posse capture infamous train robber Jack Strawhorn, it’s not just justice that’s served, but Nightingale’s personal ambition: his upcoming election for the US Senate now seems in the bag. But things are complicated when Strawhorn stages a daring escape and kidnaps Nightingale, setting a whopping ransom of $40,000. In order to raise this hefty price, Nightingale may have to do the unthinkable and choose between his life and his reputation.”
I must admit, I had no idea that Kirk Douglas ever took a seat behind the camera, but Posse is actually his second film as director, after Peg Leg, Musket & Sabre. And, I must say, he does a damned good job.
Posse boasts some well-conceived sequences and the occasional playful visual touch, added to some attractive location work. It’s not just a visual treat, though. It’s an effective, if not entirely subtle, political satire-cum-western.
Reflected in its cast, the film straddles the line between old and new Hollywood, with an exciting, gun-toting opening making way for a more thoughtful and often cynical second half.
Though it isn’t as stylistically opposed to classic westerns as some revisionist takes on the genre, it still fits the bill with its portrayal of the end of the west and the greedy, ambitious men that helped bring it down.
Douglas and Bruce Dern play off each other nicely throughout the film. The latter can be a little frightening in places, but, equally, ends up being the most honest and sympathetic character in the film.
Overall, Posse is an enjoyable and finely crafted western that looks both to the past and the present, boosted by strong performances, interesting characters and slick visuals.
Film:
Tales of the Wild West: Collection Two (1968 – 1975) is out now on Blu-Ray, released by Imprint Films. The transfers are stunning, with impressive levels of detail and pleasing colours. Something Big had some visible flecks but otherwise looked great. The others are relatively spotless. I’ve used screengrabs throughout this review to give you an idea of how they look, though these images have been compressed. Audio is impressive across the board, too.
Special Features & Technical Specs:
5 Card Stud:
– 1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray of a 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative
– NEW Audio commentary by film historians Lee Pfeiffer, Tony Latino and Paul Scrabo
– NEW Disguised As Purity – video essay by film academic Eloise Ross
– Original radio ad
– Theatrical Trailer
– Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Dual Mono
– Aspect Ratio 1.85:1
– Optional English HOH Subtitles
Will Penny:
– 1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
– NEW Audio commentary by film historian and filmmaker Daniel Kremer
– “Remembering Will Penny” with Charlton Heston, Jon Gries and Mile Swarthout – featurette
– “The Cowboys of Will Penny” with Charlton Heston and Jon Gries – featurette
– Theatrical Trailer
– Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Dual Mono
– Aspect Ratio 1.85:1
– Optional English HOH Subtitles
Something Big:
– 1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
– NEW The Films of Andy McLaglen – video essay by author and film historian C. Courtney Joyner
– Theatrical Trailer
– Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Dual Mono
– Aspect Ratio 1.78:1
– Optional English HOH Subtitles
The Revengers:
– 1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
– NEW William Holden and the West – video essay by author and film historian C. Courtney Joyner
– Theatrical Trailer
– Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Dual Mono
– Aspect Ratio 2.35:1
– Optional English HOH Subtitles
Posse:
– 1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
– NEW A Tinkling Twang: The Western Soundscape of Maurice Jarre – video essay by film historian and filmmaker Daniel Kremer
– Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Dual Mono
– Aspect Ratio 2.39:1
– Optional English HOH Subtitles
There’s a commentary on 5 Card Stud featuring Lee Pfeiffer, Tony Latino and Paul Scrabo. This is a strong track. The group have plenty of facts and behind-the-scenes stories to tell, and they’re engaging to listen to.
Eloise Ross delivers an essay about 5 Card Stud. She looks at the film as a proto-slasher, as well as a metaphor for the McCarthy witch hunts. She has some interesting takes.
Daniel Kremer provides a commentary for Will Penny. He’s a big fan of the film, so he has a passion for the subject. He’s done his research, too, so there’s a lot of interesting material in the track.
Also on that disc are a pair of archival featurettes – “Remembering Will Penny” and “The Cowboys of Will Penny”. These feature Charlton Heston, Jon Gries and Miles Swarthout. They all have fond memories of the production.
On the Something Big disc, there’s a documentary on director Andy McLaglen. Running at just under an hour, it’s a rich, insightful, and enjoyable piece that traces his life and career.
There’s also a ‘Trailers From Hell’ episode on the film that’s fun and informative.
There’s a 23-minute piece on William Holden and his westerns on the Revengers disc. I enjoyed this a great deal, too.
Finally, there’s an excellent piece on Maurice Jarre on the Posse disc.
So, Imprint have put together a solid release of an enjoyable and varied set of westerns. Not all the titles were masterpieces, but they’re all worth a watch. Fans of the genre should certainly pick up the set.
Disc/package: