Support Your Local Sheriff / Support Your Local Gunfighter /
The Cowboy
Company: Twilight Time
Starring in Sheriff and Gunfighter: Harry Morgan, Bruce
Dern, Joan Hackett, James Garner, Jack Elam, Henry Jones, John Dehner, Joan
Blondell, Suzanne Pleshette, Walter Brennan
Starring in Cowboy:
Jack Lemmon, Richard Jaeckel, Dick York, Glenn Ford, Brian Donlevy, Anna
Kashfi, Victor Manuel Mendoza
My Review and Thoughts:
My Rating:
Sheriff: 4 out of 5
Gunslinger: 3.5 out of 5
Cowboy: 4 out of 5
This is a western Triple Feature review. 2 Blu-rays, three
films. Both are sold separately but I decided to do a triple feature marathon
and review all three together in one review. Twilight Time like always has done an amazing job at bringing out memorable films. All three of these stand out in there own unique ways.
First up is the comical double feature, Support Your Local
Sheriff (1969) and its sequel Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971). Both of
these are a total hoot, with a comical flare to the western film. Part action,
romance and most of all comedy. First up in Support Your Local Sheriff which
you are introduced to a vast array of talent in actors and actresses. This film
and the sequel is jam packed with true Hollywood wonderment. All one has to do
is look at the cast of these films. Both starring the wonderful James Garner,
in the first as your lead character Jason McCullough. In the follow up as the
character Latigo. Garner was always a master in front of the camera. He had a
natural talent, both serious and funny. He was a true, show business reality
that always was able to capture the watcher and give them a satisfaction in
entertainment. From Feature film to Television, he mastered it all. He created
so many wonderful characters from Jason McCullough in Support Your Local
Sheriff, to the television icon, Jim Rockford from The Rockford Files, to the
moving and touching Duke from The Notebook. He was a part of the wonderful age
of Hollywood, a master talent that sadly few modern actors could ever be.
Also starring the beautiful wonderful Joan Hackett. Also
starring the amazing, one of kind character actor Walter Brennan. He was a part
of, well over 240 performances in his long career. He was one of those character
actors that stood out. Playing small parts all the way to stand out memorable
parts. A true essence of Hollywood. Working from 1925 all the way to 1975. He
was and always will be a perfection in cinema history.
Also starring the all-important Harry Morgan. One only has
to look at his vast career in cinema both big and small, from TV classics like M*A*S*H,
Dragnet, The Love Boat, to feature films like High Noon, The Flim-Flam Man. He
is always wonderful to see perform.
That is what makes both of these films
stand out, is the overall cast. The cast is an amazing accomplishment all weaved
into a film. Also starring the amazing Henry Jones. The all-around master and
pure acting soul Bruce Dern, which I have to mention he has been in so many
memorable parts in his career. He starred in one of my personal favorite Sci-fi
Films, or films period, the underrated, often forgot about, cult film, 1972’s Silent Running. He is so amazing. He has been a part
of so many films. He is still acting strong today as of this writing, popping
out one memorable role after another. From Nebraska, Django Unchained, The
Hateful Eight, he is a one of kind star.
Last but not least who needs mentioning is the ever
wonderful, true character actor, side kick style of performance, Jack Elam. Elam
stars in both of these films. Elam is the definition of Western, or bad guy, or
just plain character actor. Elam had that unique face you could not forget, mainly due to his cross eye. He
most always played bad guys, killers and demented souls causing havoc in some form.
To me there are very few Elam’s in cinema. Very few performers obtain the
brilliance and destructive nature of character that Elam was able to do in his
vast career of over 200 performances of TV and feature film. I still get a
little teared eyed when I think he is no longer with us. He was so much of
Hollywood. He gave the cinema lover, cinema world, perfection in his roles no
matter how small or big they were, he owned and operated that role to a believable
perfection.
Both Support Your Local Sheriff and Support Your Local
Gunfighter are directed by Burt Kennedy. Kennedy was known basically for
directing westerns. From John Wayne films to TV series and movies. He was a
director that never really got the stardom or recognition that he rightly
deserved. He not only directed many of his films and TV, but he wrote the
scripts for them. Now I have to mention the funny reality of Burt, choosing to
direct one of the worst films, or at least a cheesy drive-in cult following
style film, none other than 1991’s Suburban Commando starring wrestler Hulk
Hogan. Don’t let that turn you off from Kennedy’s work, because like Support
Your Local Sheriff and Support Your Local Gunfighter, he had a talent in
expressing good cinema.
In Support Your Local Sheriff your introduced to the town of
Calendar, Colorado. This town came to light fast after gold was struck, after a
grave was dug. The town needs a Sheriff because there needs to be some law, because of drunks, bandits controlling and forcing people to pay to use
shipping routes. But everyone has the gold fever and don’t have time to be
sheriff, and plus those who do, quickly meet their maker in the sky. Insert Jason
McCullough who passes through town on his to Australia (Yeah I know Australia by way of Colorado). Now he witnesses the unruly
reality of the town. Soon he shows off his gun talent and so the mayor and the
town elect him Sheriff. Now as you would guess, law comes to Calendar and some
of the big wigs, bandits and so on, don’t take to the Sheriff, and so begins the
Sheriff’s ordeal with the bad guys. A simple basic plot, but one that has
comical flare and western realities. A perfect fun film that expresses itself in
a classic western mixed with comedy and romance.
The plot to Support Your Local Gunfighter is totally opposite.
Your main character Latigo Smith is a gambler. He is traveling on a train with
Goldie. Goldie wants to marry him. He finds the opportunity to escape, and is able to get
off the train in a town called Purgatory. In this town you have two companies of
minors fighting, each want to find the big pot of gold. Or simply known as the
mother lode. Now Latigo loses all his money at what he loves, gambling, or more
or less his problem. Insert an infamous gunslinger known as Swifty Morgan.
Latigo learns that Swifty is on his way to town. Latigo comes up with a plan to
get some money, pay his debts, and get out of town before the real Swifty shows
up. A scam where he hires the character of Jug May to impersonate Swifty. In
this process he falls in love with a woman named Patience, altering his
ultimate path. Soon as you would guess it the real Swifty shows up.
I have to mention who plays the real Swifty, the one and
only, mastery talent, man’s, man, Chuck Conner’s. There will never be anyone
like Chuck Conner’s. Conner’s was the very definition of tough guy, suave, rugged,
mutli-talented performer. 40 years he was a master talent on screen both in TV
and in film. I still to this day watch all the reruns of his classic character
Lucas McCain in The Rifleman. It was great seeing him again in this film.
Both Support Your Local Sheriff and Support Your Local
Gunfighter are excellent classic comedies’. Twilight Time did a lovely job in
picking both of these features for blu-ray.
Next up is the totally opposite of comedy western, as it is
a hard, classic style, basic Cowboy film. Starring the wonderful
and amazing Jack Lemmon and Glenn Ford. Also starring the wonderful Dick York.
York was a fantastic actor that I feel never got the stardom he deserved. He is
most famous for the TV series Bewitched. Sadly, he had a horrible degenerative
spinal problem which altered his career and caused him to be bedridden for many
years of his life. But he did leave the cinema world with great characters. He
shined in many ways on screen from TV to feature film, most notably in 1960’s amazing
Inherit the Wind, which might I add Twilight Time released on a special edition
blu-ray and you can read my review for it HERE.
Cowboy is directed by another one of those directors that
never got the lime light I think he deserved, or at least his memory into day’s
cinema world, seems to be forgotten. He directed one of my favorite films 3:10
to Yuma, the master of film making Delmar Daves. Daves created so many great
films, 1936’s The Petrified Forest, the stunning 1950’s Broken Arrow, 1959’s
The Hanging Tree and so many wonderful others. He not only was a director, but
also an actor, and a writer. His expertise
in film making is truly something to remember, and Twilight Time has honored
this director with Cowboy. They also recently released another film he
directed Kings Go Forth, which you can read my review for it HERE.
The plot to Cowboy is you are introduced to your main character
Frank Harris (Jack Lemmon). He is a hotel clerk in Chicago. His dream is to be
a Cowboy. In the Hotel he happens to fall in love with Maria who is the daughter
of a Mexican Cattle Baron. Maria’s daddy Senor Vidal, is angry and forbids this
reality and tells Frank to stay away. Now introduce the next main character Tom
Reece (Glenn Ford) who is a Cowboy and has just finished a cattle drive. Reece deals
with Vidal for the herd in Mexico and makes a deal. Reece gets in over his head
during a poker game and loses all his money. There Harris steps forward and
offers his whole life savings to Reece if he can be his partner on this next
cattle drive. So begins an adventure for Harris as he soon learns being a
Cowboy isn’t that easy, living off the land, and cattle driving, plus moving forward
toward Maria. This all comes together in a wonderful western film that remains enjoyable
today as it did when it first came out.
All three of these films stand out and remain memorable in the cinema world. Twilight Time allowed a new generation to experiance these films in a whole new light.
Audio and Video:
My Rating on all three: 5 out of 5
All three are wonderful examples of how to treat older films
and expressing them on new outlets. Twilight Time has done justice to these
films with wonderful new transfers. Beautiful, vibrant, color. Crisp images. The
audio flows like ear candy. These movies have never sounded or looked any
better than these Special Edition Blu-ray’s by Twilight Time.
Sheriff – Gunfighter:
LANGUAGE: English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 1.85:1
AUDIO: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English SDH
1969-1971 / Color
Sheriff: 93 MINUTES, Gunfighter: 92 MINUTES
Cowboy:
LANGUAGE: English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition /
1.85:1
AUDIO: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English SDH
1958 / Color
92 MINUTES
Extras: Support Your Local Sheriff/ Support Your Local
Gunfighter:
Isolated Score Tracks: A vast array of music composers
worked on these two films: Allyn Ferguson, Jeff Alexander, Jack Elliott. Jeff
Alexander had a wonderful career in both film and TV. Working on such greats
like many Elvis Presley films like, 1957’s Jailhouse Rock, 1962’s Kid Galahad, 1967’s Double
Trouble, 1967’s Clambake, 1968’s Speedway, among many others. He not only was a composer,
but an author, conductor and arranger of music. His work on Support Your Local
Sheriff stands out, and is memorable. For Support Your Local Gunslinger two
where involved with the music department. Jack Elliot started composing in the
middle 60’s and continued on until 1991. His music is still used today on
soundtracks and music departments of film and television. Probably best known
for his work in Television specifically for the tune of Charlie’s Angels
series, and Barney Miller series. He was a master music creator that won’t be forgotten.
Last but not least is Allyn Ferguson. He to like the others mentioned left a
vast array of music excellence. Working as composer or in the music department
he left his mark. Working on both TV and feature film. He alongside Jack
Elliot, worked on both Charlie’s Angels and Barney Miller series creating the memorable
themes for both shows. All three that I have mentioned deserve to be remembered
and honored in this way by Twilight Time giving the isolated music, is a solid
plus to their memory.
Audio Commentary on Support Your Local Sheriff with Film
Historians Lee Pfeiffer and Paul Scrabo. A fantastic listen. A wonderful array
of information. A solid commentary.
Original Theatrical Trailers
Extras: Cowboy
Isolated Score Track. Which is composed by George Duning.
Duning was a true golden ticket of music perfection. He was nominated for many Academy Awards in his career. He worked on such memorable films as 1955’s The
Man from Laramie, 1955’s Picnic which might I both where Twilight Time releases on a
Special Edition Blu-ray's. 1956’s The Eddy Duchin Story, which might I also add
Twilight Time released on a Special Edition Blu-ray which you can read my
review for HERE. He truly mastered so many realities in music, from TV to major
motion picture. From a personal favorite of mine 1957’s 3:10 to Yuma, and
another personal favorite the 1978 Disney TV movie, Child of Glass, to working
on the original Star Trek Series. Twilight Time honored this music god with
this special feature.
Audio Commentary with Film Historians Julie Kirgo, Paul
Seydor, and Nick Redman. A perfect listen. Three educated in cinema smarts.
Always a perfect listen. Three great film historians talking about film, what
more could any movie lover want. Fantastic special feature.
Original Theatrical Trailer
Overall:
Twilight Time has blessed the movie loving and Blu-ray
collecting world with three films. All are perfection in transfers, audio and
video. Love the packaging always a plus to get the booklet insert. These Blu-ray’s
are an amazing accomplishment by Twilight Time as always. Twilight Time truly
honors cinema, gives cinema a true outlet to express in whole new ways through
amazing work in bringing these older films out in new outlets. Highly
Recommended and highly praised. Must own Blu-ray’s.
INFO:
Make sure you head over to www.screenarchives.com to buy all
the wonderful Twilight Time Blu-rays. The main page that gives you these
beautiful releases on top quality Special Editions.
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