Wuchak
RELEASED IN 1966 and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, "The Rare Breed" chronicles events in St. Louis and Texas in 1884-85 when an English woman (Maureen O'Hara) and her daughter (Juliet Mills) conscript a lanky cattleman (James Stewart) to try and get their hornless British bull to mate with the longhorns of Texas, but they have to deal with venal thugs (Jack Elam), a curmudgeon ranch mogul (Brian Keith) and the harshness of nature itself.The film meshes drama with lighthearted amusement in the manner of a screwball Disney family comedy, "fun" brawls reminiscent of John Wayne Westerns of that era, dead-serious sequences and romance. I didn't feel this inconsistent tone marred the movie; after all, doesn't real life include all of these things? The exception would be the "fun" brawling scenes which, while lively, are not true to life. In real fights people get broken noses, black eyes, bruises and broken bones. Anyway, the cast is great, but I didn't find the drama that engaging, especially the entire last act. Furthermore, the indoor sets substituting for outdoors are obvious and smack of old-fashioned movies & TV Western fare of the time period.About a third of the way in there's an exceptional stampede sequence that includes a heart-stopping on-set accident involving the wagon carrying Martha (O'Hara) and Hilary (Mills) ahead of the stampede. The stunt women were supposed to be thrown clear, but the wagon rolled over them. Thankfully, the dipping ground underneath the wagon allowed the stuntwomen, Stephanie Epper and Patty Elder, enough room to survive without being crushed, although they did experience minor wounds and shock. In the same sequence a young man is forced to try to run UP the canyon wall in stark terror as the charging cattle threaten.THE FILM RUNS 97 minutes and was shot in Jamestown, Mecca, Coachella Valley, Mojave Desert and Universal Studios, California. WRITER: Ric Hardman.GRADE: C
milwhitt702
Anything Jimmy Stewart, Maureen O'Hara, and Jack Elam is in, you can count on being a great movie. I have it on tape and have watched it at least 4 times. Just last night I watched it and something caught my attention. When the stampede started and the wagon was turned over, where did Vindicator go? Next time I saw him, he was following the wagon with the injured man in it. Wonder why he didn't join the stampede and go with the herd. He appeared unshaken and uninjured. Just wondering. It was a great movie, many interesting twists.
Spikeopath
Recently widowed, Martha Price {Maureen O'Hara} and her daughter Hilary {Juliet Mills} travel from England to Texas to sell their prized Hereford Bull, Vindicator. Along the way, a drifter, Sam Burnett, aids them on their journey and is very tempted to bluff the duo and bag himself some easy cash. But as the journey starts to become perilous, Sam finds himself strongly drawn to Martha, but he's also not the only one.The Rare Breed is a fictionalised account of how British bred cattle came to be part of the American beef industry. Coming as it did in James Stewart's late 60s mellow period, it has an air of cartooned dramatics, it works to a degree, but the joke quickly wears thin and the drama never has the desired impact. Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and tidily shot by William H. Clothier {tho the cheap shots are evident}, the picture appears to have been cut in one or two places because we lurch from a couple of scenes to completely different scenarios, and its quite off putting. The acting is fine, all the cast give it gusto, with Brian Keith having a ball playing a raging Scotsman, i mean swigging whiskey in the bath at frequent intervals has to be a bonus to me!. One or two punch ups are safely handled by McLagen, and a stampede is watchable if a touch let down by the sloppy editing from Russell F. Schoengarth, to leave us with a fare little film that is instantly forgettable afterwards. 4/10
pdwebbsite
This western has much going for it: great stars (Jimmy Stewart, Maureen O'Hara, and Brian Keith), interesting plot twists (is Stewart's character a thief, after all), and some comedic moments (Brian Keith is a hoot as Scottish cattle baron). Take the movie as it is, an old western that is mediocre in script with star power holding it afloat, and you'll enjoy the movie. Start picking it apart for studio shots, etc and of course you'll not enjoy it. The storyline of how Herefords came to replace Texas Longhorns sounds plausible enough. It was cute how Juliet Mills (sister of Hayley) got that Hereford bull to follow her by whistling "God Save the Queen". Juliet added quite a bit to the movie, and she was a good balance to the humorous triangle of Keith, O'Hara, and Stewart. Some reviews are harsh, yet the questions remains--How could anyone not enjoy a movie with Jimmy Stewart in it?
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