Richie-67-485852 The Wild West was well named and consisted of men, their horses and guns and then all the different stories that come with that. Here, the gun gets a starring role and it does a fine job in holding our attention. Who wouldn't want a 1 in a 1000 perfect rifle? Ahh, but you have to earn it and if you cannot, well the word "wild" is now introduced as in anything goes to get that rifle. However, the West was full of tough hombres so being good with a gun and being ready was not only smart but necessary. Those that didn't rise to the occasion are prey for the predators. This movie has a lot prey and predators in it and it moves swiftly from one to another making us entertained because we are drawn in. Add sub stories, decent scenery, never a dull moment and we have a classic Western that is so easy to enjoy. The stars make it come alive where you can almost taste the dust. One gets the feeling that if one can kill fast enough and for some reason, it is allowed called a type of feud. In civilized places, they don't preach to not do it they just tell you to not do it here or to movie on. Eventually that premise caught on and the Wild West eventually dropped the word "wild" and settled down to become our cities today. Enjoy the scenery's, characters, the buildings, streets and I always look for horse dung in the streets to see if they capture the real thing. Surprisingly the majority of Westerns show its absence but when you find one with it, the reality makes it all make more sense. Also, consider that a mans horse was like a car today necessary and vital to get around. There are some fine looking animals in this movie. Highly recommend a snack or sandwich, tasty drink and no cell phones while watching. Get lost in this Western for a couple of hours. Time well spent pardner. Enjoy

Leofwine_draca WINCHESTER '73 is one of the earlier western pairings between director Anthony Mann and star James Stewart. It's a well-made and professional-looking movie full of great twists and turns and fine action sequences; in essence, a film which it's difficult to criticise. The film's main interest comes from the atypical storyline, which follows the journey of a prize rifle as it goes through the hands of various characters, most of them up to no good.Stewart is fine as the dedicated hero in a role that offers him a bit more complexity than most standard western hero parts. He gets the chance to act, in other words, and unsurprisingly he does a fine job of it. However, Stewart is just one of many solid actors in this film, many of whom stand out: Dan Duryea as the amoral 'Waco'; Stephen McNally as the ruthless 'Dutch'; Charles Drake as the cowardly Steve. Heck, you even get Will Geer playing Wyatt Earp, Rock Hudson as a Native American, and Tony Curtis as a cavalryman.Still, even though the cast is very good, it's Mann himself who is the real most valuable participant here. He makes WINCHESTER '73 into a great looking western which utilises black and white cinematography to make a fine-looking picture. There's a fast pace, lots of suspense, some shocking moments, and exciting action. Only Shelley Winters feels like a let down in an extraneous role. Otherwise, it's all good...

l_rawjalaurence Based on a short story, WINCHESTER 73 is the story of a famous rifle and those who end up using it. The plot is fairly straightforward, involving good (personified by James Stewart) versus evil (Stephen McNally, Dan Duryea) with good triumphing in the end. What renders this movie so entertaining is the stunning outdoor photography (by William H. Daniels) and Anthony Mann's taut direction, that keeps the plot rattling along at a brisk pace. There are distinct Biblical overtones to the plot, with seven competitors participating in the competition in Dodge City, to see who can win the rifle in the first place (including Stewart and McNally), but a Cain and Abel-like coda to the film, where it is revealed that Stewart and McNally are not only sworn enemies but blood brothers; McNally the Cain-like brother who turned to crime and shot their father in the back. For this 'unethical' crime alone, he deserves everything he gets. Stewart gets the chance to extend his acting range in this film; the sequence where he forces Waco Johnny Dean (Duryea) to submit to his will reveals just how violent he can be, if necessary. Shelley Winters turns in a good supporting cameo as a singer caught up in this elemental conflict, who can take care of herself (fortunately). Not an absolute classic, but a really good western nonetheless.

Tweekums This classic western opens with protagonist Lin McAdam and his friend High-Spade riding into Dodge City hoping to run into an outlaw by the name of 'Dutch Henry' Brown. They do run into each other in the saloon; it is clear that they want to kill each other as they both instinctively reach for their runs forgetting that the sheriff had impounded all sidearms. To celebrate the countries centenary there is a shooting competition to win a prized 'one in a thousand' Winchester rifle; inevitable when it is down to two men Lin and Dutch end up competing for it. Lin wins but Dutch and two friends steal it and flee town. Having left in a hurry they have left their pistols behind and have no ammunition for the rifle so are forced to gamble the rifle; he loses it to an Indian trader. It seems nobody is destined to keep it for long though as he in turn is soon killed by Indians. Meanwhile Lin and High-Spade are following Dutch; after a run in with the Indians they take shelter with the cavalry and a man and woman. When the Indians attack Lin shoots and kills the one carrying the prized rifle but he leaves before it is found. The rifle will pass through more hands before in eventually returns to Dutch... just in time for the climactic shootout between Lin and Dutch.This could easily have been another in a long line of B Westerns if it hadn't been for James Stewart's excellent performance as Lin McAdam... the story of a man out for revenge may be cliché and the way the rifle passes from owner to owner till it gets back to where it belongs may be far fetched but that doesn't matter because the story is so well told. Stewart isn't the only one putting in a good performance; Stephen McNally is suitably menacing as Dutch, Millard Mitchell is likable as High-Spade and Shelley Winters does a good job as love interest Lola Manners; a woman passed on almost as much as the rifle! This may be in black and white but it is none the worse for that; the monochrome image having a sharpness that colour tends to lack. There is a decent amount of action and some tense moments when it seems violence could erupt at any moment. The final shoot out lasts longer than I expected but managed to keep the tension high as Lin and Dutch shoot it out amongst rocky terrain. If you are a fan of westerns this is certainly one you shouldn't miss.