Saturday, October 07, 2023
Shane
- Commentary: Astonishing, I understand, me being a movie buff and all, but not only do I not, at this moment (10/7/23 @ 1:48 p.m.), own a copy of this movie, I've never seen it! I first heard about this movie when I was 10 or 11. My neighbor and best friend, who was the same age as me, loved this movie, talked about it whenever she got the chance and urged me to see it if I ever got the chance. This was back in the early 1960's, on Guam, that had 1 channel television from 5:45 p.m. (5:30 p.m. on High Holy Days) until maybe midnight but usually not, if those with televisions were even watching. The thing was, because television wasn't much of a resource and movie theaters were very few and very far between, almost no one watched television or went to the movies on Guam until sometime in the very late 1960's, when more channels were obtained and more theaters had been built. We played, or read, or, you know, all the other things people do when they're not watching television or going to the movies, only we did those things all day and evening long, if we weren't in school or doing homework. Or doing chores, or delivering newspapers, or sleeping. Even when more TV and movie fare was available, I never got the hang of watching TV or "going to the movies" and, frankly, didn't have a TV or watch TV until around that expansion-of-TV time in the late 1960's, but, even then, it wasn't a habit that myself or any of my sisters developed until several (and I do mean several) years later. So, no Shane, not for me, until well, sometime Monday, 10/9/23, when the blu-ray of this movie will arrive on my doorstep. I've even decided not to read the two reviews I've attached to this write-up, or any others, or the Wikipedia description below, until after I've watched the movie.
It's supposed to be the greatest and most lauded movie ever. And, I'm not really what you'd call a fan of Westerns. So, stay tuned. All things, including my proclivities, considered, I'm looking forward to this.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Alan Ladd Shane Jean Arthur Marian Starrett Van Heflin Joe Starrett Brandon deWilde Joey Starrett Jack Palance Jack Wilson Ben Johnson Chris Calloway Edgar Buchanan Fred Lewis Emile Meyer Rufus Ryker Elisha Cook Jr. Frank "Stonewall" Torrey Douglas Spencer Axel 'Swede' Shipstead John Dierkes Morgan Ryker Ellen Corby Mrs. Liz Torrey Paul McVey Sam Grafton John Miller Will Atkey Edith Evanson Mrs. Shipstead Leonard Strong Ernie Wright Ray Spiker Axel Johnson Janice Carroll Susan Lewis Martin Mason Ed Howells Helen Brown Martha Lewis Nancy Kulp Mrs. Howells Alana Ladd Little Girl David Ladd Little Boy Howard Negley Yank Potts
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1953
Directed by George Stevens.
Labels: jack-palance, van-heflin, western
