John Wayne Movie Review: ***^ Chisum (1970)

 Chisum is a formolaic John Wayne film.  Wayne plays Chisum, who has lived in the area for 25 years and built a ranch with hard work, and Lawrence Murphy (Forrest Tucker) who figures he can do better by taking what is Chisum's and controlling the law in the process.  You add Billy Bonney (Geoffrey Deuel) who is hot headed and explosive and things do not always go as planned.  Things go too far when Murphy's men kill Henry Tunstall (Patric Knowles) who had befriended Bonney.  Bonney takes it upon himself to kill the murderers and the sheriff and Murphy and anyone else complicit in the murder.  Makes for a good feud and war in town.  Ben Johnson plays Pepper, Chisum's long time friend and Pamela McMyler plays Sallie, Chisum's niece.  Glen Corbett plays Pat Garrett.  

John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara Movie Review: **** Rio Grande (1950)

 This is the first of five collaborations of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.  Lt. Col Kirby York (Wayne) is osted on the Rio Grande, and dealing with Apache Indians.  Mrs. Kathleen Yorke (O'Hara) his estranged wife comes to camp after her son, Trooper Jefferson Yorke (Claude Jarman Jr.)  He had arrived in camp a few days earlier as a new recruit.  The relationship between Yorke and his wife evolves during the movie and it is fun to watch, as too the growth of their son.  Other characters are Trooper Tyree (Ben Johnson) who in addition to being a trooper is wanted on manslaughter charges.  Trooper Boone (Harry Carey Jr.) starts in a fight with Trooper York but they fast become best friends.  The movie is also graced with the serenading of the regimental singers (Sons of the Pioneers.)  

Great story telling.  In Black and White.  John Ford directed.

Movie Review: ***^Shadow Riders (1982)

 A Louis L'amour after the Civil Ward movie.  Mac (Tom Selleck) fought for the North and his brother Dal (Sam Elliott) for the South.  When they get home they discover a band of "Rebs" has stolen their sisters and headed to Mexico as they are not yet prepared to give up the war.  They make a deal, trading the cattle the stole, and the women and men for slaves to a businessman from Mexico who promises to give them guns to continue their war.

Of course Mac and Dal decide to go after and find them on the beach.  They meet a brother, Jesse (Jeff Osterhage) who was also taken prisoner but manages to escape.  The women and a couple Confederates have already sailed to Mexico.  They also come upon Kate (Katharine Ross) who was also taken, but left behind for fear she would be trouble.  She was the fiancé of Dal before the war.  They also recruit Uncle Jack Black (Ben Johnson) who is a bit of a criminal.  They have to break him out of jail.  But he knows Mexico from his criminal days.  

This movie is great fun with three brothers working together to save their family.  It has dynamite and gun play, and dressing up like a num to effect the rescue.