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Post by coopfan on May 2, 2007 3:10:05 GMT -5
After drifting into the goldrush town of Skull Creek, Montana, Dr. Joseph "Doc" Frail buys a cabin on the hill above town from a penniless prospector. Soon after, Rune, a young wanderer, tries to steal a gold nugget from a sluice box and is pursued by a bloodthirsty mob, guns ablaze. Hearing the injured Rune's cries for help, Doc rescues the boy and bandages his wound. In payment for his services, Doc demands that Rune become his bond servant, threatening to expose him as a thief if he refuses. Doc then sets up practice, and although he exhibits compassion for his patients, he can be imperious and severe when dealing with others, prompting Tom Flaunce, the town storekeeper and an old acquaintance, to comment that "Doc carries his soul in his doctor's bag." When Doc is assailed by George Grubb, a raving drunk who accuses him of being the devil, Doc, an expert marksman, drives Grubb off at gunpoint. While at the saloon one evening, Doc strikes a gambler who questions him about burning down a house in Illinois. One day, a stagecoach is attacked by a band of robbers, causing the horses to bolt and the carriage to careen over the side of a cliff. With his dying breath, the driver reveals that a woman passenger, the sole survivor, is trapped in the coach. Frenchy Plante, a lecherous prospector, Rune and Flaunce head a search party for the woman. While camped around the fire for the night, Flaunce informs Rune that Frail is a name the Doc assumed because he felt that it described the state of mankind. Flaunce then relates the story of a doctor named Temple, who torched his grand house on the river after discovering the dead bodies of a man and a woman inside. The next day, Frenchy finds the missing woman, whom he dubs "Lost Lady." After they carry the unconscious woman to a shack in a nearby meadow, Doc examines her and declares that she is suffering from temporary blindness. He arranges for her to be transported to Flaunce's abandoned cabin, which is situated across from his own, and Rune volunteers to care for her. Three days later, the woman regains consciousness, although she remains blind. After identifying herself as Elizabeth Mahler, she learns that her father was killed in the robbery. When Elizabeth tells Doc about emigrating from Switzerland to the "wonderous" America, Doc cautions her that she will find no glory in the wretched town of Skull Creek. Soon after, Flaunce's wife Edna, a mean-spirited, priggish woman, drives to the cabin to determine if Elizabeth is "decent," and is turned away by Doc. That night, after Doc leaves to play cards at the saloon, Frenchy sneaks into the cabin. When Elizabeth senses his presence, he claims that he has come for his canteen. As Frenchy is about to sexually attack the blind woman, Doc appears and orders him to leave. Later, at the saloon, Doc thrashes Frenchy and threatens to kill him if he ever returns to the cabin, and Frenchy vows revenge. As the days pass, Rune accuses Doc of trying to control people and objects to his isolation of Elizabeth. One day, Elizabeth is on the verge of recovering her eyesight when she lapses back into hysterical blindness. Doc inspires her to see again, but when she embraces him, he coldly informs her that she must leave the next day. Doc then gives Rune his freedom and presents him with a horse. The following morning, Rune and Elizabeth ride into town and Elizabeth shows Flaunce a brooch, an old family heirloom, and asks to use it as collateral for a grubstake. When Flaunce reports Elizabeth's request to Doc, Doc gives him the money to lend to her. Entering into partnership with Frenchy, Elizabeth and Rune establish the "Lucky Lady" mine. A month passes, and Doc continues to funnel money into the mine, unbeknown to Elizabeth. While out delivering a baby one day, Doc stops to say hello to Elizabeth. Jealous of Doc's intrusion, Frenchy manhandles Elizabeth and she decides to move into town. When Elizabeth comes to the store for another advance, Edna cruelly informs her that the brooch is worthless and accuses her of prostitution. Furious, Elizabeth accuses Doc of trying to play with people's lives and he admits that the rumor about the grand house on the river is true and that the man and woman were his wife and brother. In the midst of a violent rainstorm one day, a giant tree near the Lucky Lady is uprooted, revealing a pit filled with gold nuggets. To celebrate the strike, Frenchy plies the townsmen with liquor. While Elizabeth repairs to Doc's cabin with her sack of gold, the drunken revelers below turn mean and set the town on fire. Barging into Doc's cabin, Frenchy hurls Elizabeth onto the bed and assaults her. Doc returns to find the town in flames, then hurries to his cabin and throws Frenchy down the stairs. When Frenchy pulls his gun, Doc shoots him and then kicks his lifeless body over the hillside. Grubb seizes the opportunity to incite the frenzied crowd to lynch Doc, and as they place a noose around his neck, Elizabeth, bruised, hobbles down the hill and offers her gold in exchange for Doc's life. The greedy mob stampedes to the mine, leaving Doc behind. After Rune removes the noose from his neck, Doc bends down and caresses Elizabeth's face and they embrace.
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Post by coopfan on May 2, 2007 3:10:38 GMT -5
This is my favorite Gary Cooper western followed closely by High Noon.
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Post by coopfan on May 12, 2007 0:29:50 GMT -5
I can't wait to get your thoughts on this one Kim. I love this movie and his co-star maria. (mental note: must track down and rent my sister Maria documentory and Bright Leaves documentory very soon). Yes I know this is one of those Gary as an old guy movies but he is not nearly as broken down looking as he was in They Came to Cordura and The Wreck of the Mary Deere. I also can't wait for see The Naked Edge and get your views as he isn't broken down looking in that movie either. I love both these movies so much. But then again I love just about everything with Gary Cooper in it.
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Post by *~Mrs. Cooper ~* on May 13, 2007 14:15:11 GMT -5
I just saw this movie last night and I couldn't agree with you more. This movie was fantastic! "His mystery and tight-lipped refusal to discuss his past perfectly suited his laconic style." I was getting a little nervous toward the end, but I'm glad it worked out the way it had. Miss Schell played her part wonderfully and brought the character a sense of gentleness yet still kept that boldness and strength, standing up to Gary the way she had let him know that she wasn't just some blind woman he could control like he had with Rune, or everyone else in that town. Gary's sharpness and need for controling people didn't seem to fit his style in the synopsis, but he played the part extrememly well and made you almost feel sorry for him. I also liked his mystery, as Dickens said in his book; it gave the story more depth. There was also a good fightscene with Karl Malden that reminded me a bit of High Noon with Lloyd Bridges... I didn't think I'd like this film as much as I do, but the cover intrigued me to watch it; I'm glad I did. I'm still nervous to watch Naked Edge, but I'll watch it sooner than later, knowing you're waiting for my feedback  All in all, I'd say this would rank in third in Westerns for me. (I just can't shake Dallas  ) |
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Post by coopfan on May 13, 2007 23:41:51 GMT -5
I'm glad you finally got around to watching it When I watched it for the first time, I was just so glad to finally get to see after all the talking that my dad did on it, but it doesn't rank up at the top of my Cooper movie list. It does rank higher than dallas  though. I actually rank Springfield Rifle higher than Dallas but everyone has different tastes in Gary Cooper movies I guess. Dallas is a good movie but there are so many Coop westerns that I would pick over it that it staggers the mind just sitting here thinking about it  |
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Post by *~Mrs. Cooper ~* on May 14, 2007 22:18:17 GMT -5
The blue plaid made me weak at the knees |
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Post by *~Mrs. Cooper ~* on May 15, 2007 22:30:07 GMT -5
I love this quote: [Blind woman, Elizabeth, guessing what Gary looks like] Elizabeth: Your hands are very large and gentle. You must have long legs because you cross the room in three steps  |
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Post by coopfan on May 15, 2007 22:41:50 GMT -5
I love all the quotes from this movie. I was wrong and must have been excessively tired when I posted " but it doesn't rank up at the top of my Cooper movie list" It is one dandy of a movie from start to finish.
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Post by *~Mrs. Cooper ~* on May 15, 2007 22:50:41 GMT -5
I've been playing the song for hours today. It's building. I love it so much! Ahhhh!! -- I gotta watch it again. It's surpassed Dallas (I didn't think that was possible) but it's now in second. Gosh, it might even get up to High Noon! But I don't think anything could surpass that one; that was just amazing. It's close |
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Post by coopfan on May 15, 2007 23:00:03 GMT -5
There is a very rare black and white version of marty Robbins singing the Hanging Tree that I included at the end of that Nashville stars on tour dvd. The picture quality is not that great as it was what they call transcriptions where they filmed the camera monitor and not the live performance.
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Post by *~Mrs. Cooper ~* on May 15, 2007 23:16:16 GMT -5
With images from the film or just the live performance?
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Post by coopfan on May 16, 2007 7:29:34 GMT -5
No kim as it is just the live performance  |
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Post by *~Mrs. Cooper ~* on May 25, 2007 21:08:57 GMT -5
I thought this was so interesting. I know it wasn't uncommon, but I thought it was still neat.
In Last Chance Gulch, where Gary lived as a child in Montana, the town was notorious for its imposing "hanging tree," until an enraged parson cut it down in 1870.
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Post by coopfan on May 25, 2007 22:44:44 GMT -5
Yes I am sure there were quite a few towns with Hanging trees back then but still kind of neat trivia.
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Post by *~Mrs. Cooper ~* on Dec 23, 2007 2:25:27 GMT -5
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dale
New Cat In Town
Posts: 5
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Post by dale on Dec 24, 2007 9:13:04 GMT -5
Interesting tidbit of information concerning Marty Robbins and his version of The Hanging Tree song. The late Marty Robbins and I have something in common. We both graduated from Glendale Union High School in Glendale, Arizona, but in way different decades!
I have not seen this film in a long time, but particularly loved the George C Scott character, where at the end he ends up garbbing for the claim just like everybody else, in spite of his ranting and raving about God, faith healing and the like beforehand.
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senta
Cat's Meow
Posts: 76
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Post by senta on Dec 25, 2007 13:45:08 GMT -5
I like this movie very much and it is still growing and growing in me. It is sure something misterios about Doc Frail that was never quite explained in the movie. Why the wife and brother was dead. He killed them or she killed herself? But he blames himself, that is seen in the movie.
And I like Marty Robbins too. Some time ago a friend send me his CD as a present and I hear it ever since. But Hanging Tree wasn't on this CD. My other favorite from the songs he singing is The Streets of Loredo - this song connects with one of my other favorite movie - 3 Godfathers.
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senta
Cat's Meow
Posts: 76
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Post by senta on Jan 19, 2008 13:24:36 GMT -5
The French DVD of it is not widescreen but good quality, better shape then VHS. The colors are very natural not very bright.
It is funny but in France they use to dubble movies completly not only put subtitles, they even sing a title ballad on French. But fortunatly for me they do have English version on DVD too.
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