{"id":39997,"date":"2018-01-22T12:47:29","date_gmt":"2018-01-22T19:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=39997"},"modified":"2022-01-26T16:14:41","modified_gmt":"2022-01-26T23:14:41","slug":"winchester-73-1950","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=39997","title":{"rendered":"Winchester &#8217;73 (1950)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Some things a man has to do &#8212; so he does &#8217;em.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Poster-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-40000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Poster-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Poster.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA sharpshooter (Jimmy Stewart) arriving in Dodge City with his longtime friend (Millard Mitchell) wins a coveted Winchester &#8217;73 rifle in a shooting contest, but it&#8217;s stolen by his rival (Stephen McNally), who then loses the gun to an &#8220;Indian trader&#8221; (John McIntire) who is scalped by Chief Young Bull (Rock Hudson). Eventually the gun lands in the hands of a cowardly man (Charles Drake) engaged to a dance hall girl (Shelley Winters) who has a crush on Stewart. Drake&#8217;s outlaw partner (Dan Duryea) steals the gun from Drake, but loses it back to McNally. Who will finally end up with the gun &#8212; and the girl (Winters)?\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Anthony Mann Films<\/li>\n<li>Dan Duryea Films<\/li>\n<li>Jimmy Stewart Films<\/li>\n<li>John McIntire Films<\/li>\n<li>Native Americans<\/li>\n<li>Revenge<\/li>\n<li>Rock Hudson Films<\/li>\n<li>Shelley Winters Films<\/li>\n<li>Siblings<\/li>\n<li>Westerns<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that this &#8220;classic adult western by Anthony Mann, the first of five he directed with James Stewart&#8221;, has &#8220;excellent action sequences&#8221; as well as &#8220;unusual characterizations&#8221;, &#8220;interesting relationships&#8221;, and &#8220;unpretentious dialogue&#8221;. Indeed, it&#8217;s likely my favorite of the five, given that all elements of the rotating storyline (<em>a la<\/em> Ophuls&#8217; <em>La Ronde<\/em>) help build a complex tableau of an Old West filled with classic tropes of the genre: a Cain-and-Abel brother-revenge tale; trigger-happy villains with plenty of guns; a &#8220;loose&#8221; woman (Winters) eager to settle down with a &#8220;real&#8221; man (Stewart); skirmishes with Native Americans; and male dominance hierarchies establishing tentative order in a lawless, violence-ridden landscape. The characterizations are indeed &#8220;unusual&#8221;, and quite rich, especially given how often the storyline shifts from one set of characters to another. I like how additional insights into motivation are gradually revealed; how the seemingly disparate storylines eventually converge; and how subplots (i.e., Winters&#8217; dismay over her fiance&#8217;s unexpected cowardice during an Indian raid) turn into essential elements of the narrative (Winters plays an unexpectedly pivotal role in the film&#8217;s final outcome). Mann&#8217;s direction, William Daniels&#8217; cinematography, and the range of supporting performances (including dependable baddie Duryea) are top-notch throughout. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> This film&#8217;s pacing, episodic western narrative, and cast of diverse characters put me in mind of Quentin Tarantino&#8217;s <em>The Hateful Eight<\/em> (2015).  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Excellent performances across the board (Peary nominates Stewart for a Best Actor award in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Stewart.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Stewart.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"992\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-40011\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Stewart.png 992w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Stewart-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Stewart-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Stewart-768x557.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Winters4.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Winters4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"992\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-40003\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Winters4.png 992w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Winters4-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Winters4-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Winters4-768x557.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Duryea.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Duryea.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"992\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-40012\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Duryea.png 992w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Duryea-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Duryea-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Duryea-768x557.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Strong direction by Mann<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Coin.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Coin.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"992\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-40006\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Coin.png 992w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Coin-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Coin-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Coin-768x557.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Direction.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Direction.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"992\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-40007\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Direction.png 992w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Direction-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Direction-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Direction-768x557.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Indian-Trader.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Indian-Trader.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"992\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-39999\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Indian-Trader.png 992w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Indian-Trader-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Indian-Trader-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Indian-Trader-768x557.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine cinematography by William H. Daniels<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"992\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-40004\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Cinematography.png 992w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Cinematography-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Cinematography-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Cinematography-768x557.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Excellent use of rugged outdoor settings<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Rugged-Shootout.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Rugged-Shootout.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"992\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-40010\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Rugged-Shootout.png 992w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Rugged-Shootout-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Rugged-Shootout-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Winchester-73-Rugged-Shootout-768x557.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Smart dialogue<br \/>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Haven&#8217;t I seen you somewhere?&#8221;<br \/>\n&#8220;I been somewhere!&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a classic of the genre. Nominated by Peary as one of the Best Pictures of the Year in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?page_id=1784#classic\">Genuine Classic<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0043137\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/95933\/winchester-73#articles-reviews\">TCM Articles<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s806winch.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Some things a man has to do &#8212; so he does &#8217;em.&#8221; Synopsis: A sharpshooter (Jimmy Stewart) arriving in Dodge City with his longtime friend (Millard Mitchell) wins a coveted Winchester &#8217;73 rifle in a shooting contest, but it&#8217;s stolen by his rival (Stephen McNally), who then loses the gun to an &#8220;Indian trader&#8221; (John McIntire) who is scalped by Chief Young Bull (Rock Hudson). Eventually the gun lands in the hands of a cowardly man (Charles Drake) engaged to&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=39997\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39997","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=39997"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39997\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80642,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39997\/revisions\/80642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=39997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=39997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=39997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}