OT - Western movies - did you know?

[Ysabel Kid]

While on vacation this week I decided to watch some of the westerns in my DVD collection. I watched "Lonesome Dove" right before New Years, and then watched "Bandolero!" New Year's Day.

I'm sure this is old hat for some of you, and I'm the last to know, but I was very surprised the sheriff in "Bandolero!" (played by George Kennedy) was named "July Johnson" and his deputy was named "Roscoe". I'm thinking, wait a minute - that was the same name of the sheriff and his deputy in "Lonesome Dove"! I had to do a little net-research, and sure enough, the names were the same - though the deputy's last names were different. McMurty (the author of "Lovesome Dove") apparently did this on purpose - paying respect to the movie "Bandoler!" - by naming some of the characters the same. Even had a similiar sub-plot; the woman the sheriff wanted loved an outlaw named "Dee".

While reading up on this though I found out that they came close to making "Lonesome Dove" as a film staring John Wayne as Woodrow Call (the part played by Tommy Lee Jones), James Stewart as Gus McCrae (the part played by Robert Duvall), and Henry Fonda has Jake Spoon (the part played by Robert Ulrich).

As much as Duvall, Jones and Ulrich did a superb job in their roles, wouldn't it have been something to see to see Wayne, Stewart and Fonda in these roles? Wow!

So, was I really the last to know?

[Hobie]

So, was I really the last to know?

Apparently. Well, next to last anyway...

Neat stuff.

[Stump Buster]

Hey Ysabel & Hobie,

Didn't know that and Lonesome Dove is one of my favorites! Syl and I watched Cheyenne Moon (the last of the trilogy, but the movie that brings all the players together in their younger lives) on New Years Eve. It's almost as good as the original and I thought the cast did a great job picking up little nuances that the original cast displayed in the first movie!!!

I've never seen Bandolero, so now I have to go out and get it.

Thanks for the info!!!!!


Mike

[Gun Smith]

Was Lonesome Dove written so long ago that Wayne and others were considered? John Wayne died 20 years ago, was the story written way back then? Interesting, I thought it was a modern piece.

[J Miller]

So, was I really the last to know?

Nope, I didn't know any of that. I remember Bandolero! a little bit, and I've watched Lonesome Dove when it was on the tube many summers back, but that is all I know of it.

John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, and Henry Fonda ... that would have been one great movie. Probably would have been a better farewell for J.W. than The Shootist

Joe

[jeepnik]

I'm sorry, but after watching Bandelero, I'm pretty sure my mind would be on other things than character names in Lonesome Dove. Had some of the best "scenery" of any western.

[Borregos]

Interesting

I guess right now I am the last to know

Lonesome Dove was copyrighted in 1985 by the way

[rjohns94]

your not the last. I guess currently, I am.

[JustaJeepGuy]

John Wayne died 20 years ago, was the story written way back then?

No, John Wayne died in 1979. Long before Lonesome Dove was written. Somebody must have been speculating on how it would have been with those actors in those roles.

[Buck Elliott]

Was Lonesome Dove written so long ago that Wayne and others were considered? John Wayne died 20 years ago, was the story written way back then? Interesting, I thought it was a modern piece.

Duke passed in 1979...

[Ysabel Kid]

John Wayne died 20 years ago, was the story written way back then?

No, John Wayne died in 1979. Long before Lonesome Dove was written. Somebody must have been speculating on how it would have been with those actors in those roles.

"Lonesome Dove" was apparently based on a script for a full-length movie written in the late 1960's called "The Streets of Laredo". McMurty took the script and beefed it up into a full-blown series, including a book by the latter name. I'm not sure if the story would have been the same; would have been hard to squeeze all that into a movie - but the characters would have been.

[Ysabel Kid]

I'm sorry, but after watching Bandelero, I'm pretty sure my mind would be on other things than character names in Lonesome Dove. Had some of the best "scenery" of any western.

One of the reasons why I have "Hannie Caulder" and "100 Rifles" in my western collection as well!

[Idahoser]

Just to complete the thread, we ought to have a recap on the 'trilogy' that is the story of Woodrow Call.

McMurtry's books:
-Dead Man's Walk
-Comanche Moon
-Lonesome Dove
-Streets of Laredo

These movies seem to be pretty faithful to the books, even though they were done out of order. The ages of the characters follow the correct timeline, anyway.

Then there's "Return to Lonesome Dove", not from a book, which I think would be allowed in the same universe as the books and their movies.

I haven't watched all the series yet, but I think they take an alternate history from some of the books, so they don't 'fit' but that doesn't mean they're bad.

[GEOFF]

Some of you Texas boys help me out here.

I'm a HUGE Charlie Goodnight fan. I've read and heard that the LOVING as in the GOODNIGHT-LOVING TRAIL really had happen to him what Gus McRae had happen to him in Lonesome Dove. He was killed, and Charlie Goodnight REALLY brought his body back to Texas to be buried. I know Charlie Goodnight had been a Texas Ranger and had fought the Comanche for sure.

Somebody fill me in on these details that Lonesome Dove parallels closely the lives of Loving and Goodnight as Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call.

Geoff

[Griff]

Some of you Texas boys help me out here.

I'm a HUGE Charlie Goodnight fan. I've read and heard that the LOVING as in the GOODNIGHT-LOVING TRAIL really had happen to him what Gus McRae had happen to him in Lonesome Dove. He was killed, and Charlie Goodnight REALLY brought his body back to Texas to be buried. I know Charlie Goodnight had been a Texas Ranger and had fought the Comanche for sure.

Somebody fill me in on these details that Lonesome Dove parallels closely the lives of Loving and Goodnight as Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call.

Geoff

Google "Charles Goodnight"

[AJMD429]

Just to complete the thread, we ought to have a recap on the 'trilogy' that is the story of Woodrow Call.

McMurtry's books:
-Dead Man's Walk
-Comanche Moon
-Lonesome Dove
-Streets of Laredo

These movies seem to be pretty faithful to the books, even though they were done out of order. The ages of the characters follow the correct timeline, anyway.

Then there's "Return to Lonesome Dove", not from a book, which I think would be allowed in the same universe as the books and their movies.

I haven't watched all the series yet, but I think they take an alternate history from some of the books, so they don't 'fit' but that doesn't mean they're bad.

Great information.

Yaz and I must be twins or something* - our family watched the whole Lonesome Dove series right before New Years as well!

I think that was one of my favorite 'westerns' ever - if only because of the depth and complexity of plot and characters, and I think 'when I grow up' I want to be like Gus McCrae.

P.S. - Robert Duvall fans should ALSO see "Second Hand Lions" if you haven't already. GREAT movie.

*(but which one of us was dropped on our head at birth - THAT's the question...!)

[Ysabel Kid]

Yaz and I must be twins or something* - our family watched the whole Lonesome Dove series right before New Years as well!

*(but which one of us was dropped on our head at birth - THAT's the question...!)

That would explain the knot on my head that I've had forever...

[Rusty]

It's no wonder that the plots are similar. I remember a literature class that I had once where they explained that there are only something like 7 plots used in all stories. Everything is a variation of those 7.

[gunslinger598]

I've seen some of these.

Some I have not.

Now I'm switching over to my net flix list to add a few ................

[pharmseller]

It's no wonder that the plots are similar. I remember a literature class that I had once where they explained that there are only something like 7 plots used in all stories. Everything is a variation of those 7.

Every plot you see can be traced to a Shakespeare play. There is nothing new under the sun. Or, as Kipling put it,
"What is has been. What will be is no more than a forgotton year striking backward."
Red Dog (1895)

[JOHNNY WACKO]

Regardless of who what or where,They are good movies,But no one has said anything about Dean Martin
in Bandelero,or any of his cowboy flicks with the duke.
I always thought he did a great job myself.What do you think?

[JustaJeepGuy]

The only Dean Martin western I remember seeing is "Texas Across The River". I don't remember anything about it other than I saw it l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g ago.

[Ysabel Kid]

Regardless of who what or where,They are good movies,But no one has said anything about Dean Martin
in Bandelero,or any of his cowboy flicks with the duke.
I always thought he did a great job myself.What do you think?

There was someone in "Bandolero" other than Rachel Welch? Learn something new every day!

Seriously though, I agree with you. I think Dean Martin did a very good job in all the westerns I've seen him in.