Brimstone

In continuing to review movies and TV appearances of the original "Dallas" cast in chronological order, we're once again in 1949 with Jim Davis once again playing an antagonist in Brimstone having previously been in Hellfire early in the year. He's one of the sons of Walter Brennan who's long resented all the settlers that have-what he believes-invaded his land and has no qualms about robbing and killing to get what he wants. Rod Cameron plays someone who aims to stop Brennan and his family. Forrest Tucker, also from Hellfire, once again plays a lawman but you might be surprised about his motivations. I'll stop there and just say that Davis has his most exciting scenes that I've seen him in during his younger days in this movie especially concerning his fate here. And I also like the way some characters turn loyalties on a dime. And how about when Brennan's other son, Jack Lambert, asks how the world can be round since if it was so, "...the people down in China would be standing on their heads!" Oh, one more thing: James Brown, the youngest son, would also appear in the later seasons of "Dallas" as Harry McSween. So on that note, I highly recommend Brimstone.

This is a Republic Studios shot at an A picture. The problem is that it is still Republic, after all. The film is in color, but it's "Trucolor", which is a two color process that makes the great outdoors look very odd. (The movie was clearly shot in the winter -- which makes the fact that the process really does not show green less of a liability. The blue shows up as a very cold blue) And when it is time for a big sweeping scene that's beyond this film's budget, the movie suddenly changes to black and white for a minute.

But the reason for watching is seeing Walter Brennan in full-bore villain mode. And he plays the character as that mean old evil reprobate we all know in our lives, and he is scary good at it. The character resembles his villain in "My Darling Clementine", but he has more film time to be just plain awful, and he makes the most of it. It is bravura acting, but it is not the least hammy or corny. The man won his Academy Awards for a reason.

Plot? Stranger with unclear motives takes on a corrupt town. No surprises on how this develops, though one thinks the Walter Brennan character in real life would have made prompt mincemeat of the stalwart hero, and purchased himself a few more local politicians.

This is one of the B Western films that has everything, great stars, great plot, surprises, good guys, bad guys, etc.

Brennen does an excellent job as Brimstone, a grizley old man that is bad to the bone and expects his moron sons to be just as bad. The exception being James Brown.

Rod Cameron plays a great part but in my opinion, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams steals the show.

"Gracious, I always talk Spanish when I'm eatin', makes the food taste better"

Watch it, tape it and watch it again. You'll always find some hidden part or line that'll connect for you.

*Stagecoach* used to be my favorite Western, but *Brimstone* may supplant it. Brimstone has no intellectual pretensions, but it's a perfect distillation of all cowboy movies. Every line is a great cliche.

This Republic Pictures western is at least a real western, and not a cabaret, music hall, burlesque revue movie - called western because it took place in the late 1870's - for which Republic studios were the specialists of. It is an action packed movie, also offering Walter Brennan, as good and convincing as usual, and also Jim Davis, before he became notorious as one of the DALLAS series Ewing leader. Yes, I like this Joseph Kane's western he who was the main western provider for Republic Pictures. The Trucolor helps a lot to appreciate the film and the story holds you all long the story. So, for those among you who are used to the Republic westerns, this one is good, yes, but offers nothing special, with Rod Cameron and Forrest Tucker, as in a John Ford's western, Ward Bond and John Wayne.