The Hallelujah Trail

It's sheer entertainment. I think (as an adult) judicious trimming would have made this film a real classic, but the performances and the very pointed outrageous humor are just really fun. I love the narration and the "maps" which don't really show anything, making fun of that old technique. I'm sure many audiences of today might not even get how this is kind of the Airplane of the sixties. My family actually went to see another movie with top billing at the drive in and we all loved this one much more. It's just plain fun. A bit too long, I agree, but well worth it for the giggles. It's quite star packed for the time as well, once again, reminding me of Airplane in later years. I'm not a western fan, but this is more than a western, it's really a spoof or satire, with no one taking themselves seriously and that gives it a great deal of fun quotient.

John Sturges created this film with tongue planted firmly in cheek. It's best enjoyed in its "letterbox' format, as it was shot in Ultra-Panavision, which at the time was being touted as the "new, improved" CINERAMA. Robert Surtees' photography is wide and wonderful and Elmer Bernstein's jaunty score highlights the film perfectly. Also, it's an opportunity to see four greats who have now passed on, Lancaster, Hutton, Remick, and Pleasance at the top of their craft.

A Western comedy about a shipment of alcohol and the various groups that want to, drink it, steal it, destroy it, guard it, and sell it. The ensemble cast is phenomenal and the comic timing is great. Burt Lancaster and Timothy Hutton are the Soldiers assigned to escort the alcohol to its final destination. Martin Landau is one of the indians trying to intercept and steal the firewater. Lee Remick and her band of women want the alcohol destroyed. Brian Keith is in charge of getting the shipment to Denver. Donald Pleasence the guide that leads a group of Denver Miners out to help get the precious cargo to town before the harsh winter storms set in. All parties meet in the middle of a dust-storm and craziness ensues. I've seen this movie more times than I can count. It ran on TV for numerous years but I haven't seen mention of it in some time. A classic Comedy if ever there was one. For a good clean barrel of laughs this film has it all.

This has always been one of my favourite films. But it really is such a mess.

The acting is so wonderfully over the top. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves sending up every possible western myth!

The stunning look of the film, which must have been breathtaking in UltraPanavision 70mm, the beautiful rousing score a cast of thousands and a script that is truly awful!

All these elements just don't come together but the individual scenes often do.

I am lucky enough to own the original 1960s sountrack album and theater progam. The theater program is in the Cinerama aspect ratio!

It is one of those big,long, brassy 60s comedies that are very hit and miss. But somehow despite the concoction not quite coming off I just find myself giggling all the way through.

Whether it is Burt Lancaster being gruff, or the achingly beautiful Lee Reemick being difficult or Martin Landau being not quite as silly as he looks this film remains one in my guilty pleasure collection!

This movie has always been a mystery to me. I loved it and chuckled to myself all the way through it, however, for some reason I have never been able to explain,it just does not work like it should.

Great cast from top to bottom, good charaterization and many good scenes and some others that just don't quite work. I love it anyway and watch my copy at least twice a year.