Monday Movie: Custer of the West

[Diane Merkel]

Custer of the West - 1968, starring Robert Shaw.

Gen. George Armstrong Custer offends politicians and ends up with the 7th Cavalry at the Little Bighorn. (G) (2:30)

Turner Classic Movies: Mon. 8 P.M. (Eastern)

[Scout]

Egads Charlie Brown! This one is a bona fide stinker to be sure. What a waste of film!

Scout's movie trivia question: What does Sheb Wooley (It was a one horn, one eyed, flying purple people eater) and Custer have in common?

[elisabeth]

Hah! Sheb Wooley played him, didn't he? In ... erm ... cheating and looking it up on IMDb ... "Bugles in the Afternoon". 1952. And -- it says -- uncredited.

Anyone else remember him in "Rawhide"? He was great in that. Lovely series altogether.

There are two not-quite-enough-to-be-redeeming features about "Custer of the West": Robert Ryan's splendid little cameo as a deserter (in an improbable scene where Custer expresses sympathy for same!) and Ty Hardin's performance as Reno. But they can't overcome the lamentable script, Mary Ure, the totally pointless action sequences inserted for Cinerama, the perfunctoriness of the battle scenes, etc etc etc ...

The sad thing is that Shaw could have been a semi-credible Custer in a better movie.

[harpskiddie]

Scout:

You sure got that stinker part right. I was looking forward to the movie with great anticipation, since Ty Hardin and Jeff Hunter were two of my favorites. PEEYEW!!!

Elisabeth:

I onmly saw parts of a couple of Rawhide episodes, so I don't remember Sheb from that series. Arguably his best role was in High Noon - remember the scene where he goes back too break into the millinery shop to get a bonnet for whatever lady he was going to see that night. Frank Miller asks: "Can't you wait?" and the breaking glass alerts Marshal Kane to the approaching menace?

I did see Bugles In The Afternoon many years ago, but don't remember any of the players except Ray Milland and Richard Carlson?

Gordie

[Scout]

I've never understood why Hollywood made up fictional characters in Custer Movies and put real characters in it that didn't belong. In 'They Died with their Boots On' California Joe dies with Custer. His is the only character based on a real person in the film. Have you ever noticed in that movie the scene where Custer and the 7th are attacking...there are tire tracks on the ground. Damn tourists.

Moylan pops up as a character in1952's 'Bugles in the Afternoon' and as 'Corporal'Doan Moylan in 1951's 'Little Big Horn.' Shaw was a good actor he was just miscast in the Custer role.

I forgot one movie on my all time list: 'Billy the Kid vs. Dracula' ....what are they smokin' on the left coast? How about Custer vs. Frankenstein?

[elisabeth]

You've reminded me of another: "Valley of Gwangi". That was a beauty. Logline: "Cowboys battle monsters in the lost world of Forbidden Valley". You can imagine it: lassooing dinosaurs. Mind-boggling.

[crzhrs]

Valley of Gwangi was a classic!

Was it Richard Boone as the bad guy in it?

[fred]

I actually bought that damned movie on DVD... Custer of the West.

I was so appalled when I watched it that I threw it out. $19.99, shot! That final charge when they ran over Custer was the most ludicrous thing since Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.

"G" rated, eh? I'd give it an "X."

[harpskiddie]

Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter. Just for you, Scout.

Gordie

[Scout]

FROM 'Custer of the West'

Custer: "Fire on those Indians!"
Lt: "We can't fire on those Indian general, this is Indian land!"

PPPPPUUUUUUU!

[crzhrs]

<Custer: "Fire on those Indians!"
Lt: "We can't fire on those Indian general, this is Indian land!">

Oh . . . if it was only that way in the old days!