thurjday, September 2, 1976 'pcj 12 daily ncbraskan

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the feci cancer, and his right-win- g politics often By Wul Huffman Morgan the town marshall atmosphere of the town captures Harry plays seem to mirror the kind of nigged code Dedicated John Wayne fans may be dis- who is to hear of Books immin- of the ending of an era in the American overjoyed horse the shootist lives by. appointed with the depth of his perfor- ent demise and John Carradine portrays a West. There are now telephones, The film contains fine performances mance in his latest film, Tlie Shootist. greedy undertaker who offers Wayne his drawn trolleys ("soon to be electrified, by and indoor in an veteran cast. Don Director Don Siegel opens the film, services for free so he can charge the pub- as the marshall proudly states) everyone expert are is best known for fast action which recalls the last week in a famous lic admission to the funeral. plumbing; the first horseless carriages Siege! paced gun-fighte-r's Counter like Madizem, and life, with a of beginning to fume around town. thriller, Doty Harry montage clps An old flame' Varrick. His showing gunfight scenes from famous out of the gunfighter's to the conventions of the Western genre, Cliarley departure to a psy- arrives comfort Western is not John Wayne movies--? River (1948), past (Sheree North) to there is little emphasis on the landscapes chological entirely success- the but so she West. Most of the flaws the film lie Rio Bravo (1959) and El Dorado (1967)-- all dying man, only may marry and wide open spaces of the ful, but of in its own the ambitions. We are directed by Howard Hawks. The clips the film takes place .indoors, where constantly reminded explain the career and code of John Ber- cluttered, middle-clas- s interiors reflect the that the era of the Wild West is ending--as nard auth- and Richard Boone Books, the character Wayne plays, changing times. Unfortunately, the Wayne arrive for over-emphasiz- ed final and how he became one of the most fam- entic-looking sets often are the gunfight in a trolley and horseless ous gunfighters of the Old West. freeze at the expense of character deve- carriage. What prevents the film from The aging gunfighter rides into Carson lopment. being entirely successful is the lack of City, Nev. (circa 1901) and immediately At the center of the film is the relation- insight into the gunfighter's character. frames is excellent visits a doctor (James Stewart) who saved ship between Wayne, the Widow Rogers Wayne in his role, but then he his life some before. The con- Mrs. should be because he's it so years doctor him and obtain the rights on a book to be (Bacall) and her son (Howard). Rogers played many firms fear--he is wo- times before. The real of the film Wayne's dying of cancer published after his death. is shown to be an extremely religious depth and has only a few weeks left. The doctor Other residents of the town see the man who is appalled when she first dis- is supplied by the atmosphere and vivid tells his death will be slow un- Wayne and presence of the dying gunfighter in a dif- covers the identity of her new boarder. supporting performances. and ends 1 bearably painful by saying, "If ferent light. A O'Brien) and However, as she opens up to the dying The Shootist is an extremely ambitious had kind gambler (Hugh your of courage, I wouldn't die a local troublemaker (BUI McKinhey) see a man, she comes to realize he has been Western, and any fan of the genre should like that" chance to enhance their own forced to live his ,;fe a certain way by the not miss it. A skilful Hollywood craftsman The man resolves reputations dying to spend his re- as the famous J. B. events and codes of an earlier era. Her son like Don Siegel can make good entertain- and gunfighters by killing maining days peacefully anonocnously, Books, and Richard Boone shows as a sees the gunfighter as a hero figure to be ing movies, even though they don't always and checks into the house run up boarding by brother one worshipped, much to his mother's con- entirely fulfill their aspirations. Mrs. widow revengful of of Wayne's Rogers (Lauren Bacall), a with victims. sternation. Unfortunately, The Shootist never a rebellious son previous teenage (Ron Howard). - the lack of achieves the classic status it to. Still Soon the whole v.- VetrGl Unfortunately, development aspires town learns that the most CarssaCity in the of these three main it is to wonder how the film famous in world The Carson City of has been relationship interesting gunfighter the is in their !vi characters doesn't allow the film to achieve would have if it had been directed midst and about to die. meticulously recreated for the film. The emerged the psychological intensity it needs. Al- by Howard Hawks or John Ford, both old """" " " "" U JU UHJ though the performances of Wayne, Bacall masters of the Western genre. Possibly they and Howard all are excellent, the lack of too, like the dying shootist, would have definition in the script prevents a more been unable to cope with the death of the penetrating look into the last days of the old codes. dying man. Wayne is 'dcrninnnt father-figur-e' Character lacks introspection John Wayne's long and fruitful colla- We see Wayne from the outside, as boration with Ford and hawks has a great others see - him, but the character isn't deal to do with the evolution of Wayne f . fit- allowed enough introspection to achieve a into one of the dominant father figures in ' deeper psychological level. modern American mythology. In his series The film has more success in recreating of films for Ford and Hawks, this figure ' the end of the era of the Wild West. It is was explored and expanded through a highlighted as the marshall tells Wayne, number of complex roles such as the "You've outlived your time." megalomaniac cattle' baron in Red River, ' The gunfighter looks and feels out of the haunted and melancholy hunter in The ' place in the urbanized atmosphere of the Searchers and the aging gunfighter in El u M h growing town. Times and people are Dorado and Rio hobo, his last films for changing. Everyone is out to make a dol- Hawks. These films helped create the myth even lar, if it means selling tickets to a and image of the quinessential John Wayne funeral. hero and exemplified the principle of The old code and way of life are dead. American individualism which the I. i by The shootist realizes his way of life is shootist lives. This code of honor includes dying with him so he chooses to finish respect for family and rugged self-relianc- e. with a climatic gunfight with O'Brien, However, Wayne has played the myth- and McKinney Boone, the other repre- ical father-figur-e role for so long that it has sentatives of the old way of life. The final become impossible for him to achieve the shootout provides an ending that reinforces kind of quiet introspection the role in The the theme the of death of the old honor Shootist needs. By now, the typical John code of the West. Wayne character is so steeped in tradition The Shootist Iff certainly is the most in- that it becomes difficult for Wayne to ach- teresting John Wayne vehicle to come ieve any new depths or facets in the in some time. iiv along However, many of character. , usual Wayne's fans may be disappointed The Shootist is a valiant effort, but in the film's slow by pace and lack of action. the end shows John Wayne There were rumors only playing within the movie the John Wayne legend. As the ads for the that The Shootist industry would be John ima ne s 10 live torus last say, goi up Kgena Wayne's film, but the rumors were one more time. 77a? Shootist scotched just might P&ato eoortasy of Okm Da UurcntSsCtorgsoratnn by Wayne, himself. There are have been the true classic it seant to obvious between w2 parallels Wayne and J. B. be if Wayne had been able to live down his Books. won his Wayne own bout with legend just once. n nn n riSlffSOL am c St J gM" 4 'ton The Perfect Legendsry Qyisfae A&ittfCtzzZZsz rcxTcst, these braes were absorbed the SASD-752- 2. by optimism that softened The songs on the album are the Fleetwood them. best Mac Christine Perfect, now Christine l!cVfe cf Ffcctwood has written and among the best performed ia the field of Even on this album, Christine hints at the love soft Mac, began her muskd carter with an Er-L-h blues band, songs progressive rock. Chicken Shack. Chmtine stayed with CS for two years An interaction of talent makes this album's success in- and played an integral role in its success. After the feavis evitable. The members featured on their Christine group, she recorded this album irt 1969 ia album, cclicration RacVfe, Bob Welch, Ukk Fleetwood, John McVie and with producer Mie Veraca. Bob Weston, worked as a unit, and the end result is a unified . In the tSsuza was a al- i! Europe, mcsuaeatal success back tracks ) abundantly talented band rather thaa a was not released United re- - ' though it ia the States uatil -- frzp.tl v- Mi4M4.iai5 who in stase-stealis- g. cently. This is a fine ccIIsstiGa cf Ihies lMs tsd it V, spccsaijse seems the United J As was the case darirs thx Ffestiafnra! preposterous thrt Ststts to wait ia her future. Crszy Text You JDsby is aa upbeat, . oSiCh and cearry seven years to erpy this ssa cf Cfcrctcss's wcik. cheerful song that opens side one. Christine HcVie are the creative leaders. A3 she the the Uses trith but cne cf the tracks were written either QaLegEzbry captsres spkit of Ifs net cftea thai aa album contains quality music by Welch or a remsrksh!a but to cut-wz- rd UzY'e. There is ccilabcratsaa sensitivity, mnss scfta the thickest bcth sides. This iscnecf those rare aibuzas-ssv- sa etea by McVk, Wekh and bittersKS with a parajsfcal sttitads. Alihoh . years kte. Yestea. she has beta hurt, ia the end xrZl wesk out. evtrythsg Mystery mMifghstrnzd tlx fZsz&s 12S215S the best knowa oa the album is Welch This can be seen ia the stlectica E'dr crd Szs. The The reason Fleetwood Eay song a UzfsKystery to Ms was chosen That a rock clastic stand- opens with a tsd bass ctmbinitica bached as the album to son, Bypzotktd. son, by any piece pimo by provide historical perspective ca the ard, opens with a mechanical, almost drum beat the ca!iniz!2 percussssa work cf Chm Hardisg. is based ca bias. stumbikg group persons! set down by Hick Fleetwood. Welch entersv Other scs cf this a!h-r- aba capture this tut . I believe the music this Abruptly, siit, ca album is far superior to any with a mysterious and cmir.ous Later he the cf the t!hura is her interprtttloa cf aa Etta cf the other But guitar melody. atra group's t5ums through further aaUysu, enters this time voca2y. The is as Jiines I'd Rz&r Ga L- which hzs a sound very it became the alhuni was aiia, style rassttk hit, -J. apparent the best for more Ieriti- - Wekh delivers his message. much D:e the eirly b!--es of Fltctwcod Eventuiy rnate reasons. Continued ca p. 13