Another Look: HANG 'EM HIGH (1968, starring Clint Eastwood)

I saw this when it first came out, at a drive-in theater (where I saw most movies back in those days). I remember liking it quite a lot … Far more than any of the "Man With No Name" films that started Eastwood up the ladder to superstardom. Without the success of HANG 'EM  HIGH, I'd even venture to suggest that ladder might have turned out to be little more than a stepstool to mid-rank stardom. As it was --- with plenty of savvy input and some hard demands made by none other than Eastwood himself, via the deal he had brokered for the movie to be a joint production between United Artists and Clint's newly formed Malpaso Company --- HANG 'EM had the highest grossing weekend opening in United Artists' history (exceeding even the James Bond films to that point) and went on to become one of the top grossing films of the year.

In addition its popularity with audiences, it received mostly positive critical reviews. Among its few detractors, however, was a trash job from Variety (and I include this only because the wording makes me chuckle) that stated the film was: "A poor American-made imitation of a poor Italian-made imitation of an American-made Western."

Upon sitting down to watch this film all the way through (not just snippets here and there as I was channel-surfing) for the purpose of writing this piece, it occurred to me that I had not done so for a long time --- too long, I concluded afterward.

I'd almost forgotten how tight and tense (although still with plenty of action) the storyline was, and how many veteran character actors it featured in sometimes very brief yet powerful secondary roles. Not that you'd expect anything less from the likes of Ben Johnson, Bruce Dern, Dennis Hopper, Charles McGraw, L.Q. Jones, Alan Hale Jr., James MacArthur, and Bob Steele.

In major roles, along with Eastwood, there are Pat Hingle, Ed Begley, and Inger Stevens also turning in fine, strong performances. (Stevens, I gotta say, looks absolutely stunning and comes across very convincing as a single-minded, embittered widow ever vigilant to check out the fugitives brought before the court, in hopes of spotting the men who killed her late husband and ravaged her; her character naturally becomes romantically involved with Eastwood's in the movie --- and, long-standing rumor has it, a similar affair took place in real life during the filming.)

The director was Ted Post --- one of Eastwood's demands, hired in lieu of other contenders like John Sturges or Robert Aldrich. Post was a veteran of many, many TV shows (including several episodes of Eastwood's RAWHIDE series), several made-for-TV movies, and a dozen or so feature films (such as BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES and MAGNUM FORCE, the second of the "Dirty Harry" movies). Recognizing how much the momentum of his career depended on HANG 'EM HIGH, Eastwood wanted a director whose style he was both familiar with and trusted. He got what he wanted, and Post got what was probably the best film he was able to sign his name to as a director.

The plot of HANG 'EM HIGH is fairly simple and straightforward. Eastwood plays Jed Cooper, a former lawman wrongly accused of rustling and then lynched by a vigilante band under the leadership of a former army captain (Ed Begley). Due to a sloppy knot and the timely arrival of a U.S. Deputy Marshal (Ben Johnson) Cooper survives. He's taken back to Fort Grant before Judge Fenton (Pat Hingle) and cleared of any wrongdoing. (Fort Grant and Judge Fenton are fictional counterparts for the real-life Fort Smith and "the hanging judge" Isaac Parker.) Rather than head out on a mission of personal vengeance (which would put him at odds with legal recourse) Cooper is convinced to instead pin on the badge of a U.S. Deputy Marshal and proceed in that manner.

Cooper proves to be an exceptional federal marshal but in the course of bringing in various lawbreakers as assigned he also manages to start picking off those who hung him. Eventually, the lynch mob members who are left come looking to kill him --- which they nearly do --- and that forces a final, bloody climax.

All in all, a damn good movie.

And, curiously, one that seems to be seldom featured on lists of top Westerns as well in discussions of Eastwood's overall body of work.

Nevertheless, if you haven't seen HANG 'EM HIGH in a while --- or perhaps never --- you owe it to yourself to check it out. You won't be sorry.

Available Now: WIDE SPOT IN THE ROAD (a Drifter Detective novella) by Wayne D. Dundee

Just out from Beat To A Pulp Press and yours truly --- I'm returning to my roots as a writer of hardboiled detective yarns. Only this time it's not my old buddy Joe Hannibal out to crack the case (and maybe a few skulls along the way), but rather "the Drifter Detective" Jack Laramie. Set in the early 1950s post-WWII period, this is the fourth title in the series. But you don't have to read them in any particular order. If you like WIDE SPOT and/or are a fan of PI fiction in general, I urge you to also check out the other titles by Garnett Elliott, who has done a terrific job of establishing the character and setting the tone for the whole series. Hopefully readers find my spin a good fit with what has gone before ... If you recall, I'm an old friend of the Laramie "family" inasmuch as I have documented some of the adventures of Jack's grandfather, Cash Laramie, a well known U.S. Duty Marshal who operated out of Cheyenne, Wyoming back in the 1880s. In case you haven't already, heck, you might want to check out some of those also.

Available now on Amazon Kindle for the bargain price of only $0.99. Hope you give it a try, I think you'll like it.

Noteworthy Reads: A BURNING DESIRE by J.R. Lindermuth

A new book by John Lindermuth is always a treat to look forward to. When it is part of the "Sticks" Hetrick series, that makes it all the better. And in A BURNING DESIRE, the sixth entry in this fine series, both Sticks and author Lindermuth do not disappoint.

Even though "off screen" much of the time on this outing, Sticks still remains involved in the events and interwoven characters/motivations behind much of the action in this complex tale. Sometimes he serves as little more than a sounding board, sometimes he can't resist poking his finger directly into the goings-on, and ultimately he ends up right in the thick of one of two shattering climaxes.

But the weight of the story, as various characters are introduced and threads from the past become entangled with circumstances of the present, rests mostly on the shoulders of Swatara Creek Police Chief Aaron Brubaker, Officer Flora Vastine (who had been closely mentored by Sticks when he was police chief), and two shady cousins with troubled pasts and troubling intentions for the future. A series of dangerously escalating fires, clearly set by an arsonist, is the fuel that ignites a secondary series of actions and reactions that result first in one murder, then another, and more potentially on tap as additional players with grudges and secrets are sucked into the entanglement.

It all ends one fiery night when answers are reached and mysteries solved, but not before more lives are lost and one old enemy fails at revenge while another achieves redemption.

This time out, author Lindermuth shows us a harsher, grittier side of Swatara Creek, home to a number of seedier, meaner residents. But, on balance, he also shows us the "good" side and how it prevails. It's a nice touch to see the continuing growth in recurring characters Brubaker and Vastine --- Brubaker becoming more confident in the performance of his duties (rather than feeling in the shadow of Sticks) and Vastine maturing in her professional life as well as her personal one. But the anchor to it all (which isn't to say he's not without his own transitions, in the romance department, with gal friend Anita) remains quiet, steadfast Sticks Hetrick.

Big, big recommendation!

Interview: Richard Prosch (author of ONE AGAINST A GUN HORDE)

In the past couple of years, Richard Prosch has become one of my favorite contemporary writers. Maybe that's partly because I know he is Nebraska bred and born, and remains a devout cornhusker at heart even though he presently resides in Missouri … No, that's really only icing on the cake; I'd still like Richard's writing as much, even if he was a "coaster" of some ilk. He's that damn good.

Prosch writes Westerns. Some in a contemporary setting, most set in the more traditional "Old West era" of the late 1800s. His writing is subtly stylistic, thoroughly evoking the time and especially the place he is writing about. His characters are simple and human, yet at the same time somehow colorful and memorable.

With the exception of one novella (and a fine one) entitled HOLT COUNTY LAW, Prosch's work so far has been in short stories, some appearing elsewhere, most of them gathered into story collections of his own. Many of his stories feature two recurring characters: Featured most prominently among the stories collected in DEVIL'S NEST, there is John Coburn, also known as The Peregrine (a wanderer or drifter), who has a mysterious, quasi-mystical air about him, a man with a reputation for being good with a gun yet not a gunslinger per se`; and Whit Branham (featured in the aforementioned HOLT COUNTY LAW), a young lawman who at first seems somewhat unassuming – a horse lover and a bit of a dreamer – but gradually proves to be as tough and resourceful as his job and the frontier demand.

I could go on, but there's really no need to when the best thing is for interested readers to check out Richard's work, all available on Amazon. A good place to start is with his just-released latest, ONE AGAINST THE GUN HORDE (featuring John Coburn/Peregrine in the title story) --- for which, in conjunction with this blog post, I recently put up a 5-star review on Amazon.

Also, to get to know a bit more about the personal side of the man behind the byline, I offer the following Q&A session he recently agreed to participate in with me:

WD:  You grew up on a Nebraska farm and then went on to become a writer,
artist, and teacher living in such places as Wyoming, South Carolina,
and Missouri. Can you give us some details about that transition?

RP: The transition was abrupt. Living in the city, even a small place
like Laramie, brought both petty annoyances (night noises of traffic and
the AC unit at a nearby grocery store) and simple luxuries (walking to
the store for a Coke whenever I felt like it). The move from Wyoming to
South Carolina was much more of a culture shock. What’s funny is that,
after ten years in the Upstate, moving back west was an equal shock.
Once again, I share my days with cornfields and cattle, but it bothers
me that I can’t find local green peanuts to boil!


WD:  Not surprisingly, writing seems to be at the core of all beyond the
farm work. Is it safe to say that writing/becoming a writer has always
been the strongest force driving you? At what age did you first
recognize you wanted to be a writer yourself, and when did you first
produce what you consider a significant piece of work?

RP: Growing up, I was always writing and drawing. Commercial art and
cartooning was my initial career choice because I could make more money
at it, but I was always making up stories in my head while on the
tractor or doing chores on the farm. I remember turning in a short
vampire story in the 5th grade and my teacher saying, “You should be a
writer when you grow up.” I held onto that. First significant piece is
hard, but I’d have to say that co-writing the Emma Davenport comic strip
in 1993 for the Comics Buyers’ Guide was both personally and
professionally gratifying. Up until then, my published writing creds
were all for nonfiction business journals or fluffy romance and
religious pieces. So I think that comic forced me to grow in ways that
are still valuable today. You have to make your words count when they
need to fit inside a word balloon.

WD:  I presume you likely took some writing courses --- anything to
share from that? Perhaps a teacher who was particularly encouraging (or
not)? Obviously, things like plot basics, proper formatting, query
letters, etc., can be taught. But I've often wondered if you can
actually make a writer out of someone who, at their core, doesn't
already have something pulling/pushing them in that direction? Any
thoughts on that?

RP: There’s all kinds of writing, from business copy to commercial
fiction, and I think anyone can learn the craft they choose. I learned a
lot in school about writing, but very little about being a professional.
That said, I do think it takes dedication if you want a professional
lifestyle. Lots of people can make a sale or two, but continuing to
work, to learn, to improve, that’s a choice. And it’s easy to fool
yourself for a while. It’s about sitting down and doing the work. The
writers I have learned from have work ethics like my old German farmer
uncles.

WD:   In 1988, during your journey from farm boy to professional writer
and co-honcho of Lohman Hills Creative, you met and married your lovely
wife Gina (the other co-honcho of Lohman). You have told me how
supportive and important she is to your writing, and it is clear to
anyone who reads her recurring "Simple Pleasures" observations on
Facebook that she is a very talented and perceptive person in her own
rite. Care to tell us more and brag a bit about Gina? Also your son
Wyatt? It is clear from our personal correspondence back and forth as
well as the Facebook posts by both you and Gina that you have a very
close knit family, one you are --- and should be --- very proud of.

RP:  Thank you, Wayne. Gina taught at a college level for many years and
is my best friend and critic, first reader and teacher, and I trust her to slap me as
needed. Her knowledge of literature and the humanities far exceeds mine,
and I don’t think I ever would have continued in art and writing without
her. During the last 25 years we’ve written a lot together, more than
the comic strip. We co-wrote dozens of business articles and have
produced web site copy for a lot of different industries. We’ve even
remodeled a house together without bloodshed! Wyatt is the opposite of
his parents. For him, it’s all about science and engineering, and that’s
widened my perspective and opened windows I thought were shut long ago.
He continues to inspire both of us.  

WD:  Tell us a bit about your writing regimen. Do you have a particular
schedule? Are you a careful plotter/outliner or are you what has become
commonly called a "pantser"?

RP: Until recently I outlined everything. Didn’t always follow the plan,
but I needed that anchor in place to even get started. Lately, like with
the latest batch of stories, I’m more often “writing into the dark” as
author Dean Wesley Smith says. As far as word count, I’m still doing
wind sprints. Sessions of a few hundred, to a few thousand words on any
random day. Then I go for a day or two without writing. Never more than
two or I start feeling anxious. More than three and Gina doesn’t want me
around.  But I’m not happy with that. It leaves me feeling jangled. I’ve
rearranged my schedule for summer to try for a more even keel.

WD:  What writers have influenced/inspired you?

RP:  From the printed page it’s Bradbury and Harlan Ellison, Dorothy M.
Johnson, and Robert B. Parker. I have so much admiration for the
wordcraft of David Edgerley Gates. In personal, one on one advice, Peter
Brandvold and Dean Wesley Smith have turned my head around more than
once. These are people who take the work seriously, who care about the
writing. Not the awards, not the blogs or the association memberships
–the writing.

WD:  Can you discuss what you're working on or planning now? What can
readers look forward to next from the Prosch byline?

RP: Right now, I honestly don’t know. I have a few irons in the fire,
each of which might go a different direction. I’m most enthusiastic
about finishing up the current body of work and getting a fresh
perspective this summer. Like I said before, trying more to just “write
into the dark.”

WD:  Finally, why have you chosen to primarily write Westerns? Don't you
know that dusty, musty old genre was pronounced dead many years ago ---
and several times since?

RP: Unlike anywhere else, the West lets me tap into my personal
experience and opinion. There’s a sense of integration when I write
about walking the range or chasing a cow, things I’ve done over and over
for decades. In my earliest memories I sat on a stool and watched my
grandparents work cattle. And only yesterday, I chased a cow out of our
garden. That sense of continuity keeps me planted firmly in small town
and western settings.

WD:  Thank you for your time, Richard.

RP: You’re welcome, Wayne. It’s great to visit with you!

Another Look: (1967, THE LAST CHALLENGE starring Glenn Ford and Angie Dickinson)

This 1967 film from MGM is a largely predictable Western drama with a slightly more adult edge to it, but otherwise not too different from some of the Western series still playing on TV at the time it was released. Nevertheless (with apologies to Aesop), since familiarity often breeds content rather than contempt (which may well be the battle cry of the Western's durability), it remains a solid entry in the genre. In the sure hands of established pros like Glenn Ford and Angie Dickinson --- backed by a supporting cast that included many other pros such as Jack Elam, Gary Merrill, Royal Dano, Robert Horton, Frank McGrath, etc., all directed by Richard Thorpe --- it could hardly be anything less.

The plot is a slight variation on the oft-used "weary older gunfighter trying to avoid ongoing confrontations with cocky younger gunnies looking to make a reputation" theme. In this case, the older gunman is a town marshal (Ford) trying to live down his past reputation by keeping the peace in a quiet little town; yet he still doesn't hesitate to use his gun if/when necessary and when he shoots (as is shown in the movie's opening scene) it is to kill. Enter the younger gunslinger (Chad Everett, in a change-of-pace role) out to prove he's the fastest gun around and unwilling to settle for anything less. "If a man is second best, he might as well be dead," he says at one point.

Due to a chance meeting at Ford's favorite fishing hole, as Everett happens by on his way into town, the two men at first seem to like each other as they share some fish and conversation --- until Everett (not knowing who Ford is) reveals his goal for coming to the area. Overall tension builds from there as Everett proceeds on into town, making it clear he still intends to go through with what brought him there; and Ford, wanting to avoid a showdown with the likable young man if at all possible, nevertheless vows that he will kill him if given no other choice. Angie Dickinson, playing Ford's romantic interest who owns/operates the local saloon and brothel, has great concern for Ford's safety if the gunfight takes place. To prevent it, she tries everything from simple persuasion, to a buy-off of Everett's character, to hiring a desperate ex con (Jack Elam) to kill him from ambush. 

In spite of everything, the shootout between the two men occurs. Rather than tell you the result, I will resort to that annoying old grade school practice when giving a book report of saying only: "If you want to know what happens, you'll have to (in this case) see the movie for yourself."

Nothing ground-breaking or spectacular, as I said at the start, just basic, often stereotypical stuff --- but very well done.

A couple of background notes you might find interesting:

• In real life, Glenn Ford was an accomplished fast-draw artist. He was generally considered "the fastest gun in Hollywood".
• This was the final film directed by Richard Thorpe, an MGM workhorse whose career spanned over three decades. He was originally slated to direct The Wizard of Oz, but after only a couple weeks' filming was replaced because his scenes did not capture "the right air of fantasy". Nevertheless, Thorpe's body of work included directing projects in a wide variety of genres with stars such as: Wallace Beery, Ronald Reagan, the Tarzan series, the Lassie series, Robert Taylor, the Thin Man series, Spencer Tracy, James Stewart, Elizabeth Taylor, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, and Steve McQueen. It appears that less than a dozen of these were Westerns, yet his handling of Challenge nevertheless shows a sure hand.

Glenn Ford also had a long career (over five decades, including time out for military service – awarded several medals and ultimately reaching the rank of Naval captain – in WWII and Vietnam) playing a wide variety of roles. Particularly later in his career, he did a lot of Westerns (on TV, as well as movies) and it suited him well.

As for Angie Dickinson … well, it's Angie Dickinson, man. In this movie she plays a saloon/brothel owner, does a competent job and looks damn good doing it. What more do you need?

As I said at the start, THE LAST CHALLENGE is good, solid Western entertainment. Nothing more, nothing less. If that's what in the mood for, you could do a whole lot worse.

Noteworthy Reads: KLAW by W.L. Fieldhouse

When James Reasoner contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in reading a galley of KLAW and possibly providing a promotion blurb, I vaguely recalled the title from many years ago and thought I may even have had a copy of it at one time. But I couldn't actually remember ever reading it. At any rate, I told him to go ahead and send me a copy and I'd find time to have a look.
Upon receiving said copy, I began reading and two things became quickly clear: One, I knew I had *not* read it before; and Two, boy was I ever glad James had made one available to me now! This is one tough, terrific Western --- well-written and gripping from start to finish.

Following is what I had to say in a recently-posted Amazon review, along with the blurb I submitted to James and Livia.

Review: This first title in a series by W.L. Fieldhouse delivers a payload of gritty, hardboiled Western action! I was tempted to name a couple other tough Western authors from the great Gold Medal pbo days that Fieldhouse reminds me of, but his writing has some distinctions strictly to his own style that would make such comparisons inadequate either way. Suffice to say that KLAW is a well-written, tough, satisfying yarn of Western vengeance. What you might even call a "classic" of sorts, first published two decades ago and now re-released by Rough Edges Press. And the added good news is that there are two more titles in the series that will be coming soon.
Don't miss any of them!

Blurb: “Western fiction has seen plenty of avenging protagonists over the years, hardened by savagery and betrayal, hell-bent on a course to settle the score with human scum undeserving of taking another breath. But few have ever been more embittered or relentless than Klaw … Replacing tortured flesh and bone with cold steel and determination, he turns the bloody remains of a body left for dead into a killing machine who can't be stopped … Bill Fieldhouse has created a memorable, uncompromising character with the grit, savvy, and willingness to go up against the toughest odds. Told in a no-frills, unflinching style, KLAW is an exciting Western adventure that will leave you clamoring for more.”

As evidence of how widely appealing KLAW is, it has also gained praise from the likes of Steve Mertz and Peter Brandvold. You'll want to be sure and check this one out, I promise you won't be disappointed. 

Noterworthy Reads: HIGH AND WILD by Peter Brandvold

I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of this rousing new Western by Peter Brandvold and have been busting a gut ever since, waiting for its release so I could post a review.

Pinkerton agent Bear Haskell is one of Brandvold's most colorful and exciting characters --- and if you're familiar with Lou Prophet, Yakima Henry, or any of Mean Pete's other hell-for-leather heroes, then you know that is saying something! And Bear's sultry, sexy sometimes partner, Raven York, is hardly any less memorable. Combined on a case, they are a couple of holy terrors for the bad guys. And combined in the sack (even though such behavior by Pinkerton employees is strictly forbidden) they are holy terrors for the bedsprings … or wherever else they happen to pause and, er, hold a consultation.

The action (and the sex) comes fast and furious in this series opener when the two Pinks go seeking a missing man in the Rocky Mountain mining town of Wendigo. There's danger and double crosses and dirty dealings aplenty before Bear and Raven crack the case. All with a strong, satisfying mystery element and a surprise twist.

Like I said, this is the first in a new series. Now that he's gotten warmed up, I can't wait to see what Brandvold delivers next. (Which can be found out in WILD TO THE BONE, scheduled for a May release.)

Big recommendation!