morrison-dylan-fan Taking a look at the BBC listings,I spotted a Western double bill.Recording the movies,I found details on Fritz Lang's Rancho Notorious to make it sound a more complex plot to Robert Mitchum's gunslinger,which led to me deciding,that for the first of this Western fest,I would walk to the salon with Big Bob.The plot:Bringing up his son Davy on his own after the tragic death of his wife, David Harvey decides that he and his son need a women round the house. Going to get a servant woman from settlement head Parson Jackson,Harvey gets pushed to accept Rachel as his servant,and to get married to her! Unwilling to accept Rachel as a new women in their lives,the Harvey's live Rachel as a farmhand. Believing that she will never be accepted,Rachel and the Harvey's are woken up by the Harvey's old friend Jim Fairways arriving in town.View on the film:Rushed out when Mitchum was arrested for possessing marijuana,director Norman Foster & cinematographer Maury Gertsman avoid any sign of rebellion, emphasised by Roy Webb whimsical score,soaked up in the stilted shots Foster uses to breath in the superb rural location. Firing an arrow to end the film on a Western battle with the Indians, Waldo Salt's adaptation of Howard Fast's story loads up the Melodrama's "Women's Picture."Entering the Harvey's farm with Rachel,Salt wonderfully shows no fears in highlighting the harsher side of Davy and David,with the memory of their wife/mother leading to them wearing their Melodrama hats,until the arrival of Fairways,leads to them finally becoming aware of who Rachel truly is. Despite some of the dialogue being dry,the cast make the movie sing,thanks to an irresistible chemistry.Pushed around,the elegant Loretta Young gives a charming performance as Rachel,who despite being pushed away by everyone,is given a firm determination by Young.Changing the way the Harvey's (played by a great William Holden and Gary Gray) see Rachel in a new light,Big Bob (who also sings!) gives a terrific performance as Fairways who is given a Folk music glow by Bob's reunion with the family,with Mitchum given Fairways a glint of rebellion in his eyes,as Rachel meets the stranger.

zava_t I loved this movie. I thought the banter between Holden and Mitchum were subtly hilarious. The facial expressions were spot on from Holden. Young was formidable in this part as well. I think it takes a strong cast to make a movie that revolves around four sole characters. It was a great romantic comedy. I liked the chemistry between Mitchum and Young on screen. I also thought that Gary Gray added the right amount of drama/comedy to the whole show. I loved the scenes in the woods with Mitchum and Holden bickering and making their pleas to Young. All in all, I think this is a good movie, and definitely worth the time of watching.

bpfre This is an all time favorite, with endearing characters that take on issues such as the plight of women in the 1800s, bond servants, in essence a summary of a way of pioneer life, showing the reliance on one another in order to survive. In a lighter mode, there is humor, music, danger and intrigue and a growing love between a man and woman who come together out of necessity. I cannot understand why it isn't on home video!? This is a USA made movie, and it's only available on DVD in Spanish with English subtitles from Spain. I give this movie an excellent rating because it captures not only a way of life, but also great acting by well-known celebrities whose characterizations bring the story a sense of reality. I highly recommend this movie to any one who enjoys a dramatic love story, conveying all the emotions without today's graphic gore as a backdrop.

Jem Odewahn This film plays out as a sort of western Rebecca (1940. Rachel (Lorreta Young) lives in the shadow of Big Davy's (William Holden)first wife when she is 'bought' to keep house and educate the young son. The film essentially follows Rachel's efforts to gain acceptance and prove herself a worthy acquisition.Young is good in her role, adequately conveying Rachel's disappointment with married life and her relationships with two men, Holden and Mitchum. Holden and Mitchum in a sense both occupy the stranger tag of the title. Young marries Holden as a stranger, and he remains a stranger even in marriage. Mitchum is the stranger who appears and seems to offer Rachel a chance at salvation. Both men suit their roles. Holden, at first a grief-stricken widower, cold and unwelcoming, begins to open up to Rachel and appreciate her as a wife and companion, not a slave. Mitchum sings and provides a lighter presence. Gary Gray gives strong support as the child who learns to love Rachel as a mother figure after his initial mistreatment of her.There are some interesting themes here, particularly the idea of female servitude. 'Rachel And The Stranger' poignantly questions the role of women in society and also the portrayal of women in western films. It looks at the gun myth in western films- guns allow Rachel to assert herself in a 'male' aspect. It hints at Rachel's dissatisfaction with the lack of sexual relations in her marriage. the Both central male figures are worth close analysis- Mitchum claims to love and appreciate Rachel more than Holden's character, yet he too only thinks of Rachel in monetary terms when he offers to 'buy' Rachel from Holden.'Rachel And The Stranger', in haunting black-and-white cinematography, is a real little gem of a film. It's simple, yet powerful themes and efficient running length mean that the film does not stray into long-winded sequences that detract from the original premise of Rachel's struggle as a 'replacement bride'.