THE GOOD GUYS AND THE BAD GUYS

US, 1969, 91 minutes, Colour.
Robert Mitchum, George Kennedy, Martin Balsam, David Carradine, Tina Louise.
Directed by Burt Kennedy.

Good Guys and Bad Guys is a western written and directed by Burt Kennedy. Kennedy is a master at satisfying minor westerns, like Support Your Local Sheriff, The Rounders. He gets a laugh out of the situation in this particular film where the heroes are an ageing sheriff and an ageing outlaw and where automobiles rival horses in the grand finale chase. It is all tongue in cheek, but it does give a picture of the changing west.

1. The tone of the title and its irony? The humorous overtones and the mocking tone? The use of the phrases in the film itself?

2. Was this an enjoyable western? Its use of western conventions: the villain, town, shootings, robbery and chase, How well were they used, how much better then ordinary westerns?

3. The effect of Panavision, the location photography and colour?

4, The quality of the ballad and its use in the film? The ballad tone of the film and therefore its not being taken entirely literally? and its glorifying of its hero? Was this a good comic western ballad?

5. The portrayal of past and present as regards the west? The difference between the 19th and 20th centuries? The portrait of the real west with a touch of irony? The west and its pioneering, the west as foundation of modern America? What comments did the film make on these themes?

6. The theme of aging: the actors themselves, their appearances, the contrast of twenty years earlier, the talk, the younger men not knowing reputations? Mc Kay saying that it was fun in the past? Now the modern sophistication? The brutality of the younger criminals shooting in the back? The nostalgia of the older men for a different kind of west? Did the film imply that the west was batter in the past or was this ironical? The irony of the fight between the older men lumbering in the creek?

7. Was James a good hero for the film - his simple-minded dedication? the quality of his work, the encounter with Grundy, the picture of Flagg? His role as a marshall and a pioneer bringing law? The fact that he hadn't married? His relationship to Waco and Billy? His sense of duty and his successes? being laid off? His heroism in the film and its success? Taking him in? What traditions of the western marshalls did he portray?

8. John Mc Kay as a villain in the past? and a mellowed villain? As too old for the younger criminals? brawling, the line on killing? His politeness to Mary? The story about his wife and child? His decision to help and his skill in boarding the train? the final arrest?

9. What tone did the satire on the mayor give to the film? The satire on politics, double talk, smooth operations? Ignoring realities, appointing 'yes' men, phasing out authorities with honours? and the double talk there? His closing the brothel and the satire on his carrying on with a wife? His style of speeches and exploiting every situation? ambitions? His using Flagg and Mc Kay? His eagerness to be there? His interviews at the end? Was Flagg right In pointing him out as a twentieth century man?

10. How convincing were the villains - Wake and the brutality in the town?

11. The comment with portraying Grundy and the older phase of the west? The old west being shot in the back?

12. Did the comment on characters add anything to the film: Mary and Polly and the boarding house? Polly at the saloon?

13. How enjoyable was the train chase - the excitement with Flagg and Mc Kay boarding the train, their ingenuity in their plan, the attack of the guards and the comedy of this?

14. The portrayal of the chase and its heightened aspects? nineteenth and twentieth century chaos with cars and horses and bikes? The spectacle of the chase and the crash? An appropriate climax for this film?

15. How good humoured a western was this? Its light tone but the points that it was making?