CURTAIN CALL AT CACTUS CREEK
US, 1949, 83 minutes, Colour.
Donald O'Connor, Gale Storm, Eve Arden, Vincent Price, Walter Brennan.
Directed by Charles Lamont.
Curtain Call at Cactus Creek is a very entertaining small film. It is in the vein of the western spoofs like Cat Ballou and, especially, Support Your Local Sheriff (with Walter Brennan again). It is an entertaining vehicle for Donald
O'Connor as a song-and-dance man and pleasant hero. He had just made Francis at the time and was about to move into bigger films as Singin' In The Rain and There's No Business like Show Business.
Gale Storm is the attractive heroine but the strength of the cast is in its support: Eve Arden doing her usual sardonic act and giving a rendition of 'Waiting at the Church'; Walter Brennan mimicking his western style and anticipating the roles that he had in the 60s - and even coming on as a black mammy in the minstrel show at the end; Vincent Price as a would-be Shakespearian ham - also anticipating his later roles, especially Theatre of Blood. The songs were entertaining, there were excellent excerpts of 19th century melodramas, even to hiss the villain. There are
entertaining bank robberies and the use of the conventions of the West. A very pleasant piece of Americana.
1. Entertaining comedy western? Its modest ambitions and its fulfilling them? Fun, satire, use of western conventions?
2. Production values and the use of the cast? The blending of the conventions of the western and the 19th century theatre? The melodramas and their style, soliloquies to the audience, hiss the villain, etc.? The Shakespearian quotations? The songs, dances? Robberies and chases and shoot ups? Dreams?
3. The western ingredients of the film: the initial robbery, an over-the-hill gang and their tough attitudes, pursuing marshals, chases and shoot-outs?
4. The picture of the theatrical troupe: Vincent Price's style as Tracy Holland: snob, mouthing Shakespeare, manipulating his troupe, meanness, ham acting, his performances, his response to Mr. Johnson and his gun? Refusing Eddie his opportunities and then letting him go on? Vincent Price's exaggerated by humorous style? The plays and their performance? Audience enjoyment of these 19th century plays? The irony of Tracy Holland helping at the end? Lily and her old glamour, Eve Arden and her sardonic style, the singing of 'Waiting at the Church', her performance in the Forlorn Mother, as Catherine the Great? Her concern about Julie, her answers to Tracy Holland? Walter Brennan as Mr. Johnson alias the bank robber and his helping Eddie with the work? Julie as the attractive and definite-minded heroine? Songs and dances? Ralph and his performances, driving the coach, his being tied up?
5. Donald O'Connor's bright personality as Eddie? The focus of the film? His selling ribbons and wanting to be an actor, seeming to be a failure? His hard work, putting up the notices, rushing during the performance? Dance while Tracy Holland was shaving? His going on and making a success of song and dance routines? The comedy with Catherine the Great? His mistake about the robbers? Employing Mr. Johnson and training him? His being imprisoned, the escape, his dream of being a bandit and being executed? His love for Julie? The final chase and his being set up to be the hero? The happy ending?
6. Walter Brennan and the satire on his western styles? The ageing bank robber? Pride in his work, challenging the marshal? His eye for Lily? His wanting Eddie to be a son - and outlaw? The humour with his helping with the troupe? His performance as the negro mammy at the end?
7. The western types: the pursuing marshal, the fat bank manager, Jake and the other members of the gang?
8. Audience delight at the melodramas and their staging? The long excerpts and their enjoyment? Their moralising? Audience participation?
9. The light touch with the American West and its heritage? Theatre, entertainment - with the light touch on law and justice?
