TEXAS
US, 1941, 94 minutes, Black and white (released in sepia).
William Holden, Glenn Ford, Claire Trevor, George Bancroft, Edgar Buchanan.
Directed by George Marshall.
Texas is an old-style western. It was a star vehicle for two emerging stars of 1940: Willian Holden who had made an impression in Golden Boy and Glenn Ford who had appeared in So Ends Our Night. They seem, in the light of their subsequent careers, particularly young. They were to be teamed later in The Man From Colorado, an effective western directed by Henry Levin. In this film Holden is the baddie and Ford the hero. They reverse roles in the later film. Claire Trevor, who had made some impact in Stagecoach, is a lively heroine. George Bancroft appears as a tycoon in Texas. The show is stolen somewhat by Edgar Buchanan as Doe, the wily dentist, with a song-and-dance routine, who is the mastermind of the rustlers.
The film purports to be a focus on Texas after the experience of the Civil War, sees itself as working on a grand scale and in fact has some strong cattle-moving sequences. Direction is by George Marshall, director of such westerns as Destry Rides Again, who was to work in the '40s and '50s, specialising in westerns. Glenn Ford was to work with him many times including such westerns as The Sheepinan.
1. An interesting and enjoyable western? The American heritage? The state of Texas?
2. Black and white photography, editing and pace, stunts and special effects, the western town, the open countryside, the cattle runs? The railroad? Musical score? Songs?
3. The title and its focus, Texas and the Civil War, the southerners, the Union, the United States? The opening up of the state? The railroad? Cattle, cattle-rustlers? The need for the Eastern Seaboard states to have meat? Americana?
4. The focus on Dan and Todd? Their experience in the Civil War? Their arrest? Their fine being paid by Windy Miller? Dan and his being hot-headed, Todd calmer? Good friends? The boxing bout and Dan's success? Their going on their way? Paying all their debts? The holding up of the stagecoach, their robbing the robbers? The pursuit and Dan's escape? His working for Mike and her father? Danny and his escape, threatening that there were Indians, his clash with Mike and the carriage? Their going their separate ways? Dan and his meeting up with Doc, the extraction of his tooth, becoming part of the gang, involved in cattle-rustling? Todd and his working, becoming an authority on cattle, falling in love with Mike? Their meeting, on different sides of the fence? The dilemma in the town, the cattlerustling, the need for the herd to go through, Todd persuading the people? The cattle herd, the trek? Todd and his success, his being wounded? Dan and his participation, the plan, his thwarting the plan and robbing Windy Miller? The build-up towards the violence, the shoot-out, Windy Miller's death, the confrontation with Doc, their deaths? Todd and his friendship with Dan, death? The romantic rivalry - Dan and his gallant sweeping Mike off her feet? Todd and his perseverence? The work of the two young stars in the film?
5. Mike, ladylike, boisterous, the encounter with Danny, the friendship with Todd, love for her father, the cattle, swept off her feet by Danny, the dances, romance, the possible marriage? Todd and his devotion?
6. Windy Miller and his status in Abilene, the courts, his influence, the railroad? Tying in with Doc and the rustlers? His deal for getting the cattle? The plan for the stealing of the cattle? The friendship with Dan and Todd, the boxing match and his betting, the final confrontation with Danny? The powerful man of the West, working outside the law?
7. The stagecoach robbers, their attitude towards Danng, his becoming part of the gang, the cattle-rustling, his influence on them, their robbing Windy Miller? Their boss and his dealings with Doc? Danny's confrontation, deaths?
8. Doc and his presence on the stagecoach, false teeth, his seeming innocence? Hi's appearance, rough? His dental work in the town? Humour, ironic? His song and dance turns? His masterminding the rustling, ruthlessness, final confrontation with Danny?
9. The themes of Texas, the western towns and cities, the opening up of the railroad, the cattle treks and rustlers, law and order, violence and the West? American heritage?
