Tuesday, March 8, 2022

The Way West (1967)

It was a big covered wagon movie with Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark. Sally Field's first movie, with Paul Wexler in an uncredited role as a barber. I never met him but Wexler used to own the little house right across the street from me.

Part of the movie was filmed near here. I had never heard if it. Seems to have been forgotten because it wasn't very good. The violent deaths of at least two children (one played by Stefan Arngrim from TV's Land of the Giants) didn't do it any favors. 

But now it's showing up on streaming video.



Posted by Waldo Scott at

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 8, 2022 at 5:22 PM

    Sally Field on "Inside the Actors Studio" said this movie was what drove her to seek Lee Strasberg's tutelage. She blew a take that involved a big panning crane shot with "ALL the goddamn horses and ALL the goddamn wagons" that was supposed to end on her crying face. And she couldn't cry! Can you imagine? Sally Field couldn't cry?

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    Replies
    1. Waldo ScottMarch 21, 2022 at 4:12 AM

      It seems like they do that a lot. Have big complex shots that end with everything bearing down on one, inexperienced actor. Orson Welles had to keep doing retakes of the opening shot of A Touch or Evil because the border guard panicked and forgot his line each time. In his video on acting, Michael Caine talked about going to through something similar.

      Sorry I'm slow to respond. Again, I have trouble getting the thing to work.

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