NEW BOOK ON ‘MAGNIFICENT 7’, PLUS ‘HELL ON WHEELS’ LAST CHANCE, DONNER PARTY MOVIE, LARRY MCMURTRY AUCTION, AND MORE!

THE MAKING OF ‘THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN’ by Brian Hannan – A Book Review

With Antoine Fuqua’s remake of the THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN on the horizon this September, it’s the perfect time for a reappreciation of the 1960 classic.  Author Brian Hannan, whose previous books have looked at directors Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg, has meticulously researched the history of THE MAGNIFICENT 7, and details it with enthusiasm and insight, from its Japanese inspiration, Akira Kurasawa’s SEVEN SAMAURI, onward.  More than that, he gives an in-depth picture of the entire movie industry at the turn of the ‘60s, when studios were imploding under the weight of TV competition, long-term studio contracts were vaporizing, money locked in foreign banks was necessitating overseas production, and actors with muscle were starting their own production companies. 

The Kurasawa film is the story of medieval farmers who hire Samurai to protect them from bandits who rob their harvests; farmers who are so poor they cannot pay for the help beyond feeding their defenders.   Many who saw the film immediately grasped that the concept would work beautifully as a Western, moving the locale to turn-of-the-century Mexico, exchanging the samurai for gunmen who are working for a pittance; they are working for redemption rather than profit.   

Before reaching the screen, the property passed through many hands and versions.  Originally the 7 were to be an older, world-weary group, led by Spencer Tracy.  Anthony Quinn hoped to produce and star, but his role, Toshiro Mifune’s comic character in SAMURAI, was re-tooled into the romantic lead for young German actor Horst Bucholtz.   Quinn took the production to court over his exclusion.  Eli Wallach likewise wanted the Mifune part, but instead played bandit leader Calvera, a performance which re-defined his career.  Yul Brynner, the one member of the 7 who was already an above-the-title name, hoped to direct the film, rather than play the lead. 

Hannan describes all of the hubbub that went into the hiring of director John Sturges and casting the leads.  He details the careers of each actor.  He separates fact from fiction about the stars’ attempts to jockey for the lead position.   And he tells the remarkable story of how a film that was already written off as a flop domestically by MGM became such a hit overseas that it got a new release and a new life in the U.S.

Not that he considers the film flawless – Hannan points out the film’s few glaring mistakes, the greatest being Horst Bucholtz getting excessive screen-time in a role and performance that was supposed to be charming, but is almost universally considered irritating.  Although I do think he goes too far.  When he complains that this trio of minor characters needed to be separately delineated, or that character should have had a close-up, it strains the reader’s patience: John Sturges knew damned well what he was doing.  That’s why you wrote the book.   

This is truly a one-movie book – you’ll find scant reference to the three sequels or the TV series.  You may actually learn more than you wanted to know about the making of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, but you certainly will have at least 95% of your questions answered.  THE MAKING OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is published by McFarland, and available HERE.

LAST CHANCE TO CATCH THE END OF ‘HELL ON WHEELS’ AND ‘AMERICAN WEST’ COURTESY OF AMC!

If you missed any of the final seven-episode season of HELL ON WHEELS – my DVR somehow erased the second-to-last episode before I could see it – or if you want to binge-watch ‘em all over again, AMC is making them all available on-line, for free, for about a month.  Go HERE to watch.

And they’re doing the same for the Robert Redford-produced THE AMERICAN WEST documentary series.  Go HERE to catch up.

‘THE HUNGER’ FEEDING ON DONNER PARTY LEGEND.

You may remember that last year The Weather Channel had a miniseries DEAD OF WINTER, based on The Donner Party tragedy, starring Darby Hinton as George Donner.  Now 20^th Century Fox and director Ridley Scott’s company, Scott Free, have just announced a Donner Party movie, based on a net-yet-published, not-yet-written novel by THE TAKER author Alma Katsu called THE HUNGER.  It will be directed by Luke Scott, whose first movie, MORGAN, will be released by Fox later this week.  It’s being described as ‘DONNER PARTY MEETS THE WALKING DEAD’. I hope it’s not in poor taste.

‘LONESOME DOVE’ AUTHOR MCMURTRY’S LIBRARY ON THE AUCTION BLOCK!

Heritage Auctions always feature unusual items, and their September 15^th session is no exception.  This one includes a 1788 edition of THE FEDERALST, by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay, seeking an opening bid of $85,000; and there’s a first edition of Joseph Smith’s THE BOOK OF MORMON, with $38,000 already bid. 

While not nearly so old, among the unexpected and unusual offerings are from LONESOME DOVE author Larry McMurtry’s legendary research library.  They’re grouped by subject, and while there are nearly twenty days to bid, at the moment there are a lot of bargains.  Fifty volumes of Depression-era WPA guides are at $12.  A collection of 150 poetry books are at $1.  On the other hand, when it comes to McMurtry’s forte, Texas, the bidding is a bit more lively.  A group of Texana history books is at $320, but considering that it contains 180 books, that’s one helluvah bargain!  And an uncorrected proof of LONESOME DOVE is currently at $1!  HERE is the link to the auction site. 

CINECON FESTIVAL 52 LABOR DAY WEEKEND!

Once again,  Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard will be the home of the Cinecon Classic Film Festival.  Their special guest this year is Marsha Hunt.  As usual they have a great schedule of both silent and talkie films, and for Westerners that includes 1928’s RAMONA, the first talkie version of Helen Hunt Jackson’s classic novel, starring Dolores Del Rio and Warner Baxter, Ken Maynard in THE FIGHTING LEGION, and Gary Cooper starring in the first talkie version of Rex Beach’s THE SPOILERS.  The dealers rooms across the boulevard at the Loews Hotel is a wonderful place to hunt for stills, posters, DVDs, and book signings.  You can learn more HERE.

‘HATEFUL 8’ AND MORE AT THE AUTRY!

There are two excellent new exhibits at The Autry.  The photography show Revolutionary Vision: Group f/64 and Richard Misrach – Photographs from the Bank of America Collection, highlights a movement in photography, started in the late 1920s, moving away from ‘pictorializing’,  an effort to make photographs look like paintings, in favor of sharp, unadulterated images, and featuring the works of  Edward Weston and Ansel Adams among others. 

New Additions, Featuring the Kaufman Collection, covers a wide range of works by past and contemporary painters and sculptors and American Indian artists. 

And on Saturday, September 3^rd, on the large, grassy lawn of the Autry you can, at 5:30pm enter and grab a patch to sit in, at 7pm you can hear music, and at 8pm you can see Quentin Tarantino’s THE HATEFUL 8 on their immense outdoor screen.  There will be food trucks, and there will be a bunch of morons who will talk through the whole movie.  To my way of thinking, it’s the most hateful possible way to see a movie, but folks who don’t give a damn about film think it’s great.  Enjoy!

JOHN MITCHUM CD RELEASE PARTY AT PARAMOUNT RANCH, SUN SEPT 4^TH!

A star-studded celebration will be held at the Paramount Movie Ranch to mark the release of the new CD JOHN ‘THE HUMBLE’ MITCHUM’S LEGACY’, featuring over fifty Western film and TV legends performing their favorites Mitchum songs and poems.  A man with nearly 160 film and TV credits, best known as Clint Eastwood’s partner in all of the DIRTY HARRY movies, he was also a fine writer, and first gained attention in that realm when John Wayne recorded his poem, America, Why I Love Her, which became a hit record. 

The kid brother of Robert Mitchum, John died in 2001.  His daughter, Cindy Azbill Mitchum, has worked for 13 years to make this event happen.  A glance at the list of contributors reveals that some – Ann Rutherford, Ernest Borgnine, Dick Jones, Herb Jeffries, Robert Easton – are no longer with us.  But happily, most are, and a great many will be attending the event.  And a few tickets are available.  The contact info is on the poster. 

If you’d like to learn more about John Mitchum, the event, and hear some of the recordings, including one by the great James Drury (John appeared on THE VIRGINIAN many times), click the link HERE for Equestrian Legacy Radio, then click on the episode entitled ‘Dirty Harry, Josey Wales’ to hear a lively discussion with Cindy. 

‘COPS & COWBOYS’ 2016 SEPT. 10 AT LEONIS ADOBE!

The annual Cops & Cowboys fundraiser for the Mid-Valley Community Police Council will once again take place at the historic Leonis Adobe Museum in Calabasas, on Saturday, September 10^th.   You’ll have a chance to tour the Adobe, built in 1884, one of the oldest buildings in the San Fernando Valley; enjoy the hosted libations; place your bids in the silent auction; place your bets at the poker and blackjack tables, with cards handled by the Dealer Dolls; have a delicious barbecue dinner; dance to the music of Eli Locke and the Locke and Loaded Band, and get a line-dancing lesson!  To learn more, and order tickets, go HERE.

STAR-STUDDED ‘SILVER SPUR’ SEPT. 16!

Friday, September 16^th, join the Reel Cowboys at The Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City for the 19^th annual Silver Spur Awards.  This is always a glamorous and exciting event, and this year’s emcee will be one of the greats of Western TV, Bruce Boxleitner.  Among those being honored will be the late, great King, Elvis Presley, star of FLAMING STAR and ROUSTABOUT; and the late, extremely talented Western character actor Gregg Palmer.  Those honorees attending are frequent John Wayne co-star Eddie Falkner, stuntman and actor Ben Bates, WALTONS mom Miss Michael Learned, and characters actor and frequent Western guest star Richard Herd, who tells me he’s especially excited that his presentation will be made by the great Morgan Woodward.  Other presenters include Edie Hand, Western costumer (BIG JAKE, THE SHOOTIST, CHISUM) Luster Bayless, Janet Arness, Wyatt McCrea, and the WALTONS’ eldest daughter, Judy Norton.   Contact info is on the poster.  See you there!

                                                                                              

AND THAT'S A WRAP!

Had a great time on Thursday interviewing Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy Nolan about their upcoming HBO mini-series, WESTWORLD – you can read about it soon in True West.  In the meantime, the current True West, with the Tombstone walk-down on the cover, includes my article on the excellent new modern western HELL OR HIGH WATER, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Foster and Robert Pine.  Have a wonderful week, and a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright August 2016 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved

‘LONESOME DOVE’ 25TH ANNI, ‘SWEETWATER’ GIVEAWAY, ‘WHEN CALLS THE HEART’ SNEAK!

‘LONESOME DOVE’ 25^TH ANNI TO BE CELEBRATED AT AUTRY’S ‘COWBOY LUNCH’ WEDNESDAY

For a few months now, on the third Wednesday of every month, Rob Word has hosted the ‘Cowboy Lunch @ The Autry’, an informal 12:30 gathering of western movie and TV fans to chow down and then listen to “A Word On Westerns”, where Rob and his guests talk about the making of particular western films.  This Wednesday, January 15^th, falls in the month that marks the 25^th anniversary of the brilliant mini-series adaptation of Larry McMurtry’s finest novel, LONESOME DOVE.  Rob has put the word out to folks involved in that mini-series, its sequels and series spin-offs, and all of us fans will be chomping at the bit to see who shows up.

Rob Word has a strong track-record with this sort of event, and a history in the entertainment business.  He’s produced documentaries on Roy Rogers, was the creator and producer of YOUNG DUKE, a series built around John Wayne’s early films, and co-wrote and produced the film WYATT EARP: RETURN TO TOMBSTONE, which returned Hugh O’Brien to his most famous role, and was actually shot in Tombstone, Arizona, where the events happened.  Back in 1983, Rob, Pat Buttram and others created THE GOLDEN BOOT AWARDS to honor the stars of the genre, and ran them for a quarter of a century, until they ran out of people to salute.  Since they stopped in 2008, the search has been on to find a regular place for western fans and filmmakers to get together. 

Martin Kove, Robert Duvall, Rob Word

“We’ve been having what I call the Algonquin Cowboy Lunches at the Saddle Ranch Chop House for over five years now.  People keep asking when the Golden Boots are coming back, and they’re not.  When we did the first one in 1982, we didn’t even call it the Golden Boot.  It was a tribute to Bob Steele.  We had it at the old Masquers Club, and the fire marshal turned up and said we had too many people there.  We had to turn one hundred people away at the door.

“We did it for twenty-five years, but it kind of limped along at the end, because after Roy and Gene died, within 90 days of each other, and Clayton (Moore) died a year and a half later, it almost ended right there.  I said no, twenty-one years isn’t a good number.  Let’s keep it going until twenty-five, and end it big.  It’s hard to get the studios involved.  It’s hard to get corporate sponsors when you’re dealing with a genre that’s dying.”

After a few months, Bo Hopkins suggested getting together for lunch at the Sportsmen’s Lodge.  Bruce Boxleitner, Martin Kove and James Gammon attended, telling hysterical stories – that’s where the ‘Algonquin’ part of the name came from.  It grewe too large for The Sportsmen’s, moved to the Saddle Ranch Chop House on Sunset.  Wanting to take it to another level, Rob proposed a series of lectures at The Autry.  The Autry was delighted, because during the week what they mostly get is busloads of school-kids. 

The first event, this past September, was a tribute to the WYATT EARP TV show, coinciding with EARP regular Morgan Woodward’s 88^th birthday.  The next month was a tribute to THE LONE RANGER series, and Clayton Moore’s daughter Dawn attended.  “Last month was the weapons of TV westerns.  Hugh O’Brien was there talking about the Buntline Special; Johnny Crawford talking about the RIFLEMAN rifle, of course.  John Strong, a producer, brought the pistols that Wayde Preston had, from COLT .45.”    

The event is open to everyone, and don’t get there late, because last month, folks had to be turned away.  Again, the topic will be LONESOME DOVE, and in February it will be the HOW THE WEST WAS WON TV series.  Better start blocking out the third Wednesday of every month on your calendar. 

‘SWEETWATER’ CONTEST RESULTS!

We have two big winners of the SWEETWATER Blu-Rays!  The names of Devin Sabas of Crystal, Minnesota, and David Moore of Hemet, California, were randomly drawn from my black Stetson full of the names of all the folks who answered all of the questions correctly! 

For those who are curious, or who want to kick themselves for not entering, here, once again, are the questions, but with the answers…

#1.) Lovely January Jones may be best known for MAD MEN, but she is not a stranger to sagebrush.  She’s starred in two previous western films, one made for TV, and the other a modern-day Western.  What are the titles?

Answer: LOVE’S ENDURING PROMISE, a Hallmark movie from the pen of Janette Oke, whose WHERE GOES THE HEART series premiered on the Hallmark Channel last night; and THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA, directed by the excellent actor and director Tommy Lee Jones.  Tommy Lee, incidentally, recently finished directing and starring in the western THE HOMESMAN, co-starring Hillary Swank, Meryl Streep and John Lithgow.  A remake of THE COWBOYS, with Tommy Lee Jones in the John Wayne role, is in development. 

#2.) Ed Harris is also comfortable in the saddle.  Like January Jones, he’s done one western for the big screen, and one for the small.  He also did a film where he jousted on a motorcycle.  Name all three.

Answer: APPALOOSA, RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE, and KNIGHTRIDERS, although one entry also informed me of a movie called WALKER, from 1987, directed by Alex Cox, where Harris plays a 19^th century American mercenary who became the President of Nicaragua!  I’ll have to track that one down.

#3.) It’s not Eduardo Noriega’s first rodeo either.  What was his previous western?

Answer: BLACKTHORN, where he co-starred with Sam Shepard, who plays Butch Cassidy, living under another name, and hiding out in Bolivia.

#4.) While villainous Jason Isaacs was never in a western before, he was in two films plotted in North America in the 18^th century, one set in Canada and one set in the United States.  Name them both.

Answer: BATTLE OF THE BRAVE and THE PATRIOT.

#5.) Stephen Root, who plays a very unpleasant character in SWEETWATER, has the longest western career of almost anyone in the movie, starting with a guest shot in a series in 1990.  He had a regular role in a modern-day western series, voiced Teddy Roosevelt once, did a modern western for the Coen brothers, and did two westerns with Johnny Depp.  Name any three of the six.

Answer: YOUNG RIDERS, HARTS OF THE WEST series, LEGEND OF TARZAN – TARZAN AND THE ROUGH RIDER animation, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, RANGO, THE LONE RANGER.

#6.) Finally, the original story writer, Andrew McKenzie, chose the name of Sweetwater for the town, as an homage to a classic Western movie.  Name it.  (Note: There are actually two legitimate answers to this.  I know which one Andrew intended, but to be fair, I’ll accept either one.)

Answer: ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, directed by Sergio Leone from a screenplay by Sergio Donati and Leone, or THE COMANCHEROS, directed by Michael Curtiz and John Wayne, uncredited, from a screenplay by James Edward Grant and Clair Huffaker. 

In ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, Frank Wolff is the doomed Brett McBain, the visionary who is trying to build the town of Sweetwater out of the desert.  Sergio Donati has been a mentor to Andrew McKenzie, and in recognition, and because of the obvious parallels in the stories, Andrew named his town Sweetwater in tribute. 

Nobody named the second choice, but I include it because, oddly enough, early in THE COMANCHEROS, Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams appears as a gun-runner named Ed McBain, who is travelling to the town of Sweetwater. 

HALLMARK'S ‘WHEN CALLS THE HEART’ EPISODE 2 – A SNEAK PREVIEW

If you enjoyed Saturday night’s premiere episode, Lost and Found, I can give you a hint about what’s coming next Saturday.  In Cease and Desist, the widows of Coal Valley, still recovering from the loss of fifty-seven men, mostly husbands, in a mining disaster, have a new and unexpected problem to face.  Their homes are owned by the mining company, and the women and children must move out to make way for new miners.  While some women accept defeat all too gracefully, others want to put up a fight.  Young teacher Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow)  use her expensive and sophisticated education to search for a legal loophole.  Miner’s widow Abigail Stanton (Lori Loughlin) tries negotiating a dangerous deal that will send the windows into the mines.  Will either tactic work?

DIRECTOR NAMED FOR NERO-STARRER ‘DJANGO LIVES!’

Joe D’Augustine, who worked in editorial on KILL BILL #1 & #2, DEATH PROOF and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, and in the extended English-language version of THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, and who previously directed the noir-ish comedy  ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, has been named to recommence the Django saga that stopped when Franco Nero last played the role in DJANGO STRIKES AGAIN in 1987.  As Round-up readers know, the premise of DJANGO LIVES takes the ageing gunfighter to Hollywood circa 1915, where he is working as a technical advisor on Western movies, as lawmen like Wyatt Earp and outlaws like Al Jennings really did, and runs afoul of racketeers.  It’s scripted by Eric Zaldivar and Mike Malloy, the men behind the remarkable SCARLET WORM (read my review HERE  )

RUMOR CENTRAL – TARANTINO FINISHES 2^ND WESTERN SCRIPT!

THE HATEFUL EIGHT is said to be the title of Quentin’s next sagebrush saga, the title at least presumably an ironic response to the scramble to remake THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.  Deadline: Hollywood further posits that he wants Christoph Waltz and Bruce Dern to star!  They both did well for him in DJANGO UNCHAINED!

THAT’S A WRAP!

Mike Gaglio, me, Joey Dillon on MAN FROM DEATH set

I’m delighted to welcome a new sponsor to Henry’s Western Round-up, OutWest, purveyors of literature, thrilling video, fine music, elegant clothing, and just about everything else that relates to a Western life-style.  You’ll find a link to their on-line store on the top left-hand corner of the Round-up, and you owe it to yourself to take a look, and to visit their store if you’re around Santa Clarita way.  Next week I’ll be sharing my visit to the set of THE MAN FROM DEATH, and reviewing season one of THE RIFLEMAN, which has just been released on DVD.  Have a great week!

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright January 2014 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved

RICKY SCHRODER DIRECTS, STARS IN ‘OUR WILD HEARTS’ MARCH 9 ON HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL

RICKY SCHRODER ON HIS ALL-FAMILY FILM, ‘OUR WILD HEARTS’

When I reached Ricky Schroder on Thursday, the actor/writer/director was in New York City, emotionally preparing himself for Friday’s grueling event: being the guest of honor at a Friar’s Club Roast, hosted by his LONESOME DOVE co-star D.B. Sweeny, with a panel that includes Gilbert Gottfried, and Ricky’s SILVER SPOONS parents Erin Gray and Joel Higgins.

RICKY:  Hopefully they won’t cut me up too bad, but I’m sure they’ve got lots of material ready. If it’s funny, heck yeah, I’ll put it on YouTube. 

HENRY:  Speaking of YouTube, a little while ago I was watching WHISKEY LULLABY, the music video you directed and starred in, for Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss.  It must be a kick to know that fifteen million people have looked at it on YouTube.

RICKY:  It’s so cool.  Actually I hadn’t seen the video forever, and then last week I was at my house with some friends who are songwriters.  We watched the video, and I saw that many hits, and I was like, WOW!  That is a lot of people who have seen it!  It’s a special part of my career, that video.  It really touched people.  That video was inspired by, well obviously the song, but it was dedicated to my grandparents.  He was a World War II soldier, and part of what I used for inspiration. 

 HENRY:  Well, first let me tell you that I really enjoyed OUR WILD HEARTS.  That’s the first thing that I’ve seen that you directed, and I was very impressed. 

RICKY:  Thank you for saying that; I’m glad you enjoyed it.  One of the best parts and surprises of making  OUR WILD HEARTS was getting to know my family better, by working with them, and letting them experience what it’s like to do what I do and to live the life I’ve led.  My wife and daughters and sons had an opportunity, by working with me, to understand their dad, and I got to know my kids better as well.  It was an unexpected bonus of the whole event.

HENRY:  I had a great talk with Cambrie.  She’s a charming young lady.  You must be very proud. 

RICKY:  She is an amazing young woman.  She is a great student, great athlete, great person, and just very talented, with raw potential with her acting, incredible work ethic.  So yes, I’m very proud of my daughter.  Of all my kids, but we’re talking about Cambrie, and I’m extremely proud of Cambrie. 

HENRY:  The audience knows you mostly as an actor, but you’ve written three movies; you’ve directed seven, including a horror movie in Bucharest – that really surprised me. 

RICKY:  HELLHOUNDS.

HENRY:  Right.  Now tell me, have you ever worn as many hats in one production as you do in OUR WILD HEARTS? 

RICKY:  You know, my very first movie (as a director) was called BLACK CLOUD, and I wrote and directed and produced and had a small role in it.  This film I have a very large role in, compared to BLACK CLOUD.  So this was unique in that I was a co-star of the movie.  So I was oftentimes confused.  I had to prepare as an actor; I had to prepare as a director; I had to make budget decisions.  So I was constantly morphing from one position to another within a day’s work. 

HENRY:  That’s got to be pretty demanding.

RICKY:  It was fun, I’ll tell you.  I had such a blast making the movie.  Really good time. 

HENRY:  You’re directing your daughter – actually two daughters and two sons – in one movie –

RICKY:  And my wife.

HENRY:  Oh, which character is she?

RICKY:  She’s the masseuse.  She did a cameo.  The rich lady, Barbara, who wants to buy Bravo, she’s her masseuse.  So all six Schroders are actually on-camera. 

HENRY:  Is it difficult to be objective and direct people you know as well as your own family?

RICKY:  Oh no.  When I’m directing, they’re not my family.  (laughs)  They’re an actor or actress, and they have a job to do, and I have a certain expectation of performers.  I expect them to show up prepared; I expect them to know their lines, to come to the set with an idea for the scene, with an idea for how to bring it alive.  I expect quite a bit from people I work with because I expect a lot from myself.  And I didn’t cut my family any slack in that regard.  If anything, I was probably tougher on Cambrie than on others.

HENRY:  Well, I think it pays off, because the performance is there. 

RICKY:  Well thank you.  You know we made this film with a lot of heart and soul behind it, but limited resources.  So we had to maximize every moment of daylight we had.  I called in friends and favors to come work on the film.  Our cinematographer Steve Gainer, who I love making movies with, and who also is a producer, I was able to get him.  And typically on these sorts of budgeted films, you can’t get some of the quality production value that we were able to achieve.  And everybody pulled together for that reason.  Everybody wasn’t there because they were getting a big fat paycheck.  They were there because we wanted to make a movie.  And we wanted to make a fun movie, and a family movie, and that’s what we did.

HENRY:  Usually when we’re talking about a western, it’s a story set in the 1870s or 1880s.  But this is a present-day story.  Do you consider OUR WILD HEARTS a western?       

RICKY:  Oh yes.  OUR WILD HEARTS is definitely, in my mind, a modern western.  There’s the villain Grizz, who is trying to catch Bravo, and then trying to kill Bravo.  So it’s got the elements of the good guys and the bad guys.  It’s got guns shooting in it.  It’s got the scenery of the west.  I consider it a modern western.

HENRY:  I was watching LONESOME DOVE just the day before I watched OUR WILD HEARTS, and it struck me that there are major parallels between your LONESOME DOVE character of Newt, and your daughter Cambrie’s character of Willow –

RICKY: -- Wow!  I never even thought of that, but you’re right!

HENRY:  While your lives are very different, both of your lives have been blighted by not knowing who your father is.  And hurt by their fathers not having a place in their lives. 

RICKY:  I was not conscious of that, but now that you’ve pointed that out, the theme of Newt not knowing…  Well, actually Newt knew he was Call’s son, but he was never acknowledged, he was never treated as a son.  So it’s a slight difference, but the theme is the same; you’re right.  Willow, lacking that father figure, that role, that man in her life, as Newt did.  I wasn’t conscious of that at all when I was writing it.  Very astute of you to make that observation.

HENRY:  Thank you.  Where did the idea for the story come from?

 

RICKY:  It came from my wife and daughter.  My daughter has wanted to perform, and be an actress, since she was six years old.  She was actually in WHISKEY LULLABY, the Brad Paisley, Alison Krauss video I directed when she was about six years old.  And so ever since that experience, she’s said, “Daddy, I want to do this more.”  And so she’s gone to acting classes and studied, and I’ve worked with her.  She’s gone on a few auditions over the years.  But I wanted to be the first person to direct her.  And I wanted it to be a time in her life where she could remember it, and she could appreciate it, and if she wanted to pursue this career, she could have a chance of success.  Where if you start when you’re six years old, it’s very unlikely you’ll have a career as an adult.  

HENRY:  This is true; your career is very much the exception rather than the rule.  Because how old were you when you first started?

RICKY:  I made my first movie when I was seven.  And I started when I was five, doing TV commercials and things.

HENRY:  The story concerns a girl who is seeking out her father, and her relationship with a wild stallion.  Now I know you are a very serious horse person.  Is Cambrie?

RICKY:  She’s more serious – she’s probably spent more time in the saddle over the past ten years than I have.  She did all of her own riding, including bareback.  She didn’t do one of the most dangerous stunts, when the horse had to turn over and rear on top of her.  That was actually the only moment in the movie when I didn’t treat her like an actress.  (laughs)  I really treated her like a daughter at that moment because I was scared, not that I wouldn’t be scared for my actress, or any person, doing a stunt on a horse, because I am aware of the danger.  But there was an extra feeling of protectiveness with Cambrie, because she was my daughter.

HENRY:  Where did you shoot that beautiful herd of horses? 

RICKY:  We shot the film just north of Simi Valley, believe it or not.  Where they shot LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.  It’s just outside of Los Angeles, and Tonia and Todd Forsberg, who were my wranglers and producing partners, they provided all of the livestock and horses.  We even got some footage of real wild mustangs, which we intercut in the movie, which I got from a wonderful documentary filmmaker who’s shooting a documentary about the wild horse.  The whole movie was shot on that mountain range and that ranch.  My home is actually Willow’s home in the movie.  And the exterior of Grizz’s home is my neighbor’s home, and the interior of Grizz’s home is my home.  So we used our farm, where we live in the Santa Monica Mountains.  We shot at my farm for three days.  We shot in Malibu for a day.  We shot the rest up on that ranch. 

HENRY:  About how long was the whole shooting schedule?

RICKY:  We shot the movie in fourteen days. 

HENRY:  Wow!  That’s remarkably fast, as you know. 

RICKY:  That was remarkably fast, and we finished on-time.  I work very fast.  I haven’t been given the budgets yet to have the luxury of time.  So we accomplished a lot with the resources we had.

HENRY:  What were the biggest challenges you faced making OUR WILD HEARTS?

RICKY:  Time.  Time is the enemy when you’re making a movie.  The lack of time.  You always want more time; you don’t have enough time.  So every day when you show up to work, you look at your day’s call sheet.  And you prioritize.  Where am I going to cut corners today?  And where am I going to spend my extra time?  And so you have to prioritize as a director.  Every morning, when you show up.  And there’s a whole bunch of things that factor in, like weather, and sometimes working with animals when they don’t want to cooperate.  Other variables that come at you.  You can have done all the planning that you want, but you have to be able to adapt, because all of a sudden, let’s say the last shot of your movie, and it’s overcast, and looks like June gloom, with white-out.  So you have to be able to scramble and have a cover scene, where it’s not as important to have the beautiful golden-hour light.  So the enemy is time. 

HENRY:  Cambrie is in high school.  Is she going to be doing more acting now, or finishing her education first?

RICKY:  She’s out looking for the next project, yes, but she’s like a racehorse, she’s a thoroughbred, my daughter.  She just wants to race into everything.  So I’m a bit concerned that I’ve opened up the door now.  And that she’s going to perhaps loose focus on the goals that I want her to achieve.  But it’s really not what I want her to achieve, it’s what she ends up wanting to achieve.  Of course I want my daughter to finish high school, and go to college.  And she’ll only be a better actress as time influences her.  So I’m not really excited for her working again soon. 

HENRY:  How about your sons, who are also in the movie, as Grizz’s sons.  Are they planning on acting careers?

RICKY:  No.  My youngest son is exploring a military career, and so he’s waiting to hear if he’s been chosen for one of the academies.  He’ll find out this summer.  My other son is more interested in business.  So my sons don’t show a desire for it (an acting career), and that’s absolutely fine with me. 

HENRY:  Your movie is premiering on the Hallmark Movie Channel, but I believe you made it independently. 

RICKY:  Hallmark came along during the post production process.  We actually began production, making it as a family independent project, and thankfully Hallmark came into the project during post, liked what they saw, and acquired it.

HENRY:  Were there any changes that they required?

RICKY:  No, they liked what we had.

HENRY:  Martin Kove is your cheerfully nasty villain, competing with you to capture Bravo.  Had you two worked together before? 

RICKY:  No; but he’s a riot.  He’s fun to be around.  And he loves his horses and his westerns.  He rides the Hole-In-The-Wall-Gang Ride every year.  He was so much fun to have on the set, and what a pro. 

Martin Kove flanked by evil sons 

Holden and Luke Schroder

HENRY:  I was surprised and delighted to see Cliff Potts as your father.  A fine actor in westerns and everything else, but I don’t think I’ve seen him in a dozen years.

RICKY:  He hasn’t worked forever.  He lives close to me.  I know his son.  And his son said, “Hey, you should meet my dad.”  So I met Cliff, and with the first words out of his mouth I knew he was Top.  He was the right guy.  What a nice guy he is too, and what a pro.  I sure hope we get to make a sequel to this movie or – who knows – turn it into a series.  I would just have a blast every week, working with these people. 

HENRY:  It’s funny, I was thinking of a sequel, but I didn’t think of the potential for a series.  But it certainly could be.

RICKY:  Oh yeah, in my mind I have it partially developed.  Now I’ve just got to get Hallmark to come on-board. 

HENRY:  Any other upcoming projects we should know about?

RICKY:  I’m writing a script that I can’t really talk about it right now, but it’s very current.  I do have another project; I don’t want to say much, but it has been produced, and it’s in the can.  And it’s for the U.S. Army.  And it’ll be premièring, potentially, around the Army’s birthday, this June.  It’s an interesting project, called STARTING STRONG.  I’m excited for that project to see the light. 

HENRY:  If I could just ask a few LONESOME DOVE questions.  Where was it shot?

RICKY:  The original was shot in New Mexico, Angelfire in Montana, and Delrito, Texas.

HENRY:  When I watching it, I remembered that it was a Robert Halmi Production, but I was surprised to see the Motown logo. 

RICKY:  Suzanne de Pas was involved.  She was at Motown.

HENRY:  The director, Australian Simon Wincer, went on to do hits liked QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER and FREE WILLY.  What was he like to work with?

RICKY:  Very pleasant man.  Very pleasant to be around, as are most Australians. Very calm, capable.  The genius behind LONESOME DOVE; it was not Simon, although he did a wonderful job.  It was the script (by Larry McMurtry and William D. Wittliff), and it was Duvall, and the source material (the novel by Larry McMurtry).  That was the genius. 

Ricky Schroder as Newt in LONESOME DOVE

HENRY:  Any particular memories of the production?  Of Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones?

RICKY:  Tommy Lee I don’t think said two words to me besides what was in the script.  He didn’t interact like that with me.  Maybe he was just playing it the way (his character) Call played it, which was he didn’t acknowledge Newt.  So I didn’t get to know him at all.  Duvall is still a friend to me, and we talk at least every three months or so.  Memories?  I remember one morning I was walking down a cow trail, out in one of the cactus-covered paddocks they had there.  And I was hunting javelina with my bow and arrow.  Prickly-pear cactus is as thick as you can imagine, all around you.  Rattlesnakes just love prickly-pear cactus, because pack-rats like to live in there.  So the rattlesnakes go in there and eat ‘em.  I’m just about to put my foot down, stepping over a cactus, and there was the biggest rattlesnake I’ve ever seen.  And I’m not kidding you; it was an honest-to-goodness six feet long, and as fat as a baseball bat.  And I took that skin off that snake, and I sent it to Tony Lama (the great boot-maker), for a custom pair of boots.  And when they got to me, they finally caught up with me, those boot were too small.  So I gave them to my father.  He probably has them to this day.  I remember going over to Mexico a few times, having some fun over there with the Teamsters.  And I remember Duvall would always have a gathering.  Whenever he could get people together to go to this little local Mexican restaurant where they had live music.  And he would dance – he loved to tango.  He was always the life of the party.  He was fun to be around.  He was Gus. 

HENRY:  Sounds like he and Tommy Lee were very close to their own characters. 

RICKY:  They actually were.  Duvall was just so magnetic that people flocked to him.  As opposed to Call, who you just couldn’t get close to. 

HENRY:  Any memories of Diane Lane?

RICKY:  (laughs) Yeah.  Diane Lane I had a crush on.  I was seventeen and making LONESOME DOVE, and turned eighteen making it.  I remember, one afternoon, she was staying in the town-house next to mine.  And I got the courage to knock on her door.  She opened the door, and she said, “Hi Ricky.”  “Hi Diane.” “What are you doing?”  “Want to hang out?”  She said, “Sure Ricky.  Come on in.”  So I went in and sat with Diane Lane for about fifteen minutes.  Just wanting to be around her.  And she was just as sweet as could be.  And then she said she had to go to the airport to pick her husband up.  She’s got one brown eye and one blue eye.  She was awesome.  And Danny and Angelica.  And Tim Scott, who played Pea Eye, he was a heck of an interesting guy to be around.  And nice.  Perfect for that role.  He’s not with us anymore.  Larry McMurtry’s son James, a truly talented musician.  He would play once in a while after work.  Really good memories. 

HENRY:  It was about four years later that you returned as Newt in RETURN TO LONESOME DOVE.  How did the second experience compare with the first?

RICKY:  The source material wasn’t the quality of the first.  Jon Voight, I actually got him involved (as Call, Tommy Lee Jones’ character).  It’s funny how my career began with him (in THE CHAMP), and then we crossed paths again.  It was beautiful where it was shot.  It was Montana, which is spectacular.  It was Reese Witherspoon and Oliver Reed.  What a powerful actor he was.  It was a good time.  It was a good western; it wasn’t a great western.  LONESOME DOVE is a great western. 

HENRY:  When they went on to do the LONESOME DOVE series, they got Scott Bairstow, who sort of resembled you, to play Newt. Did you have any interest in doing that series? 

RICKY:  No.  I remember there was some early discussion of that with me, but I wasn’t ready to move to Alberta.  I had a life and kids and a ranch in Colorado, and it was just too big of a change.

HENRY:  Right.  And frankly, talking about something that was not up to the original, I thought the series was a huge step down. 

RICKY:  I never saw an episode, but I imagine it was.

HENRY:  In 1994, you were back at the Alamo Village in Brackettville for JAMES MICHENER’S ‘TEXAS’. 

RICKY:  With my buddy, Benjamin Bratt.  That was a lot of fun.  I played Otto McNab.  Gosh it was hot.  I remember there were actors passing out.  We were wearing wool uniforms, and it was 100 degrees and 90% humidity.  It was awful, awful hot.  But that was definitely a fun project. 

HENRY:  Any more westerns on the horizon?

RICKY:  I’ve got a western script I’ve been trying to get made since I was nineteen years old.  And I obviously can’t play it anymore – the lead role.  But hopefully one day I’ll get that one made.  It’s about the greatest moment in the history of the Pony Express.              

OUR WILD HEARTS – Movie Review

There is something to stories about teenaged girls and horses that is just ‘a natural’, and a natural is just what OUR WILD HEARTS is.  The film, a present-day western, is a Schroder Family affair.  Actor Ricky Schroder co-wrote the script with his wife Andrea, as a vehicle for their eldest daughter, sixteen-year-old Cambrie Schroder, and Ricky directed and co-starred as well.  But while this is a small movie, it’s not a vanity production, and Cambrie, who must carry the movie, is up to the job.  She also has her two brothers, sister, and mother along for back-up.

Cambrie plays Willow, a privileged teenager growing up in Malibu, an only child with a loving-but-busy mother, played by Angela Lindval.  What is missing in Willow’s life is a father, or even the slightest indication from her mother of who her father is.   A casual conversation with a girlfriend triggers a blow-up between mother and daughter on the subject.  At home, Willow goes poking through boxes of mementoes and pictures from her mother’s youth and finds a picture of Jack (Ricky Schroder).  It’s one of those rare times in movies when this sort of moment actually works: the resemblance between father and daughter is so great that denying it would be foolish; and after some hesitation, mom admits the truth.

Without preamble, daughter flies to Wyoming and appears at the ranch doorstep of a father who had no clue she existed, and he welcomes her with startling ease.  She has no idea of the kind of turmoil she has strayed into.  Her father and grandfather Top (Cliff Potts) are in imminent danger of losing the family homestead without an influx of cash.  Because this is mustang country, their best hope is to capture a celebrated wild stallion known as Bravo: Jack has a buyer (Eloise DeJoria) who would pay a small fortune to acquire Bravo, and put him out to stud.

Unfortunately, Jack’s ranch is all but surrounded by the property of a swine, played by one of the west’s finest swines Martin Kove.  Kove, as Grizz, assisted by his equally swinish sons (played, ironically, by Ricky Schroder’s sons Holden and Luke), wants to acquire Jack’s property, and sees capturing Bravo as a way to make this possible. 

As both teams set out to capture Bravo, a further complication appears.  A close, maybe mystical, connection between Willow and Bravo develops, and rather than let either man have the horse, Willow thinks he should be free. 

Among the nice surprises in OUR WILD HEARTS is the reappearance of Cliff Potts in the role of Ricky Schroder’s father.  For many years a very busy actor, whether in leads or supporting roles – SILENT RUNNING, SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION, THE LAST RIDE OF THE DALTON GANG – he’s been off the screen for nearly fifteen years.  Also, Willow’s romantic interest, ranch-hand Ryan, is played by Chris Massoglia, recently seen as the title character in CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT. 

Director Schroder makes good use of Cambrie’s skills as a rider and as a dancer, some lyrical sequences giving Cambrie, cinematographer Steve Gainer and music director Michael Lord a chance to show their talents.  Although most of the story is set in Wyoming, Gainer’s camera never left Southern California, but the rolling green hills and beautiful herds of wild horses are more than convincing – they’re invigorating to watch.

I won’t give away more of the story, but there is hard riding, shooting, roping, romance, and a down-to-the-wire climax.  It’s not only an enjoyable movie in its own right; it may even be a sneaky and effective way to covertly introduce teens and tweens to the western genre.  OUR WILD HEARTS premieres on Saturday night, March 9th, on the Hallmark Movie Channel.

 CAMBRIE SCHRODER ON HER FIRST MOVIE AND FUTURE PLANS

HENRY:  I understand from your dad that I’ve been mispronouncing your name – it’s not Cambrie with a short ‘a’, but Cambrie with a long ‘a’.

CAMBRIE:  That’s right.  I’ve never met another Cambrie, actually.  I think it’s because my grandpa went to Cambridge University.  But Cambridge was too long, so they shortened it and made it Cambrie. 

HENRY:  I just watched you last night in OUR WILD HEARTS, and you did a fine job; you carried the picture.

CAMBRIE:  Thank you, I’m glad you liked it.  Because I haven’t really shown it to anybody, so I haven’t heard any feedback. 

HENRY:  Now in the story, two things that are very important to your character are dance, and horses.  Is that true in real life?

CAMBRIE:  It’s definitely is.  I’ve been raised around horses and animals, and so they’re are a passion.  I was able to make that connection with horses when I was really young.  So acting with horses was really natural for me.  I’ve also been dancing since I was about four years old, so dancing and horses are two of my biggest passions, along with acting. 

HENRY:  How old are you now?

CAMBRIE:  I’m sixteen.  I like to think of my self as an adult, but I’m really not. 

HENRY:  I’m sure your parents remind you of that.

CAMBRIE:  Every day.  They’re like, ‘Cambrie, you’re sixteen: enjoy your childhood.’  Ever since I was four years old I’ve been wanting to be sixteen.  But I’m actually enjoying being sixteen.  I feel like it’s my great year, my golden year – I’m having a lot of fun. 

HENRY:  Growing up, did you see a lot of your father’s TV shows and movies?

CAMBRIE: Well actually I hadn’t seen too much of his work until we moved to Spain, where we had a lot of free time on our hands.  And then my sister and I watched a whole season of SILVER SPOONS.  It was really strange to watch him (as a kid).  So I’ve seen SILVER SPOONS now.  I’ve seen THE CHAMP.  He doesn’t watch any of his work himself, so it’s kind of hard for me to find it. 

HENRY:  When were you living in Spain?

CAMBRIE:  We were living in Spain in 2010.  I was 13.  We went there just to escape our busy life and take a break and reunite as a family.  I loved it so much – I learned fluent Spanish there; I was the only one who learned Spanish because I was at the perfect age to learn a language.  My parents were (sing-song) a little bit too old, my sister was a little bit too young, and my brothers just weren’t that interested. 

HENRY:  Speaking of your brothers and sisters, are they all in the movie?

CAMBRIE:  They are.  My two brothers play the two enemies, Marty Kove’s sons.  My little sister doesn’t have a speaking part, but she has an extra onscreen appearance, she’s at the barn party scene, dancing.  So you’ll see them all in the movie.  My sister’s still so upset about it: “I’m the only one who didn’t have a speaking part.”  And she just did an episode of SHAKE IT UP on the Disney Channel, so that made up for it. 

HENRY:  When did you decide you wanted to act?

CAMBRIE:  I’ve always been intrigued by it, as long as I can remember; just watching my dad at work, becoming a character on-set, and then coming home as my dad.  It’s always been an interest of mine, and then when I was about ten years old, I started going on auditions.  My parents weren’t encouraging, but they weren’t discouraging.  They wanted me to explore it and see if it was really something I would love to do.  And so soon enough they saw that I was going to do it with or without them, they were like, ‘We want to be the ones there to guide you on your first movie, and make you feel comfortable.’  And my dad’s so experienced that he had so much to offer and so much to teach me, that it was perfect.

HENRY:  You’re in high school now.  Do you plan to try and do more acting; do you plan to finish your education first?

CAMBRIE:  Both acting and an education are really important to me.  I’m currently a full-time student, and trying to keep really high grades up so I’ll have the option of going to college.  If other acting jobs come along, I’ll still have that to fall back on.  I can also pick the time to take off school, and have the flexibility to go and act.  I’m reading scripts and waiting for the next best script to come along.  I’m keeping my eyes open, and excited to see what my future holds.  But I will be acting again, for sure. 

HENRY:  Are there any actresses that you particularly admire, that you think, ‘I’d like to play her kind of role?’ 

CAMBRIE:  Actually last night I was looking up all about Jennifer Lawrence, and I love her.  She’s never taken an acting lesson in her life, and she’s able to transform into totally different characters, and not act as a different character, but become a different character.  I really admire that – not acting, but becoming.  So I really admire her.  I also love Angelina Jolie.   I’d love to do an action film.  I’d love to do some edgier stuff.  But both of those ladies are magnificent – I look up to them so much.  And Meryl Streep, oh!  There’re so many good actresses. 

 

HENRY:  What was the best part of filming OUR WILD HEARTS? 

CAMBRIE:  It was my first experience filming a movie, so having my family there was the best, because they were able to be honest with me in trying to get my best performance, but also being super-encouraging and making me feel comfortable. But I also loved working with the horses.  It was super fun because it made me look forward to something.  And working with Tommy – he was such a great horse, so well behaved and so well-trained.

HENRY:  So Tommy is the stallion the whole story revolves around?

CAMBRIE:  His name is Bravo in the movie, but in real life his name’s Tommy. 

HENRY:  What was the worst part – was there anything you did not like, or did not anticipate?

CAMBRIE:  There was really nothing that went wrong.  Everything that could have gone wrong went right.  But I knew it was a lot of hard work, because I’ve seen my dad work, and I know it’s not as glamorous as they make it out to be.  But I don’t think you understand how difficult something is until you actually go through it.  I worked long days – five in the morning, late nights, studying my lines, coming home and being exhausted; I worked really hard.  It was a very challenging experience, but it didn’t stop my love for it at all. 

HENRY: Outside of your family, was there anyone that you particularly we enjoyed working with? 

CAMBRIE:  Yes, I loved working with Chris Massoglia.  He plays my love interest.  He’s an amazing actor, but he’s also a great person.  He has great values, and he’s done a lot of other films and is really talented, so he was able to guide me.  And also, the wranglers of Tommy were very encouraging too.  I loved our cinematographer, Steve Gainer.  He’s a great cinematographer, but a great guy too.  He kept the set light, because my dad and I sometimes get too serious.  He would always crack jokes to lighten the mood.  When it’s raining and cold and everyone’s tired, grumpy and hungry, he keeps it positive and light hearted.  Because the whole experience is meant to be fun, and he made sure that would happen. 

HENRY:  Anything else I show know?

CAMBRIE:  You might not have known that I did almost all the stunts.  I did all the riding, and I had to ride bareback – I couldn’t walk the next day – that’s for sure!  I thought it was important for me to actually be the one riding, and when Bravo rears, before I fall off, it was scary, but fun, because I knew I was safe.  My dad didn’t like to watch that happen.  Then I wasn’t the one to fall off – we had a stunt person do that, but that’s the only thing I didn’t do.  I did everything else.   


THE WRAP-UP

That's it for tonight's Round-up!  Got some interesting things cooking for next week, but none of it's definite yet.

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright March 2013 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved