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Blooper - Getting back on that horse!! SPOILER!!!!!!

posted 16 years ago by AriesJB4
8 replies | jump to latest

Although I have seen "The Horse Soldiers" numerous times throughout the years (having first watched it as an eight year old in a theater), the one scene that I find really ironic and most surprising that it wasn't called for a retake was the following:

When the military cadets march upon John Wayne and company and keep advancing, there comes a time when Wayne (Colonel Marlowe) is asked what he intends to do, and he said, "Get the hell out of here." As "Dixie" soars on the soundtrack, watch the good Colonel try to get on the horse. Three times without success, cut to another scene and when the action returns to John Wayne he is on his horse and doffed his hat at the cadets.

However, he had no such trouble getting on the horse after putting the cigar to the trail of gunpowder before the bridge blows up at the end of the film.

[–] Marlburian 15 years ago

I know where you'll coming from with this one, Aries, but it's the sort of incident that would be quite common in the heat of the moment - in real life, that is.

But of course we expect everything to go smoothly, especially if it involves Wayne. I was watching some other film the other day, and a leading character was walking on uneven ground when he momentarily missed his footing. Very easily done in reality, but it was a little distracting on the screen.

Likewise in a British TV police drama, where a character fluffed the caution when arresting a suspect and told his colleague to say it instead. Quite understandable in real life, but I did wonder if the actress had fluffed her lines and the director had decided not to re-shoot.

[–] Ironman54 14 years ago

I anticipated this post was going to be about a 'blooper' I believed I noticed about one of the characters mounting a horse and I thought you had beat me to it.
But nope, and I haven't read through the entire board yet so maybe someone else caught it or I didn't see what I thought I saw...well here goes:

After they run into Denver Pyle and Strother Martin at the barn, the one young actress - Anna Lee ? ... storms off to her horse. When one of the soldiers offers to help her mount she tells him shes perfectly capable of doing it herself without assistance. The next thing she does happens so quickly that i can't be sure that i saw what I think I saw but, as she starts to mount I noticed she put her right foot into the stirrup which, from the side she was attempting to mount, would have been the wrong foot - she would've been facing the rear of the horse!

[–] Princerd 13 years ago

She was riding side-saddle, so the right foot would be correct if I am thinking correctly. I have never seen such a saddle, but it seems it would require the use of the right foot to mount.

[–] bari2525 13 years ago

Just a point of clarification...

The actress in question is Constance Towers (main character), not Anna Lee (minor supporting role, but a long time favorite of Ford's)

I don't act...I react. John Wayne

[–] jtb01 11 years ago

As Constance Towers rides up before getting off her horse you can see that she is riding side saddle. To mount a horse to ride side saddle she would put her left foot in the stirrup and then bring her right foot up between her left leg and the horse and hook her right leg around the saddle horn so that her left foot remains in the stirrup and her right foot dangles over the left side of the horse. On a saddle used for riding side saddle though I don't think it is called a saddle horn. I can't remember what it is called. So, to make a long story short, by putting her right foot in the stirrup to mount a horse from the left side is wrong whether she is going to ride side saddle or just western style.

jtb01

P.S. My second post ever!

[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

As Constance Towers rides up before getting off her horse you can see that she is riding side saddle.

Yes that is definitely the case. If you look closely you can even see the difference in saddles.

P.S. My second post ever!

And it's a good one!

[–] jtb01 10 years ago

Thx!

jtb01

[–] bctelecom 13 years ago

I thought you were going to mention how easily the injured Colonel got on his horse after lighting the fuse to blow the bridge. Just a few scenes earlier he needed much assistance getting on horseback.