MovieChat Forums > Cimarron (1961) Discussion > Not The Best Western Ever Made

Not The Best Western Ever Made

posted 11 years ago by davidwile
1 reply | jump to latest

Hey folks,

I have long said a good story will be the most important part of a book, film, verbal story or whatever. After watching this film tonight, I am not so certain my story theory is holding water in this film. The story is an epic one that spans several decades and contains some great story elements and characters.

The problem for me was the characters and the plot elements. I found it very hard to identify with and care for folks who leave their families, cheat Indians out of their property, and similar hedonistic acts that make one ashamed to be a human. Sure, all these folks made great strides for civilizing the West, but the cost was a bit too much for me to enjoy the film.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[–] spookyrat1 11 years ago

Yes it was a kind of an uneven chain of events with Glenn Ford disappearing for large tracts of the film.

I gather Anthony Mann didn't direct the whole film, but was sacked some distance into it and an uncredited Charles Walters took over. I wonder if that is the reason the film feels so obviously episodic as it does.