Search - Stranger On Horseback on DVD

One of Joel McCrea's best

B. Cathey | Wendell, NC United States | 08/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After 1945, Joel McCrea, like his friend and contemporary "cowboy" Randy Scott, acted almost exclusively in Westerns. Several of those he made for Universal stand out---CATTLE DRIVE, SADDlE TRAMP, and BORDER RIVER, in particular. But he also made THE OUTRIDERS (MGM), WICHITA (Allied Artists), and several others of very good quality [let's hope these get released on silver disc soon!]. STRANGER ON HORSEBACK is one of McCrea's best, perhaps his best outing between CATTLE DRIVE and RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY. His taciturn but entirely engaging manner is on full display. Add to this good casting of John McIntyre, Kevin McCarthy, and others, and you have the makings of a fine oater. Thanks to VCI for releasing this little gem! Let's hope more McCrea will follow...what about it Universal? And WICHITA certainly merits release, as well."

"Stranger on Horsback (1955) ... Joel McCrea ... VCI Ent. (2

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 08/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"VCI Entertainment presents "STRANGER ON HORSEBACK" (23 March 1955) (55 mins/Color) (Dolby digitally remastered) -- Joel McCrea was an American film actor.who became interested in films after graduating from Pomona College --- He worked as an extra in films from 1927 before being cast in a major role in "THE JAZZ AGE" (1929) --- A contract with MGM followed, and then another with RKO--- He established himself as a handsome leading man who was considered versatile enough to star in both dramas and comedies.



In the 1930s, McCrea starred in two large-scale westerns, "WELLS FARGO" (1937) with wife-to-be Francis Dee and Cecil B. DeMille's "UNION PACIFIC" (1939) with Barbara Stanwyck --- He reached the peak of his early career in the early 1940s, in such films as Alfred Hitchcock's "FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT" (1940) and two by Preston Sturges, "SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS" (1941), and "THE PALM BEACH STORY" (1942).



McCrea also starred in two William A. Wellman westerns, "THE GREAT MAN'S LADY" (1942), again with Stanwyck, and "BUFFALO BILL", with character actor Edgar Buchanan (1944) --- After the success of "THE VIRGINIAN" (1946), McCrea made westerns exclusively for the rest of his career--with the exception of the British-made "ROUGH SHOOT" (1953) --- In 1959, Joel McCrea and his son Jody McCrea starred in the NBC-TV series WICHITA TOWN", which lasted one season and was produced by the Mirisch Corp --- 1962 saw him united with fellow veteran of westerns Randolph Scott in "RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY" (1962), under the direction of Sam Peckinpah.



In 1969, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma --- For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Joel McCrea has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6901 Hollywood Blvd. and another star at 6241 Hollywood Blvd. for his contribution to radio. --- In the 1950s, McCrea appeared in the radio Western procedural police drama, Tales of the Texas Rangers. --- (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)



Under the production staff of:

Jacques Tourneur - Director

Robert Goldstein - Producer

Don Martin - Screenwriter

Herb Meadow - Screenwriter

Ray Rennahan - Cinematographer

Paul Dunlap - Composer (Music Score)

William B. Murphy - Editor

Louis L'Amour - Short Story Author



Our story line and plot, the main character is not a sheriff, but a judge Rick Thorne (Joel McCrea) who comes to the small town in the west with the intent of establishing the thing that simply didn't exist there before - the law --- Very soon he's joined by Colonel Streeter (John Carradine) who offers Rick his help --- But the town is completely under control of a rich and powerful cattle baron Josiah Bannerman ( John McIntire) and his family gang. But Rick's determination is unshaken --- Soon Rick discovers that a little time before his arrival into town a man was killed by Josiah Bannerman's son - Tom ( Kevin McCarthy) --- Tom claims that it was self defense, but Rick begins to conduct his own investigation with the intent to find witnesses and bring Tom to trial --- Meanwhile he meets a beautiful Josiah Bannerman's daughter - Amy (Miroslava Stern) who falls in love with him --- Stranger on the Horseback is the best western Jacques Tourneur ever directed --- Smoothly paced, with interesting characters, finely acted and with intelligent and witty dialogs it's a pleasure to watch from the beginning to the end --- The story moves at a rapid pace to a furious and unpredictable conclusion



the cast includes:

Joel McCrea ... Judge Richard 'Rick' Thorne

Miroslava Stern ... Amy Lee Bannerman (as Miroslava)

Kevin McCarthy ... Tom Bannerman

John McIntire ... Josiah Bannerman

John Carradine ... Col. Buck Streeter

Nancy Gates ... Caroline Webb

Emile Meyer ... Sheriff Nat Bell

Robert Cornthwaite ... Arnold Hammer

Jaclynne Greene ... Paula Morrison (as Jacklyn Breen)

Walter Baldwin ... Vince Webb

Emmett Lynn ... Barfly

Roy Roberts ... Sam Kettering

George Keymas ... Bannerman's Henchman

Fred Aldrich ... Blacksmith

James Bell

Lane Bradford ... Kettering Henchman

Dabbs Greer ... Hotel Clerk

Frank Hagney ... Bartender

Natividad Vacío ... Morales



BIOS:

1. Joel McCrea

Date of Birth: 5 November 1905 - South Pasadena, California

Date of Death: 20 October 1990 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California



SPECIAL FEATURES:

1. Trailers

2. Radio Hour: Radio Shows: Tales of Texas Rangers, Audio biographies by Joel Blumberg

3. Original Theatrical Trailer



Hats off and thanks to Robert Blair and his staff at VCI Entertainment --- VCI was named in Variety and Hollywood Reporter as the first company to produce and release motion pictures directly to the home marketplace --- order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- VCI are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector -- looking forward to more Nostalgic Collections --- Western Classics --- all my heroes have been cowboys!



Total Time: 66 mins on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment KPF-578 ~ (9/16/2008)"