1962’s Ride the High Country is the subject of this week’s episode. An early Sam Peckinpah and a late victory lap for golden age Western stars Joel McRea and Randolph Scott, it follows a pair of aging gunslingers as they attempt to transport gold cross country. It’s a nice adventure film about the twilight of the West, and a pair of aging gunslingers wondering what their place will be in the days to come. And also an odd little jaunt of a film involving Carnival barkers, farmer’s daughters, and rowdy miners, plus a surprising amount of sexual assault. The plot twists in a few unexpected ways and we both end up liking it very much. Topics of conversation include the semiotics of the Wild West Stunt Show, various forms of masculine competition, Randolph Scott’s surprising range as an actor, Double Feature matinees back in the day, the showcase Wedding at a brothel sequence, the etymology of the word ‘horndog’, and the slight cheap out of the final shootout. Solid movie, and another strong showing on the podcast for Randolph Scott.
Other films discussed, in fairly perfunctory fashion, are a George McGovern western Dad can’t recall the name of, and Wonder Woman. This episode was a recommendation from a listener like you! If there’s a Western you’d like to hear an episode about, or have any questions you’d like to hear us answer on the show, let us now at westernswithdad@gmail.com! And visit us at our website, westernswithdad.com! And why not also got to iTunes and leave us a rating and/or review, which improves the visibility of the show! Next time, we’ll be talking about one of my favorite things ever, the first season of the HBO television series Deadwood. I’ve been waiting for this one, let me tell you.
Ride the High Country stars Randolph Scott, Joel McRea, Marietta Hartley, RG Armstrong and Warren Oates, and was directed by Sam Peckinpah.
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I’m not a big fan of Sam Peckinpah. But, I am a fan of Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott and liked this movie. I did not care that much for the Wild Bunch. I’m more of a fan of the classic westerns, not the gritty westerns that Peckinpah did after this film.
Although, I also really enjoyed Major Dundee with Charlton Heston which was Peckinpah’s next film. The ones I’ve seen after this film much less so.