RIVETING AND POWERFUL ! JOHN WAYNE AS A BAD GUY??
Added 11/9/2009
The War Wagon is a 1967 western film starring John Wayne, released by Universal Pictures, directed by Burt Kennedy, and adapted by Clair Huffaker from his own novel. The film, which featured Wayne in one of his few roles as technically a "bad guy," received generally positive reviews.The film is in color and has an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 The DVD contains extras, including the theatrical trailer and production notes.
Jackson (John Wayne) and Lomax (Kirk Douglas) ally against Frank Pierce (Bruce Cabot), a man who stole from both men to become wealthy and powerful. Together, they plot to steal a shipment of gold being transported in a "war wagon," a heavily armored stagecoach armed with a deadly gatling gun in a top-mounted steerable turret. With their gang, they plan to rob the war wagon at its weakest point in the route it travels.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Decent enough
Added 3/6/2009
Not our favorite, but better than average. It is not the "Duke" being larger than life, but overall, the movie is entertaining. Just don't expect something on the order of Rio Bravo or Eldorado.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
The War Wagon was a hit when it was first released and is still a great film today. John Wayne and Kirk Douglas have just enough tension to really wonder if they will end up shooting each other or doing the hold up. Excellent addition to any family home film library.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Look at those horses! What are they dragging?
Added 3/31/2008
The War Wagon is perhaps my favorite western and favorite Duke movie. There is plenty of action, some good humor, and an interesting, believable plot. Taw Jackson (Wayne) is a rancher just released from prison. He wants revenge on the man named Mr. Pierce, who sent him there and stole his ranch because it had gold on it. Wayne teams up with Lomax (Kirk Douglas) who plays a gunfighting womanizer. Together they team up with other misfits and an Indian tribe in an attempt to rob an old western version of an armored car, The War Wagon.
The other characters are Levi Walking Bear, a crazy Indian who has learned to live in a White Man's world. Billy, a drunk who is an expert with dynomite and nitro glycerine, and a crazy old man who drives Mr. Pierces flour wagons. I say he is crazy because anyone who would pull a knife with a rifle pointed at him is a little off his rocker. He 'owns' a pretty hot blonde too, he got her for 20 dollars and a horse.
Well they get the wagon, but not all the booty. You;ll have to watch and see who gets the majority of the gold, and maybe deservedly so.
Great moments are as follows, and always remember, in a tight spot, offer an enraged Indian a swig of nitro glycerine.
Lomax :"Mine hit the ground first"
Taw: "Mine was taller"
Taw "The shells belong to him. You tell him he can come get them anytime"
Lomax "You've been working saloons too long"
Taw "Me neither, prescious!"
Mr. Pierce "INDIANS DON'T BLOW BRIDGES!!!"
Billy "I'm gonna buy this place!"
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
The War Wagon
Added 3/30/2008
"Mine hit the ground first."
"Mine was taller."
John Wayne & Kirk Douglas team up a second time, this time in a western. Not the best movie that either one of them did but it's entertaining.
Taw Jackson (John Wayne) has just returned from prison to Emmett, N.M. where he had once resided. He had lost his ranch to Pierce who had gotten it, apparently, after Jackson had been sent to prison. Lomax (Kirk Douglas) has been hired a second time to kill Jackson after failing a time in the past. But this time Jackson makes offer to Lomax that's impossible to turn down: 500.000 dollars. It's being shipped by Pierce's War Wagon that's steel plated & has a Gatling gun mounted on a turret, not to mention 33 outriders tagging along.
The character interplay between Wayne & Douglas is fun to watch. For a while you're not sure if Lomax is going to help Jackson or kill him. Their plan to steal the half million is an elaborate one but the film doesn't dwell on this so it keeps moving at a good pace. Burt Kennedy directed & he had a natural flair for pacing & action, he also had a unique talent of combining westerns with comedy. The casting coup of the sixties was placing Howard Keel as the Indian. Keel had been known mostly for roles in musicals, he was an excellent baritone. Much of the film's comedy stems from his portrayal which could've been a very bad case of miscasting. This casting coup was one of Hollywood's greatest successful reaches.
The film, for its day, has a twist for an ending, but, as is usually the case, Wayne does come out on top. Hollywood would still make a few more good westerns, but not many were better than this. In some ways, The War Wagon signals the end of the Hollywood classic western.
Enjoy.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
RIVETING AND POWERFUL ! JOHN WAYNE AS A BAD GUY??
Added 11/9/2009
The War Wagon is a 1967 western film starring John Wayne, released by Universal Pictures, directed by Burt Kennedy, and adapted by Clair Huffaker from his own novel. The film, which featured Wayne in one of his few roles as technically a "bad guy," received generally positive reviews.The film is in color and has an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 The DVD contains extras, including the theatrical trailer and production notes.
Jackson (John Wayne) and Lomax (Kirk Douglas) ally against Frank Pierce (Bruce Cabot), a man who stole from both men to become wealthy and powerful. Together, they plot to steal a shipment of gold being transported in a "war wagon," a heavily armored stagecoach armed with a deadly gatling gun in a top-mounted steerable turret. With their gang, they plan to rob the war wagon at its weakest point in the route it travels.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Decent enough
Added 3/6/2009
Not our favorite, but better than average. It is not the "Duke" being larger than life, but overall, the movie is entertaining. Just don't expect something on the order of Rio Bravo or Eldorado.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
The War Wagon was a hit when it was first released and is still a great film today. John Wayne and Kirk Douglas have just enough tension to really wonder if they will end up shooting each other or doing the hold up. Excellent addition to any family home film library.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
