The first thing you notice that says this is no ordinary Western is its opening. There's a lengthy prelude and overture that makes it seem like you're about to witness a Biblical epic. Not surprising when you realize it's a David O. Selznick production, who provided the same treatment for perhaps his most famous movie. But folks, this is no "Gone With the Wind" by any stretch, and what follows is one of the most garish and lurid films you're liable to come across in any genre, much less a Western. It's not a bad film over all but I had trouble with a number of aspects, particularly the casting. Gregory Peck was standout in one of my all time favorite Westerns, "The Gunfighter", and he's usually a hero in most pictures he's involved in. So his turn as a villain here was disconcerting, the evil brother opposite good guy siblingr Joseph Cotten.
But even more outlandish was the character of Pearl Chavez portrayed by Jennifer Jones. Now I understand Jones was married to Selznick at the time, so in retrospect, I have to wonder why he put her through this ordeal of a role. As the story progressed, I began to consider her character as displaying symptoms of mental illness, as opposed to Lewt McCanles (Peck), who was merely dysfunctional and a creep. Her mannerisms were frequently overacted and quite honestly, almost comical at times. Not to mention the roller coaster of emotions she had to put herself through in her on again, off again relationship with Lewt. Not so much a relationship either so much as an inability to come to grips with what she truly felt about the guy.
In fact, there were very few likeable characters in the story besides Jesse McCanles (Cotten) and mother Laura Belle (Lillian Gish). Anyone else notice that Jesse and Lewt never referred to their father as Dad or Pa, it was always Senator. Lionel Barrymore probably had the most commanding presence in the picture simply by shouting everyone down around him whenever he had a point to make. And he almost always had a point to make, whether it was stopping the railroad, denigrating Pearl in blatantly racist fashion, or disowning son Jesse for siding with rationally sane people.
Fast forward to the final showdown and one would expect it to be between the rival brothers but even here, the table is set in an entirely different manner. I won't give it away, but it lives up to all the expectations one might have had regarding the volcanic personalities of Lewt and Pearl. Can you even imagine what might have happened if those two ever got married? Come to think of it though, how could it have been any worse?
But even more outlandish was the character of Pearl Chavez portrayed by Jennifer Jones. Now I understand Jones was married to Selznick at the time, so in retrospect, I have to wonder why he put her through this ordeal of a role. As the story progressed, I began to consider her character as displaying symptoms of mental illness, as opposed to Lewt McCanles (Peck), who was merely dysfunctional and a creep. Her mannerisms were frequently overacted and quite honestly, almost comical at times. Not to mention the roller coaster of emotions she had to put herself through in her on again, off again relationship with Lewt. Not so much a relationship either so much as an inability to come to grips with what she truly felt about the guy.
In fact, there were very few likeable characters in the story besides Jesse McCanles (Cotten) and mother Laura Belle (Lillian Gish). Anyone else notice that Jesse and Lewt never referred to their father as Dad or Pa, it was always Senator. Lionel Barrymore probably had the most commanding presence in the picture simply by shouting everyone down around him whenever he had a point to make. And he almost always had a point to make, whether it was stopping the railroad, denigrating Pearl in blatantly racist fashion, or disowning son Jesse for siding with rationally sane people.
Fast forward to the final showdown and one would expect it to be between the rival brothers but even here, the table is set in an entirely different manner. I won't give it away, but it lives up to all the expectations one might have had regarding the volcanic personalities of Lewt and Pearl. Can you even imagine what might have happened if those two ever got married? Come to think of it though, how could it have been any worse?