Time Out - Rio Bravo "My Rifle, My Pony and Me"

Here's a bit of a Time Out within a Time Out. In this clip from Rio Bravo (1959), Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson sing a little song called "My Rifle, My Pony and Me." The tune was penned by the film's composer Dimitri Tiomkin (with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster) which interestingly enough derives from the same composer's music for another John Wayne / Howard Hawks western Red River (1948). The prominent theme is identified in the earlier film as "Settle Down."

Sterling Silver Dialogue #19

Sterling Silver Dialogue From The Movies:  

Do you know where they're from?

"I'm surprised that you're going away with him."

(response) "I'm surprised you think I would. Why the guy's no good, never was any good, never will be any good. He was born that way. His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork."

“The stork that brought you should have been arrested for peddling dope.”

"You, on the level? Why, for six bits you'd hang your mother on a meat-hook."

"You'll always be a two-bit cannon and when they pick you up in the gutter dead, your hand'll be in a drunk's pocket."

"I remember the first time you told me that... that you were just one punch away from the title. Don't you see Bill, you'll always be one punch away."

"... you don't know what a love affair is."

(response) "It's what goes on between a man and a .45 pistol that won't jam.

"Prayer's not gonna keep you from being killed."

(response) "People don't pray to keep from dying. They pray to keep from being disappointed when they do."

"It was the bottom of the barrel and I scraped it, but I didn't care. I had her."

"Oh Jeff, you ought to have killed me for what I did a moment ago."

(response) "There's still time."

"If I had been a ranch they would have named me the Bar Nothing."

"You know, Johnny, when you play solitaire you can only beat yourself."

"My old man always said, liquor doesn't drown your troubles... just teaches 'em to swim."

"You can't take the law into your own hands! Things aren't done that way!"

(response) "That depends on who's doing them."

"Of course, killing you is killing myself. It's the same thing. But you know, I'm pretty tired of both of us."

"This guy's got 'em like that. He's everything they say he is!

(response) "What about you, Sal? Are you everything they say you are?"

"There's a lot of nobility in this room. Must be the panelling."

"Beware the beast man... for he is the devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport... or lust... or greed. Yea he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home, and yours. Shun him. Drive him back into his jungle lair: for he is the harbinger of death."

Answers to Sterling Silver Dialogue #19 are here.

Capturing a Golden Moment #13: Jaws

In this series I'd like to present some exceptional scenes inspired by cinema's most gifted artists of yesteryear.

Jaws (1975)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Scene: "The Indianapolis"

This scene with no action per se, is perhaps the film's most terrifying. The immensely talented Robert Shaw plays Quint, who recounts his experience aboard the U.S.S. Indianapolis with the actor's customarily unique and intense delivery. The harrowing ordeal Quint describes is enhanced by one's awareness of the real-life incident itself and Shaw's reported authorship of his vivid account. Shaw, an accomplished playwright, submitted his own re-write of the scene after an uncredited John Milius' first draft sparked a disagreement between credited writers Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb. The added realism is in part due to the clever way the moment is foreshadowed by suggesting Quint's subtle reluctance to remind himself of the horrific event. Director Spielberg deserves credit for securing such natural performances from all 3 actors (including Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss).    

Jaws is available on Blu-ray here:

Jaws [Blu-ray]

$11.99

Starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton

Buy on Amazon

It is also available on DVD here:

Jaws

$3.74

Starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton

Buy on Amazon

Capturing a Golden Moment #12: Monkey Business (1931)

In this series I'd like to present some exceptional scenes inspired by cinema's most gifted artists of yesteryear.

Monkey Business (1931)

Director: Norman Z. McLeod

Scene: "Punch and Judy Show"

Harpo is one of the Marx Brothers, all of whom are cruise ship stowaways running from the authorities. His exuberant infiltration of a puppet show fits right in with its slapstick nature, and increases the children's enjoyment, judging by their rambunctious response. Notice their adorable "waves goodbye" as Harpo makes his exit.

Monkey Business is available on DVD along with four other Marx Brothers' movies here:

The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection (The Cocoanuts / Animal Crackers / Monkey Business / Horse Feathers / Duck Soup)

$17.99

Starring Chico Marx, Groucho Marx, Edgar Kennedy, Harpo Marx, Zeppo Marx

Buy on Amazon