Warlock DVD with Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, Anthony Quinn (NR) +Movie Reviews

Near brilliant, undiscovered western

Chris K. Wilson | Dallas, TX United States | 01/29/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The 1959 film "Warlock" is one of those great surprises for movie fans. It's a classic western, undiscovered, awaiting the lucky viewer who happens to stumble across it. After viewing this dark, almost gothic oater, most viewers will ask themselves, "Why haven't I heard of this film?!"I'm not sure as to why "Warlock" has been relatively ignored over the years, though I think the film is derivative of other films. I think the generic Hollywood backlots where "Warlock" was undoubtedly filmed certainly detract from its overall allure. But simply put, "Warlock" fell through the cracks, and it's a film deserving of reexamination.Part "High Noon," part "Shane," part "The Searchers," "Warlock" tells the tale of a town victimized by crime. They hire a gunfighter in the form of Henry Fonda, who arrives with a crippled sidekick (Anthony Quinn) in tow. Fonda's character becomes a semi-celebrity, granted carte blanche as he calmly strolls the streets adorned in shining pistols and dark suits. The cantankerous Quinn, lugging around a shotgun, watches Fonda's back while sipping champagne and taking care of the finances.But the town (named Warlock) is anything but a simple job. A former love of Quinn's (Dorothy Malone) is a resident, and he wants her back. Richard Widmark also resides here, and he's none too happy about the hiring of the gunfighters, sensing the community should stand up for itself. A young woman (Dolores Michaels) also catches Fonda's eye, and for the first time he begins to wonder about settling down. All of these emotional dramas play out, having tragic circumstances.Director Edward Dmytryk, one of the more underrated filmmakers from this period, has done an excellent job in weaving these multiple storylines together. He also displays an excellent visual flair, most notably during a gunfight between Fonda and Frank Gorshin about midway through the film. I could argue that the scene is one of the great cinematic gunfights in history. Superbly choregraphed, Fonda screams the name "Billy, Billy......!" before drawing his gun and reluctantly killing the man. It is a brilliant, unforgettable moment, precursing many of the operatic gunfights from Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns 10 years later.Quinn also gives a memorable supporting performance as Fonda's sidekick. Tortured by his club foot handicap and angry at the world, Quinn is a live keg waiting to explode. He does the dirty work for Fonda, and exposes the hypocrisy of Fonda's dream to settle down and retire from a life of gunfighting. Quinn knows he and Fonda can never be a part of modern civilization. Essentially, they are walking death, perfectly symbolized by Fonda's dark suits - a black spot in the dusty streets, stark and apart.As Fonda stands amid the ruins of a burned out saloon, he is alone, tall, lanky, a scythe-carrying spector. His past choices have fatefully isolated him from civilization. Like John Wayne's Ethan Edwards at the end of "The Searchers," he can never comfortably walk through the door of domestic civilization. He is destined a life of solitude, forced by fate to step aside and allow the modern world to take root. His job, for all intents and purposes, is finally done."Warlock" is a great, undiscovered western. It has brilliant performances, terrific dialogue and unforgettable imagery. It is an unheralded masterpiece."

Warlock ain't for me

Steven Hellerstedt | 07/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the great, forgotten westerns, Edward Dmytryk's WARLOCK is the story of the little southwestern town of Warlock and its ongoing battle with a gang of law breaking desperados. The gang is led by Abe McQuown (Tom Drake,) a bad hombre who we can safely assume has ruled Warlock for a long, long time. The first scene in the film shows McQuown and gang `calling out' the town's deputy sheriff. If the opening scene is a little reminiscent of the closing scenes of `High Noon', the deputy sheriff's inglorious exit is not. He's humiliated out of town, and McQuown's control of the cowed town is once again secure and unquestioned.
One emergency town council meeting later the town agrees to spend the exorbitant amount of $400 a month to buy the services of gunslinger Clay Blaisedell (Henry Fonda) and his tag-along friend, gambling operator and dime magazine hero Tom Morgan (Anthony Quinn), the `Black Rattlesnake of St. James.' Since Warlock is not an incorporated town, Blaisedell becomes town marshal `by acceptance.' In other words, he's not legally a law officer because the law doesn't recognize his authority. The town accepts him to keep the peace, which more or less means bringing the McQuown gang to heel. Blaisedell comes with a notorious reputation of his own, and the town is increasingly uncomfortable using anarchy and murder to destroy anarchy and murder. Of course, nobody wants to take over as deputy sheriff, either - all that job offers is $40 a month and a spot in the short line for a pine box. Fortunately, a former McQuown gang member, Johnny Gannon (Richard Widmark), agrees to take the job and help Warlock `grow up.'
The premise - terrorized community enlists outside aid to restore peace - is a popular one, brilliantly realized earlier by Kurosawa in `The Seven Samurai', which was later remade by Hollywood as `The Magnificent Seven' and `The Magnificent Seven Ride Again,' along with a slew of others. What sets WARLOCK apart is its focus on characters and shifting relationships. The relationship between Clay Blaisedell and Tom Morgan has attracted a lot of attention and ink over the years as one that's perhaps more passionate and deeper than it appears on the surface. Things happen and, as in real life, changing circumstances change people's relations to each other. Widmark's Johnny Gannon starts out as a member of McQuown's gang and changes to a defender of the community his former gang threatens. When Gannon becomes deputy sheriff Blaisedell's position as hired defender slowly changes, as does his relationship with his dear friend Tom Morgan. And so on. Loyalties change, friendships swell and some burst apart while new ones are slowly forged.
Although I'm a huge fan of his MURDER, MY SWEET, I think WARLOCK has to be considered Edward Dmytryk's masterpiece. Everything works in this complex and layered story of frontier justice. It works on the surface as a straight-ahead actioner, and it holds up to the scrutiny of those who like to look under the hood of things. Highest recommendation for this terrific film.
"

One Of The Best Westerns Of The 50's!

Erik Rupp | Southern California | 03/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Warlock is one of those movies that got lost in the shuffle in the years following its release. Subsequent classics like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Magnificent Seven, The Man With No Name trilogy, The Wild Bunch, etc, all diverted attention away from this 1959 Western masterpiece. Expertly directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda (in one of his best Western roles), Anthony Quinn (in arguably HIS best Western role), DeForest Kelley, and Dorothy Malone, this is a movie that - upon further review - truly does hold up very well against even the best Westerns of all time.

Fonda plays a Marshall (gun) for hire who is brought in to "clean up" the town of Warlock. He does so with the proviso that he can do it his way, with no interference from the town council. They agree, but he warns them that at first they will love him and what he does, but later on they will come to hate him and his methods. His prediction comes true, but the way the story plays out belies the usual Western cliche's. The script is expertly written with characters that ring true in a rather sophisticated storyline.

Warlock, in a way, combines the classic Western styles of the 40's & 50's, with what would be seen in the 60's, and even foreshadows some elements that would be seen later in modern (1980's to present) Westerns. It is a great character study, and has (rightly) been called the quintessential "Psychological Western." While Warlock isn't a "shoot 'em up" Western, the action sequences are very good and the movie is riveting throughout.

The DVD transfer lives up to the high standards of the movie itself. The picture is sharp and the print is clean (for a movie of this age), and the colors are vibrant. This is a movie that belongs in the collection of every Western fan.

"

Unjustly neglected Western

F. J. Harvey | Birmingham England | 09/12/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Warlock is a town in the West ,one that is experiencing an epidemic of lawlessness,deliberately fostered by a local rancher ,Alec McQuon (Tom Drake ).He allows his ranch hands free rein ,as a way of demonstrating his power and deterring challenges from others contemplating moving into the area.(The use of terror as a political tool helps give the movie a distinctly contemporary relevance ).One of his men Gannon (Richard Widmark )is conscience stricken and withdraws from the gang .
The town leaders -having seen the latest in a succession of Marshal's driven away -turn to a hired towm tamer ,the legendary Clay Blaisdell (Henry Fonda )to enforce the law and he is accompanied by Tom Morgan (Anthony Quinn ) a club footed saloon keeper and noted gunman in his own right .The relationship evokes comparison with that of Earp and Hollday ,and it is worth noting that Fonda had played a similar role in "My Darling Clementine" of which this movie is darker more tragic version
The townspeople have taken the step reluctantly and in a key scene ,Blaisdell -who is aware that he is in some respects an anachronism ,sets out the situation bluntly and with eloquence "I come here as your salvation ,at a very high wage.I establish law and order,ride roughshod over offenders.At first ,you're pleased because there's a good deal less trouble.Then a strange thing happens -you begin to feel I'm too powerful and you begin to fear me.Not me but what I am.When that happens we shall have had full satisfaction from each other."
The prediction is spot on .The very success of Blaisdell in sending McQuon packing the first time prompts the threat of massive reprisals and the town backs away from supporting him.
Gannon meanwhile has become the new deputy Marshall and seeks to impose the ruile of law in defiance of both Blaisdell -whom he likes and respects -and McQuon.
Both Blaisdell and Gannon have significant relationships with women -Blaisdell with a leading figure in the town Jessie Marlowe (Dolores Michaels)and Gannon with Lily Dollar (Dorothy Malone )who hates Blaisdell who she feel nedlessly killed her fiance at the instigation of Morgan.
The various conflicts all move towards a resolution by violence-that between the McQuon gang and the law ,the conflict within Gannon whose younger brother is part of the McQuon outfit ,and most compellingly that within Morgan whose friendship with Blaisdell ,it is hinted rather than stated, may contain a semi -erotic element.
There is more than a hint of Greek tragedy about the movie -the atmosphere is brooding and tragic and the movie is more town focused than is usual within the genre ,making sparse use only of its Utah locations .It is an internal Western rather than one of the wide open spaces.
The climax will evoke memories of High Noon -the discarding of legend and with it a sense of personal identity and the riding away into an uncertain future is moving and apt.
Brillaint performance all round especially by Quinn as the tragic Morgan -a man destroyed by the power of his friendship.Fonda back in the genre after a long absence is brilliant and minor roles are well cast .Action scemes are well staged and for their day quite violent.The neglect this fine movie has fallen into is unmerited--please give it a go even if the genre is not your normal thing."

"Civilization is stalking Warlock..."

cookieman108 | Inside the jar... | 06/13/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The title of this film, Warlock (1959), conjured (no pun intended) up some interesting visuals featuring Julian Sands working some bad mojo magic, but that's a completely different film...the title of this film relates in that it is also the name of the town where most of the story takes place, and what a doozy of a tale it is...directed by Edward Dmytryk (The Devil Commands, Back to Bataan), whose Hollywood career suffered after a run-in with the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee), stars Henry Fonda (My Darling Clementine, Fort Apache), Anthony Quinn (The Guns of Navarone, The Guns of Navarone), and Richard Widmark (Pickup on South Street, The Last Wagon). Also appearing is Dorothy Malone (The Day Time Ended), Dolores Michaels (Five Gates to Hell), Wallace `Mr. Curmudgeonly' Ford (Harvey, The Man from Laramie), Tom Drake (The Cyclops), Frank `The Riddler' Gorshin, who recently passed away in May 2005, and DeForest `He's dead, Jim' Kelley, better known as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy from the Star Trek television series and subsequent films...you know, it was an exceptional bit of luck for Kelley that Star Trek came along when it did as his film career seemed on a steady decline, his last role prior to becoming `Bones' McCoy was that in the 1972 giant, mutated, killer rabbit flick Night of the Lepus...

The film begins pretty standard enough for a westerner with a gang of armed men riding into town, hooping and a hollerin' with vengeful intent, and quite soon the town of Warlock is without a deputy, which seems to be not an uncommon thing (check out the names on the wall in the jail). Fed up with living in terror, the townspeople decide on hiring a marshal/gunslinger named Clay Blaisedell (Fonda) to clean up the place (s'funny that the men in town outnumber the gang five to one, but still are unable to muster the courage to fight for themselves). His services aren't cheap, and I don't just mean just in the monetary sense. Along with his pay, he also gains exclusive rights to the gambling franchise within the town and his word is law, basically giving him the right to do pretty much whatever he wants, including killing, if it comes down to that...following Clay is his partner Tom Morgan (Quinn), who seems to handle the business of running the faro parlor while Clay is dealing with the `criminal' element. Widmark plays Johnny Gannon, once a part of the rebellious cowboys terrorizing the town, but disillusionment settled in after a particularly nasty business we never see, but is related to us later as Johnny unburdens his conscience. Anyway, after leaving the gang, Johnny becomes a social pariah, accepting the position of deputy (perhaps in a redemptive effort), creating a third faction within Warlock, that of the actual law (the other two being the cowboys outlaws and the hired gun of Clay). Eventually all sides have their various confrontations and all subplots get resolved, but not in the way some might expect...

Reading about this film from the DVD case one would get the impression this is your standard `townspeople hire an outsider to clean up the town' western story, but it goes a lot further than that. There's a good deal of time and discussion spent on `law and order', and how a frontier town might go about getting in on it being civilized despite itself (some of the debate focuses on the virtues of hiring of Clay, as the fear is violence begets violence, especially given his reputation). Thing is, when they hired Clay to be their marshal, they were essentially going outside the law, and possibly setting themselves up in a position of giving a virtual unknown control of the town. The characters of Clay and Tom know their role, and lay it out for the people of Warlock early, pretty much telling them while they're happy that Clay has arrived, once the trouble has been dealt with they will no longer want his presence, and then he will move on to the next town in need. As far as the `homoerotic' subtext between the characters of Clay and Tom it was there, but I wouldn't categorize in any physical sense, more like a co-dependant relationship that gets a lot weird as it's brought out into the light (although Tom's platonic love gets a little blurry, especially when the jealousy creeps in). I thought all the actors did well, and Fonda's always a treat to watch, but there was something lacking in the actually writing. The script was certainly lively, avoiding the cliché and staying within the realm of reality, elevating the film above the hundreds of run-of-the-mill westerns out at the time, but some of the characters seemed a little light, especially those of the women. As far as Widmark, I really enjoyed him in Pickup on South Street (1953) but his character here did little for me, despite Widmark's efforts...it just felt watery and lacking substance. And then there's Anthony Quinn's character of Tom. I thought it a unique, albeit morally ambiguous, character, one slightly miscast with Quinn, but he manages to pull it off despite himself. One of the more interesting characters to me wasn't even a primary but a supporting character named Curley Burne, played by DeForest `He's dead, Jim' Kelley, who actually had a fairly thriving film career going all the way back into the late 1940's. His role is small, but he's got some of the better lines, and makes the most of them. I wouldn't have thought he could pull off a menacing character, but he does, and pretty well. Overall I thought director Dmytryk did well in this sort of epic that isn't an epic (it certainly had enough characters for the standard epic). The going may seem slow after the initial sequences, but this is a professional effort as the foundation is laid before us, and the subsequent build-up is palatable. The story may begin to feel convoluted as more characters are introduced and relationships initially unclear, but the murkiness fades for those with the patience to follow through.

The widescreen (2.35:1) anamorphic picture in this DVD looks very decent, but there did seem a point near the beginning where the colors felt overly saturated (it doesn't last long). The Dolby Digital stereo audio came through very clearly. As far as special features goes, there's a original theatrical trailer for this film, along with ones for The Bravados (1958), Broken Arrow (1950), Broken Lance (1954), Forty Guns (1957), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), and Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), and a short, curious Movietone News piece whose only relevance appears to be a two second shot of Fonda at some Hollywood function.

Cookieman108
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	Warlock Actors: Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, Anthony Quinn, Dorothy Malone, Dolores Michaels Director: Edward Dmytryk Genres: Action & Adventure, Westerns NR 2005 2hr 2min In this Classic Western, Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn clean up a lawless town, only to discover there's even more unfinished business.
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