Wild Women of the West

Once again, I awoke to the sound of a ringing phone. Of course it was the Acme. There were three call outs. Could I come in at 1 instead of 3? No, but I would anyway. I'd appreciate these extra hours more if they weren't so last minute, if my feet weren't killing me, and if I didn't feel so darn stressed out.

I did manage to get some things done this morning. I made my college payment and dubbed Johnny Guitar onto the disc with Romancing the Stone. A facinating and very odd western from 1954, this is best known as one of Joan Crawford's few dips into this particular genre. Crawford is the owner of a new saloon in town. Mercedes McCambridge owns most of the land in the area and doesn't like Crawford invading her turf. Sterling Hayden is the title character, a wandering guitarist and former lover of Crawford's.

I ended up enjoying this one, but don't come here looking for standard western fare. I'm not normally a fan of Crawford's, but she does very well here as the tough-talking saloon owner and looks smashing in the stunning color cinematography. McCambridge makes for a great villainess as well. Other familiar 50s character actors on display include Ernest Borganine (as one of Crawford's goons) and John Carradine (as the sheriff). Worth catching on TCM if you want to see something different in a western or are a fan of Crawford or director Nicholas Ray. (Alas, it doesn't seem to be on Region 1 DVD at press time.)

It poured all morning, but the rain slowed down enough by 12:30 for me to get to work on the bike and arrive only slightly wet. We were on and off busy for most of the evening. There weren't really many problems, other than one annoying woman who gave me a hundred different directions on how to bag but refused to help herself.