"Winchester '73" (1950)

"Winchester '73" (1950) - Intro

Written by: Josh Lansky

TCM's "The Essentials"

Intro:

Hi there I’m Ben Mankiewicz. This month on TCM we’ll be highlighting westerns. Tonight we’ll be taking a closer look at one of the genre’s premiere partnerships, director Anthony Mann and actor James “Jimmy” Stewart. We’ll be starting off the night with the duo’s first film together, from 1950, “Winchester ‘73.” The story of rough and tumble Lin McAdam who’s pursuit of his Father’s Killer brings him to Dodge City, Kansas. The town is celebrating the fourth of July with a shooting contest. First prize in the contest: a brand new, immensely rare, “one-of-1000” Winchester ‘73 Rifle. Stewart bests his rival “Dutch Henry Brown” and wins the rifle but has it stolen from him before leaving town. The rifle, thereafter, changes hands again and again with McAdam always one step behind. The rifle and its various owners allow director Anthony Mann to sum up an entire time period in one ninety minute film. “Winchester ‘73” is considered to be the first “Modern Western.” Director Anthony Mann toys with the paradox of the hero restoring order by plunging into the grungy world of the villain and heroes harbor dark secrets that force them to the edge of insanity. While Mann’s heroes have basic decency the line between hero and villain is blurred. The film was the catalyst for the prolific relationship that followed which included eight films in six years (five of which were westerns). But it’s worth noting that it was Fritz Lang, not Mann, who was originally slated to direct “Winchester ‘73.” When Lang backed out and the studio needed a replacement, it was Stewart who recommended Mann. The two had worked together on “Off Broadway” productions in the 1930s. And the rest, as they say, is history. From Universal in 1950 and also starring Shelly Winters and a man who would also become famous for his cowboy roles, Dan Duryea, here is “Winchester ‘73.”

"Winchester '73" (1950) - Outro

Written by: Josh Lansky

TCM's "The Essentials"

Outro:

When “Winchester ‘73” was released in the summer of 1950 it was received with critical acclaim, box office success, and helped to reestablish both Anthony Mann and James Stewarts’ career. Both of whom, had been witnessing a steady decline in their popularity up until that point. But even more importantly, was its long term influence on the western genre as a whole. “Winchester ‘73” was Mann’s first Western. It was a total break away from his usual film noir projects but still maintained the psychological intensity common in the noir genre. Mann brought what he learned from the film noir genre and created psychological thrillers in the wild west. His films had always portrayed an abundance of violence and psychological stress and that remained the case as he moved into directing westerns. The intensity seen and felt in “Winchester ‘73” was new to the western genre which up until that point had dealt with tamer subject matters. This wasn’t just ‘cowboys and Indians anymore, this was cowboys vs. themselves…vs. Indians. It was groundbreaking and led to a number of “Adult Westerns” that dealt with the shortcomings of their heroes and civilization in general. Coming up, another film from the Mann/Stewart duo: starring: James Stewart, Janet Leigh, Robert Ryan, and Ralph Meeker, it’s: “The Naked Spur,” -NEXT, on TCM.