The Rare Breed (1966)

Simply A Masterpiece

hyped garbage

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Entertaining and pleasant western comedy with acceptable interpretation, though no much action . It stars the great James Stewart as an ageing cowboy hand who helps two English women , as he is still looking for a deep dream and blazing with determination . As a ranch hand agrees to escort a Hereford bull to Texas where the widow of an English breeder , the prissy Mauren O'Hara, and daughter , Juliet Mills , plan to crossbreed the big bull with longhorn cattle . Stewart acquires a a fanatical belief on the potential of the bull and he sets out in blizzard to prove it .Amusing Western comedy including action , stampede , thrills , shootouts , fights , human as well as warm roles and a love story . The plot is plain and simple , as a widow insists that she and her daughter accompany Stewart on a dangerous trip which features every kind of Western calamity imaginable . James Stewart gives an attractive acting as an obstinate cowboy who stubbornly wishes to get the crossbread when all others believe the attempt to be failed and he sets out to prove them wrong . And charming performances from Mauren O'Hara , Juliet Mills, and a red bearded Brian Keith as an extravagant Scots-accented rancher who has a whisky bottle and a bagpipe on his hand instead of a gun , an acting that sticks in the mind long after . Support cast is frankly good such as David Brian , Don Galloway , Perry Lopez, Harry Carey Jr , Ben Johnson , Barbara Werle, and an ominus bit part, with special mention , for usual baddie Jack Elam .Colorful and evocative cinematography by William Clothier , adding genuine wide open spaces atmosphere . Imaginative and enjoyable score by the maestro John Williams , who gives a nice musical realization , including catching leitmotif. This engaging and richly coloured motion picture was decent and professionally directed by Andrew V McLagen . He was an expert in all kinds of genres as Wartime such as Dirty dozen next mission, Sea wolves, On wings of eagles , Wild Geese, The Devil Brigade, Breakthrough and Western such as Chisum, Shenandoah, McLintock, The Blue and the Gray , The way west , Bandolero , Undefeated , Cahill United United States Marshal and this Rare Breed. Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable. Well worth watching . The motion picture will appral to James Stewart and Mauren O'Hara fans .

Recently widowed, Martha Price {Maureen O'Hara} and her daughter Hilary {Juliet Mills} travel from England to Texas to sell their prized Hereford Bull, Vindicator. Along the way, a drifter, Sam Burnett, aids them on their journey and is very tempted to bluff the duo and bag himself some easy cash. But as the journey starts to become perilous, Sam finds himself strongly drawn to Martha, but he's also not the only one.The Rare Breed is a fictionalised account of how British bred cattle came to be part of the American beef industry. Coming as it did in James Stewart's late 60s mellow period, it has an air of cartooned dramatics, it works to a degree, but the joke quickly wears thin and the drama never has the desired impact. Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and tidily shot by William H. Clothier {tho the cheap shots are evident}, the picture appears to have been cut in one or two places because we lurch from a couple of scenes to completely different scenarios, and its quite off putting. The acting is fine, all the cast give it gusto, with Brian Keith having a ball playing a raging Scotsman, i mean swigging whiskey in the bath at frequent intervals has to be a bonus to me!. One or two punch ups are safely handled by McLagen, and a stampede is watchable if a touch let down by the sloppy editing from Russell F. Schoengarth, to leave us with a fare little film that is instantly forgettable afterwards. 4/10

Under the direction of Andrew V. McLaglen, who understood the John Ford mystique, "The Rare Breed" is a Western of consummate integrity which misses fire by not coming down firmly as either drama or comedy; it does however pass the time amiably enough… Stewart again plays a cynical, hard-bitten man who has become disillusioned with human nature… But his insight and understanding are well transmitted… The title refers to a certain breed of cattle, and not to men, rare, courageous, or other-wise… O'Hara is an Englishwoman who comes to America with her daughter, Juliet Mills, bringing a prize Hereford bull named Vindicator… Her husband has died on the way, and she is delivering the bull to a cattle baron (Brian Keith) in Dodge City… Her late husband has always declared that the Hereford could be successfully interbred with the indigenous American Longhorns…Originally Stewart had planned to kidnap the bull and hand it over to a rival dealer, but he falls under the spell of O'Hara's womanly integrity, and becomes her ally… Soon a triangle is set up between Stewart, O'Hara and Keith, with predictable results…The dramatic elements are not totally neglected in the film… The rivalry between the ranchers, the poignant situation of the young lovers, O'Hara's attempts to set right to the surroundings that she, a new widow, finds extraneous, are all set forth skillfully by McLaglen's directorial hand

Jimmy Stewart in this role wasn't not illogical, in fact he was the right choice. Unfortunately, the writers didn't follow through on their part. The movie has all the ingredients of a good western, cowboys, cattle, scenery, outsiders, bad guys, dreams, adventures, swindles, romance. But the total package fell very flat. At the heart of the movie is a romance between Stewart and Maureen O'Hara as a British widow bringing a new breed of cattle to the West. No real on screen sparks fly, though. The heart of the problem is that it is hard to root for Jimmy Stewart's character--and you can't say THAT very often. He starts out as an average guy who doesn't hesitate to steal a prize bull, for a thousand bucks. While he does put the money to good use, his fundamental lack of scruples was off-putting. But obviously, we are supposed to root for him. Maureen O'Hara's character drives the movie when she shows up, but she was a little hard to empathize with, too. She sees more in Jimmy Stewart than I did, and pursues him. Eventually she gives up on him and her original dream (not worth going into that), just when Jimmy catches the vision thing. So the their relationship cycles in opposite directions. Of course, you know that eventually they will get together. Not before she takes 6 months of in home hospitality from Brian Keith' transplanted Scottish character. That role was a riot, until he civilized himself on her behalf. Whereupon he lost all his personality trying to please the target of his affections. Probably some lesson there...I wouldn't recommend this one. Some interesting twists at first, but ultimately very predictable. If you do watch it, your eyes will be happy, but your heart will be left out.