Yesterday marked the 113th anniversary of the birth of one of the great Western movie stars, Randolph Scott. Born in Orange County, Virginia (his mother was born in Luray, Virginia) Scott grew up in North Carolina and in his early roles he exudes Southern gentleman charm. He began his film career in 1928, but his final film, Ride the High Country is considered perhaps his best. This film, directed by Sam Peckinpah, was shot and released in 1962. Co-starring Joel McCrea and featuring Mariette Hartley, Warren Oates, James Drury, and Edgar Buchanan, Scott plays Gil Westrum, an ex-lawman hired to guard a gold shipment. He intends on stealing it, however, and tries to persuade his partner, another ex-lawman, Steve Judd played by McCrea, to help him do it. Judd refuses and is intent on taking Westrum in, but when complications arise, the two join forces one last time. At the climax, Westrum must decide between right and wrong.
Scott was a master of the nuanced, man of few words; world-weary and tired of his violent life, but a master of the gun who was not afraid to rely on his skill. Interestingly, Ride the High Country was released in the middle of Rawhide's six year run on television. That show starred a very young Clint Eastwood who essentially made the cowboy character that Scott created famous. Ride Lonesome is another Scott Western in which viewers may definitely see the predecessor of Eastwood's "man with no name."
Scott starred in over 100 films and worked with everyone from Shirley Temple to Mae West. I've never seen anything less than an enjoyable performance from Scott, but it is his Westerns that stand out for me. Below is a classic Western scene from Seven Men From Now, in which Scott has it out with evil-doer Lee Marvin. Film doesn't get much better than that!
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