Sat 29 Dec 2012
A Western Movie Review by Walter Albert: NEVADA (1927).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , Silent films , Western movies[6] Comments
NEVADA. Paramount, 1927. Gary Cooper, Thelma Todd, William Powell, Philip Strange, Ernie S. Adams, Christian J. Frank, Ivan Christy, Guy Oliver. Based on a novel by Zane Grey. Director: John Waters. Shown at Cinevent 38, Columbus OH, May 2006.
Gary Cooper is “Nevada,” a wandering cowboy with a tendency to get into trouble, who, with his sidekick Cash Burridge (Ernie S. Adams), seeks refuge on a ranch whose owner’s sister (Thelma Todd) quickly develops an interest in Nevada that’s not welcomed by Clan Dillon, her suitor, played by a polished (as always) William Powell. Ranches in the vicinity are being victimized by cattle rustlers and Nevada goes undercover in an attempt to ferret out the secretive mastermind whose identity is known only to Cawthorne (Ivan Christy), foreman of the ranch owned by Todd’s brother.
It’s good to see Todd in a leading dramatic role and she and Cooper make a highly combustible pair of lovers. The unmasking of the villain and the rehabilitation of the trouble-prone Nevada come together in a fast-paced climax that wraps up this fine Western drama in a most satisfying fashion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YkqE6dfq9s
The touch I most enjoyed was a meeting between Nevada and the still unidentified villain, with the villain’s face masked by a light shining into Nevada’s eyes, a nice variation on the masked villains of the ever popular chapter plays of the ’20s and ’30s.
December 29th, 2012 at 8:25 am
A couple days ago I watched the dvd of NEVADA but it was the 1944 Robert Mitchum version, his first leading role after many bit parts in western B-movies. He made another one called WEST OF THE PECOS and then went on to A movie stardom. The 1944 movie was supposed to be based on the Zane Grey novel but it did not really follow the plot of the book at all.
By the way when Robert Mitchum went on to better things, Tim Holt took over and starred in many high quality B-westerns.
December 29th, 2012 at 8:35 am
My, is William Powell young in that photo !
The Doc
December 29th, 2012 at 9:30 am
Looking over the credits of director John Waters (no, not THAT John Waters!) I see he did some interesting silent westerns for Paramount that were later cannibalized into talkies starring Randolph Scott, directed by Henry Hathaway. He was also 2nd-unit director on a lot of major things like BOOM TOWN, NINOTCHKA and THE BIG COUNTRY.
December 29th, 2012 at 11:32 am
William Powell was older than he looks. He was 35 when he made NEVADA. Gary Cooper was 26. It is hard to realize, I think, that 40% of the movies that Cooper made were in the silent era.
January 1st, 2013 at 3:17 pm
Thanks for finding this one. Watched the first “reel”. There’s a clever jail break in the 1944 version, too. It looks like there is some remote resemblance to Grey’s novel, but not much.
January 1st, 2013 at 8:17 pm
Ron
I just spotted your review of the 1944 remake. I think everyone else should read it too:
http://buddiesinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2012/12/nevada-1944.html