Gunman in the pergola window...

[Royell Storing]

My favorite Duke film was one he wasn't even the main character which is The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, also my favorite western of all. Of the ones in which he was the main character, my favorite was the Shootist which was also his last and somewhat autobiographical. Both movies co-starred Jimmy Stewart. Of his non-westerns, my favorite was Sands of Iwo Jima.

   Liberty Valance should have been filmed in color. Especially with the "cactus rose" theme. Personally, the B/W downgrades that movie to me. Same goes for Duke's cavalry flicks. B/W = bland. Color is exactly why "The Searchers" visually "pops". "The Searchers" captures these same general locales but does so in Color.

[John Mytton]

    John -    "To Kill A Mockingbird" was scored by Elmer Bernstein.  He also scored "The Magnificent Seven" and kinda reprise'd that for his scoring of, "The Sons Of Katie Elder".  My favorite Duke Wayne flick. I was surprised to find out that your favorite Johnny Williams scored "The Cowboys". Another Duke movie that I would include in my personal "Duke Top 5" movie list. That speaks well for Williams, that he was capable of scoring that genre way back when.
                  Thanks for posting the Umbrella Man water pitcher still frame. Most people would have simply done a White Wash visual aid barrage. I appreciate your fairness.

It's interesting that out of all the advances in film making, the orchestral score hasn't changed much in the past 60-70 years. And yeah, along with Williams, Goldsmith, Howard Shore, Zimmer, Giacchino and Poledouris, I'd rank Bernstein right up there.

JohnM