As Good As It Gets

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Henry Hathaway, a man who knew how to shoot scenery, apparently forgot how to make a decent movie with 1971's Shoot Out. This quickie flick, destined for the NBC Saturday Night Movie about 10 minutes after its theatrical run, has Gregory Peck being peckish, about a minute of James Gregory being the baddie that double-crossed Peck, Robert F. Lyons as the psycho gunslinger hired by Gregory, and 7-year-old Dawn Lyn as the cutesy, foul-mouthed little 'un dumped on Peck when he gets released from prison for a robbery gone sideways.You also get the startle of seeing a hooker's slobber-covered boobs in the saloon's back room. And this thing got a GP?Hathaway's talent for lovely landscapes is lost on the viewer trying to translate the grammar-challenged westernese that spills out of everyone's mouth and with the grimacing from the scenery-chewing bad-guy behavior that would make anyone long for the quiet rationality of Richard Widmark's sociopath in Kiss of Death or the social responsibility of Andy Robinson in Dirty Harry.Just to show you how stolid Peck got toward the end of his big-star career, he gets the chance to have a heart-to-heart with a farm widow (a pretty, curvy actress named Patricia Quinn), and when she opens up to him about how lonely she is, how she drinks herself to sleep every night pining away for a man in bed, Peck doesn't kiss her or make goo-goo eyes at her, he grasps her head, and I thought, "My God, he's gonna check her teeth!"It's amazing how snarky one can get when watching a bastard stink- pot western.

Is this a classic? Well no, but it isn't terrible either. People who love westerns and the west will enjoy this film. Is this Peck's greatest film? No, but Peck being one of the best actors ever to come out of Hollywood never gave a bad performance. This film also co-stars the great character actor James Gregory who also never gave a bad performance. Veteran character actors Paul Fix and Arthur Honnicutt have small roles but give their usual fine performances. These performances makeup for some of the other poor acting by supporting players. This film has beautiful scenery, lots of action and an unusual story line. What more needs to be said? Enjoy!

Thirty six year old Westerns seem to be on television every week but few directed by Henry Hathaway with Gregory Peck taking the lead. As usual I was working with just the picture and no sound and it seemed to be so slow to build up until the little girl appeared - no Shirley Temple she and sassy enough to get under anyone's craw. But the superb scenery eventually got to me and on came the sound. There is one scene which eventually backfires on the troublemaker which is worth the entry price alone - I won't spoil it with another hint. I just felt it needed a bit more credit as I enjoyed it enormously - both the silent and the talkies version.

"Shootout" begins with an unbelievable scene; when Clay Lomax (Gregory Peck) is released from prison, he's allowed to strap on a loaded gun directly in front of the prison warden. Seems like a more vindictive ex-con could have done some damage.Shortly after, with his mind set on revenge against the partner that double crossed him in a hold up seven years earlier, Lomax inherits young Decky (Dawn Lyn) from a former flame who died en route delivering him a message. There's not much doubt as to the identity of Decky's father, with subtle but numerous references along the way to establish the relationship, not the least of which is the young girl's age as about to be seven. Decky's a precocious and street smart (trail smart?) young lady, and there's a humorous scene where she initiates a sweet con for a saddle pony that Lomax picks up in stride.The drama is provided by the three lunatic ranch hands of Lomax' quarry, Sam Foley (James Gregory). Their job is simply to follow Lomax and report back to Foley on his progress, and they manage to screw that up pretty badly. The nominal leader of this trio of misfits is Bobby Jay, played way over the top by Robert F. Lyons in a manner that you really want to see him get his, the sooner the better. When Bobby initiates a game of William Tell with Lomax and a prairie family as hostage, it sets up the return favor of Lomax dealing with him in exactly the same way when the tables turn at the Foley ranch."Shootout" is somewhat less than a satisfying Western given it's principal star. Gregory Peck's performance appears tired at times, though there are some good moments with his young charge. The confrontation set up by the story line never occurs, as wacko Bobby takes Foley out in a moment of greed. The showdown between Lomax and Bobby is cleverly done, though the conclusion is never in doubt. But can anyone explain why the housekeeper, given the circumstances, didn't just faint dead away?