The Rare Breed


Starring: James Stewart, Maureen O'Hara, Brian Keith, Juliet Mills
Directed by: Andrew V. McLaglen
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Western
1966

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An English lady (Maureen O'Hara) comes to the West to introduce her prize bull's bloodline into the cow population there. An experienced cowboy (James Stewart) at first laughs at the idea, but begins to fall for the woman and her idealistic plan.

Review:

Tim: This is a fairly decent Western. It has quite a few intense and memorable scenes, but the film as a whole is somewhat unremarkable. In many ways, it feels like the movie has all supporting actors, but no leading ones. The main characters all take a back seat at one time or another to the others. Plus, the film has one of the most un-Western storylines of any Western I've ever seen. It is actually a little strange.

James Stewart is decent, but there is not a whole lot for him to do in this unglamorous role. He has a few bright spots, but he feels too much like a supporting character. Maureen O'Hara and Juliet Mills are good as a mother and daughter. Brian Keith steals the show in a charasmatic, enjoyable, and somewhat out-of-place performance.

The story is somewhat interesting, about the attempt to introduce a new breed of cattle into the West. The plot is a bit confusing and more than a little anti-climactic. However, it is just interesting enough to keep us interested until the film ends.

There are some very good scenes- the stampede scene is pretty fantastic, and Stewart's search for the bull in the blizzard is a great bit of filmmaking. However, this film suffers a bit from an identity crisis- it never fully explores any aspect of itself. Still, with a good cast, this Western is still very deserving of a look.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Destry Rides Again, Winchester '77, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Man From Laramie