Cebalord Very best movie i ever watch

BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Crwthod A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Spikeopath 1845 Texas, Independent, survived Alamo, Goliad and San Jacinto ... But Annexation? Quite often the joy in being a fan of genre film making, in this case Westerns/Southerns et al, is that a pic can coerce you into reading up on real instances. Thus making this particular picture a requisite requirement for literature delving.Directed by Vincent Sherman and written by Borden Chase (who would supposedly be irked by the depiction of his writing) and Howard Estabrook, Lone Star comes off as an "A" list film given "B" list production values. Nothing wrong with cast performances, Gable still has charisma in his fifties, Gardner oozes sexuality and Crawford dominates like a great presence should. However, it looks stagy, is overly talky as the makers try to make a politico pot boiler out of a sow's behind, while the action - in spite of a grandiose battering ram finale - just doesn't have an oomph factor.Romantic love triangle feels pointless in the context of such historical filmic tellings, but this is off set by the Sam Houston and Native American splinter of the narrative. Rendering this as a frustrating whole, not without merits, and above average for sure, but difficult to recommend as one to seek out as a must. 6/10

jpdoherty A somewhat underrated and dismissed western is MGM's LONE STAR. Produced in 1952 by Z. Wayne Griffen for the studio it isn't really that bad despite receiving only fair to mediocre reviews and lacking Technicolor which would have given it an added richness it could have perhaps done with. Nevertheless it is still an entertaining little western thanks mostly to to an engaging performance from Clark Gable in the leading role. This was the actor's first real attempt at a western. A genre the star rarely ventured into which is more the pity since he looked well astride a horse and tottin' a sixgun. Four years later he was in his best western effort in Fox's "The Tall Men". From a magazine story by Bordan Chase LONE STAR was nicely written for the screen by Chase and Harold Eastabrook, was crisply photographed in monochrome by Harold Rossen and had workmanlike direction by Vincent Sherman.It is 1845 and the state of Texas is in turmoil. The people are divided. Some want Texas to be an independent state. Others want to secede to the union. Ex President Andrew Jackson (Lionel Barrymore) appoints cattleman and adventurer Devereaux Burke (Gable) to seek out Sam Houston (Moroni Olson) and obtain his support in joining the union. But hardened Texan Tom Craden (Brodrick Crawford) is totally against annexation and has many like minded followers who will oppose it by armed conflict if necessary. After Burke saves Craden from marauding Indians the two become friends and even vie with each other for the affections of Austin newspaper editor the lovely Martha Ronda (Ava Gardner). However when Craden hears who Burke is and learns of his intended mission the two sides go into battle on the streets of Austin (a well executed sequence) culminating in an excellent and exhaustive hand to hand fight scene between the two antagonists.Performances are generally good throughout. Gable is his usual appealing self. His winning screen presence as engaging as ever. Good too is Crawford in that blustery style he was known for. And as always lovely to look at is the ravishing Ava Gardner. Also of some note is the terrific music score by David Buttolph. A prolific composer, arranger and conductor Buttolph was born in 1902 and arrived in Hollywood in the mid-thirties. He was an excellent and underrated composer! His voluminous output numbers over 200 films but he never gained the status or reputation of his more illustrious counterparts such as Newman, Rozsa, Steiner or Tiomkin. He worked mostly on a freelance basis between the major studios. At Fox he wrote memorable and striking title music for "Kiss Of Death" and "Boomerang" both 1947 and that same year would conceive what would become his masterpiece with his exceptional score for "The Foxes Of Harrow". Over at Warner Brothers he would often step into the shoes of Max Steiner when the busy resident composer was over committed. Some of his standout scores for Warners were "Colorado Territory" (1949) and the Randolph Scott westerns "Carson City" (1952) and his delightful music for "Westbound" in 1959. That same year he would put together an array of rousing cavalry songs in his score for the John Ford classic "The Horse Soldiers". For LONE STAR at MGM he wrote a robust and vigorous anthem for the emblem of the lone star state and alongside some vibrant action music the score also features an elegant, lyrical and attractive love theme fetchingly vocalized by Miss Gardner in one scene. David Buttolph died in 1983.LONE STAR is not and never will be regarded as a classic western but it does have moments of real charm especially in the scenes with Gable and Gardner. So with its good production values, its engaging narrative together with an attractive cast it turns out just that little bit better than average.

jpheifer1966 I can't believe all the great stars in this movie. Beulah Bondi, Lionel Barrymore (lookin' like hell), Broderick Crawford, William Conrad (playing a Frenchman) and Clark Gable. I hope I look that good when I'm 50. It's before he became the caricature of himself that he became in later movies. When he puts on his "Clark Gable face," I just cringe. I don't know what it is about Ava, but I can't bear to watch her. She doesn't gnaw on the scenery in this one, so, it's better than, say, Mogambo, or The Hucksters, but still. I think it's my loyalty to Frank Sinatra. It's a lovely movie and I really wish it was filmed in color. Does anyone know where this was filmed?

ma-cortes This big budget Western deals with cattle baron Deveraux (Clark Gable) who his assigned by Andrew Jackson (Lionel Barrymore) to convince Sam Houston for union Texas to United States . A fiery newspaper editor (Ava Gardner) is the woman between Deveraux and the bad guy , Craden (Broderick Crawford) . Deveraux must fight state senators (Crawford , Ed Begley , Russell Simpson) for union to United States.This exciting picture about Texas fights for independence contains Western action , drama , historical happenings , a love story and results to be quite entertaining . Based on a screenplay by Borden chase , a Western expert . Gorgeous Ava Gardner as an intrepid journalist as well as Clark Gable's love interest . Film debut for George Hamilton and secondary acting by William Conrad and Ed Begley . The motion picture was well directed by Vincent Sherman . Also available in horrible computer colorized version . It's partially based on historical deeds about Texas independence, these are the followings : With Mexican permission Stephen Austin brought the first Anglo-American colonists to Texas, the first of many, their numbers grew and they wanted self-government and this desire led to the revolt of 1835, the Texas war for Independence. General Santa Anna, stormed the Alamo, and wiped out the garrison on 6 March 1836. But on 21 April 1836 General Santa Anna suffered a crushing defeat by Sam Houston and was taken prisoner. Texas was declared a Republic in October 1836 and Houston became its first president. In 1845 Texas joined the US, this lead to war with Mexico and disastrous results for that country. Samuel Houston(1793-1863)well performed by Moroni Olsen, was a frontiersman and politician , he went to live with the Cherokees and took a Cherokee wife. After the fall of the Alamo, he managed to keep together a small force and launched a furious surprise attack on the Mexican army of 1300 camped on the western bank of the San Jacinto River. With Texas free and independent republic, Houston was elected the first president. When Texas was admitted to the United States in 1845, Houston was a senator to Washington.