Michael Winner and Charles Bronson on the set of DEATH WISH (1974)
My wife and I spent some time at the pool at the country club today to celebrate the end of summer. I took Michael Winner’s autobiography, “Winner Takes All,” to read while Stacy worked on her tan. It’s an enjoyable read, and Charles Bronson is featured prominently throughout the book as he starred in 6 films directed by Winner. Of course, their most popular collaborations were the first 3 DEATH WISH films. My friend Henry Brooks wrote “CHARLES BRONSON: More than a Vigilante, THE MUSICAL” a couple of years back. One of his songs is all about Winner, Bronson and their blockbuster collaboration! It seemed appropriate to share that with you today. Enjoy, my friends! And by the way, that’s actor Steven Weber playing Charles Bronson!
Born in extremely humble circumstances on September 3, 1913, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Alan Ladd would eventually become a successful film star of the 1940’s and 1950’s. He passed away at just 50 years of age on January 29, 1964. I’ve enjoyed many of his films in the past so today I celebrate the man with 4 shots from some of his notable films. Thanks for the memories, Alan!
This Gun for Hire (1942)The Great Gatsby (1949)Shane (1953)Drum Beat (1954)
One of my favorite actors, James Coburn, was born on August 31, 1928, and he passed away on November 18, 2002. To celebrate and acknowledge the legend’s birthday, I thought I’d share one of my favorite scenes, and that’s his character’s introduction in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. What makes the scene so impressive is that it comes in on the heels of the badass intro of Bernardo O’Reilly (Charles Bronson) and somehow manages to top it. Enjoy!
I remember where I was when I heard the news that Charles Bronson passed away on August 30, 2003. I was standing outside of my parents’ cabin watching the South Fourche River roll by, when my sister came out and told me that a news report had just come across the TV. My family was there celebrating the Labor Day holiday. The cabin has always been my place of peace, and I guess you can say it was the perfect place to get the news.
In honor of the importance of this day in my life, I thought I would share a couple of scenes that I love from my two favorite Bronson films.
First comes a scene from MR. MAJESTYK where Al Lettier’s mobster tries to bully Majestyk. It doesn’t work out so well for the bully.
Next comes an early scene from HARD TIMES where a smirking opponent underestimates Bronson’s seasoned character of Chaney. Once again, things don’t go well for the smartass.
I’ll never be able to fully explain why I developed a healthy obsession for Charles Bronson when I was a kid growing up in the 1980’s and why that obsession still persists to this day. I may try to put that down on paper someday before I die, but today is not that day. Today, I just want to celebrate my movie hero with some of my favorite films and moments.
Last year around this time, I was sitting poolside at a resort in Maui when I wrote about Charles Bronson’s career in the 1950’s. A year later, I’m sitting on the beach in Perdido Key, FL, and it seems like the perfect time to write about Bronson in the 1960’s! Holy hell… a guy just caught a shark!!
Random Beach Guy with Shark – He released the Shark back into the ocean right after I took this pic!
Back to Bronson, the 1960’s were a pivotal decade in Charles Bronson’s personal life and career. As the decade started, he was headlining his own TV series, MAN WITH A CAMERA, although that show’s run would end in 1960. He would also have a memorable supporting role in the classic western, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960). His portrayal of Bernardo O’Reilly would be one of the most heroic of the film. This type of supporting performance would come to be a staple for Bronson throughout the 1960’s.
Charles Bronson and Yul Brynner in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960)
For the most part, it seems that Charles Bronson’s career would settle into a series of important co-starring roles in both television and in major motion pictures. The most important of these movies were his excellent performances in classics like THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963) and THE DIRTY DOZEN (1967). He also had important supporting roles in popular films like KID GALAHAD (1962) with Elvis Presley, THE SANDPIPER (1965) with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, and THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED (1966) with Natalie Wood and Robert Redford.
Charles Bronson and Natalie Wood in THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED (1966)
On TV, he was performing in prominent “guest star” roles in classic TV series like ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, BONANZA, GUNSMOKE, RAWHIDE, and THE F.B.I. He also had turned into an actor who would join a TV series already in progress to help class it up some. He would provide that service to EMPIRE (1962-1963), starring Richard Egan and Ryan O’Neal, as well as THE TRAVELS OF JAIMIE MCPHEETERS (1963-1964) starring a young Kurt Russell. While he seemed to be everywhere, and there were some exceptions, it seemed he was always the guest star and never the star. This was very frustrating for an actor who had already spent over a decade providing strong support to bigger stars, while his contemporaries like Steve McQueen and James Coburn were headlining their own films. But things were about to change in a big way for Bronson, in both his personal life and professional life.
Kurt Russell and Charles Bronson in THE TRAVELS OF JAIMIE MCPHEETERS Television series
First, his personal life… Charles Bronson had been married to Harriet Tendler Bronson from 1949 to 1965. He met Jill Ireland on the set of THE GREAT ESCAPE in 1962 when she was there with her then-husband David McCallum, who was also starring in the film. Legend has it that Bronson told McCallum that he was going to “marry his wife,” but who really knows what’s fact and what’s fiction when it comes to Hollywood. Regardless, Bronson and Ireland would both get divorced in the sixties and marry each other on October 5th, 1968. They were a true Hollywood love story and would be inseparable until her death from breast cancer in 1990.
Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland
Jill Ireland turned out to be crucial in the success of Charles Bronson’s career. She was able to convince him to accept some of the offers that he had been receiving to go to Europe where he could finally be the “star” of his movies. The first of these films was FAREWELL, FRIEND (1968), where he would co-star with international superstar Alain Delon. Delon had specifically requested Bronson based on his strong performance a decade earlier in Roger Corman’s MACHINE GUN KELLY. Bronson would steal the film from Delon and it would be a huge box office hit across Europe. Suddenly, Bronson found himself to be a sex symbol across the continent. When I was a kid in the 80’s, this movie was only available on terrible VHS tapes under the title HONOR AMONG THIEVES. I didn’t fully appreciate how important it was to Bronson’s career until decades later.
Charles Bronson and Alain Delon in FAREWELL, FRIEND (1968)
Bronson’s next film would turn him into a true international stud when he would play Harmonica in Sergio Leone’s ultimate masterpiece ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968). His incredible screen presence would dominate a film that featured excellent performances from Henry Fonda, Jason Robards and possibly the most beautiful woman on earth, Claudia Cardinale. Leone had wanted to work with Bronson for years, including all three films in the “Dollars” trilogy, but it had never worked out. While their film was butchered for its American release, it was a monster hit all across Europe and Bronson would be one of the biggest stars on the planet for the next decade.
Charles Bronson in ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968)
The 1960’s turned out to be a great decade for Charles Bronson. He married the love of his life and became one of the biggest movie stars in the world, even if he wasn’t fully appreciated in his home country yet. But we’ll get to that next when we discuss the 1970’s, his most successful decade of all!
My wife is due a good, relaxing vacation at the beach. Back in June, we took off from central Arkansas in our Toyota Camry, eventually making our way to the Canadian border and back home over the course of about 9 days. We drove around 3,500 miles with stops in Nashville, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, White River Junction (VT), Niagara Falls, Louisville, and Memphis. We had a blast, and it was a special trip, but we were worn out when we got home. Well next week I’m taking her to the beautiful white sands of Perdido Key, FL. She told me that she may not want to leave the condo all week! While I suspect that may not be completely true, I do understand her desire to relax with a beautiful view, a brisk gulf breeze, and a few opportunities to dig her toes into the sand. We can’t wait!
I’m also looking forward to settling in with a few of the entertainment related books on my shelf. I’m definitely taking these three:
“Boxed In – Trapped in 80’s Television,” by Fanacek: I’ve read the first 100 pages of this exhaustively researched book on 80’s TV. It’s a very funny read, and it’s full of so much good info, especially for someone like me who went from 7 to 17 during that decade. I literally grew up on the shows he discusses. And just in case you’re worried I’ll finish it too early in the week, rest easy because it’s about 750 pages long. I may not get to anything else!!
“Marlon Brando – Hollywood Rebel,” by Burt Kearns: I must confess that I don’t know as much about Marlon Brando as I should, especially if I want to call myself a serious film buff. Burt has been a guest on the This Week in Charles Bronson podcast a couple of times, and I enjoyed his book on troubled Hollywood tough guy Lawrence Tierney. I think he’ll be the perfect guide as I enter the world of Brando.
“Winner Takes All – a life of sorts,” by Michael Winner: I really need to read this one. Michael Winner directed the first three DEATH WISH films, and a total of six Charles Bronson films, so I know there will be a lot of good information on my movie hero. Winner also directed a lot of other good movies and even spent time as a restaurant/ food critic in his later years. It’s well past time for me to cross this one off the list.
There are others that I’ll probably take as well, such as Dwayne Epstein’s “Killin’ Generals: The Making of the Dirty Dozen” and “Lee Van Cleef” by Mike Malloy. I can definitely see some Brad’s Book Reviews in the near future! I’m just excited to have some time to slow down, relax and read about the people who interest me.
It was such an honor getting to meet Val McCallum this summer in Vermont. He wrote this beautiful song about Charles Bronson called “Charlie’s Coal” that he included on his 2019 album Chateauguay. It’s a moving tribute to his dad. I still can’t believe that I had the good fortune to be able hear him perform this live at the Skunk Hollow Tavern. His cousin Lindsay told me later that he wasn’t going to sing that night but decided to when he met me and my wife and found out we were visiting the area there to pay tribute to Bronson. What a great guy!
I thought I would share it with you today! I hope you enjoy!
Charlie’s Coal
Follow the highway, follow the heart, to the green hills of ScoopTown, where my daddy grew up. Working down in the darkness, hauling out the coal. Stays on your skin, never leaves your soul.
Digging coal, black coal, from down in that hole. Digging coal, black coal, makes the engines roll.
He dreamed of a woman, so blonde and so fair. So, he had to go find her, climbing up out of there. Together they handled, any twist in the road.It strengthens your life, when you share the load.
When daddy wasn’t well, she knew just what to do.Held him in her arms, ‘til the night turned blue.Made a fire in the fireplace from some of his coal. Power from so long ago.
I live by the ocean, California dream.He lives under the earth now, what he left isn’t seen. He gave me my first guitar. I still remember that day.I still see him smile, every time I play.It gets into your heart, never goes away.
Digging coal, black coal, down in that hole. Digging coal, pure gold, makes the engines roll. Daddy’s coal, pure gold. May the cameras roll.
RUN OF THE ARROW opens with confederate sharpshooter O’Meara (Rod Steiger) shooting the final shot of the Civil War. With no war to fight and with a heart full of hate for the Yankees, O’Meara declares himself to be a man without a country and heads west. When he’s captured by a band of Sioux warriors led by Crazy Wolf (H.M. Wynant), he invokes the “run of the arrow”, a ritualistic game that could save his life. The problem… no one has ever survived the run of the arrow, but today’s his lucky day as he’s wounded but survives just long enough to be saved by the beautiful Yellow Moccasin (Sarita Montiel). She nurses him back to health and presents him to her tribal chief, Blue Buffalo (Charles Bronson), who eventually allows O’Meara and Yellow Moccasin to get married. Things seem to be going so well, too well. When Crazy Wolf starts another violent campaign against the American army, O’Meara must decide if he’s a Sioux warrior willing to kill American soldiers, or if there’s a part of him that can still love his country?
In RUN OF THE ARROW, director Samuel Fuller made a movie about the damage that occurs when human beings allow their hearts to be so filled with hate that they quit caring about other people. It’s also about what happens when those same people run into rational people, and we find out if they’re capable of considering the possibility that their own hate has blinded them from the truth. In other words, it’s a film that’s possibly more relevant today than it was when it was made in 1957. Bitterness and hate are represented by the characters of O’Meara (Steiger), Crazy Wolf (Wynant), and Lieutenant Driscoll (Ralph Meeker). O’Meara hates Yankees, Crazy Wolf hates the white man, and Driscoll hates the Indians. The rational people are the characters of Yellow Moccasin (Montiel), Blue Buffalo (Bronson), and Captain Clark (Brian Keith). Yellow Moccasin saves O’Meara when everyone else would have just let him die. Blue Buffalo engages in honest conversation with O’Meara and even welcomes him into their tribe. Captain Clark shows O’Meara an empathetic ear and kindness when others have told him to just get over himself. The actions and fates of the characters play out against this dynamic of hatred versus humanity, with the results underscoring just how tragic it is when people focus on the things that separate us rather than the things that unite us. It’s all so unnecessary, but it’s also a realistic vision of the world we live in. The film also struck me as particularly violent for a 50’s western, which also underscores that reality.
Some of the performances are very effective in the film. Rod Steiger’s Irish, confederate Sioux is an interesting character and the actor gives it his all as you’d expect. I’m a big fan of Steiger and his performance here only solidifies my respect for him. Brian Keith’s Captain Clark arrives fairly late in the proceedings and comes across as a tough, but honest man of integrity at a point when the movie really needs him. He has an excellent scene with Steiger where he debates the old confederate’s reasons for renouncing his citizenship with both sound logic, empathy, kindness and a hint of likable sarcasm all at the same time. It’s one of the best scenes in the film. And likewise, Charles Bronson, the most buff Hollywood Indian to ever strip down to a loincloth, comes across as a reasonable and kind tribal chief in his dealings. Bronson had played American Indians before, but he was usually more of the renegade, warpath variety, so it was nice seeing him as a good guy here. H.M. Wynant took the renegade Sioux warrior role here which you might have expected for Bronson at the time. He’s suitably fierce but one-dimensional. The same can be said for Ralph Meeker as Lieutenant Driscoll. He’s pretty much just a stereotypical jerk. He’s good at being a jerk though! And Sarita Montiel, voiced by Angie Dickinson, is quite the beauty as Yellow Moccasin.
I’ve recently heard RUN OF THE ARROW compared to Kevin Costner’s DANCES WITH WOLVES, and there are definitely similarities. I won’t go into all of those here, but one of the things I appreciated the most about RUN OF THE ARROW is the fact that the movie makes its feelings known about politics. In a movie filled with characters who have had their lives upended by the various decisions of political leaders, Fuller has crafted a story that focuses most sharply on defining the quality of men based on what’s in their “hearts.” When it’s all said and done, oftentimes the only control we have is the way we respond to the events in our lives, and that’s not politics, it’s personal. To drive this home, an older scout named Walking Coyote tells O’Meara that he could have been a chief if he had wanted to be. When O’Meara pushes him on why he didn’t want the position, Walking Coyote responds with, “Because I hate politics!” On that point, I couldn’t agree more.
My title may be a little misleading, but I always find it fascinating when certain iconic individuals work together on screen. Tom Laughlin and Charles Bronson crossed paths early in both of their careers, with Laughlin accomplishing something that very few actors would be able to claim later on… he knocked out Bronson!
It all goes back to the pilot episode of Charles Bronson’s T.V. series MAN WITH A CAMERA, titled “Second Avenue Assassin,” which premiered on October 10th, 1958. In that first episode, Mike Kovac (Charles Bronson) wants to get a picture of his old neighborhood pal, Joey Savoyan (Tom Laughlin). Joey has risen in the boxing ranks, and is getting a title shot at the champ, Sal Benning. But it seems that success has changed Joey from the guy Mike knew, and there have been many reports that he’s turned into a jerk who’d rather punch a reporter or photographer than look at them. When Mike goes to Joey’s training camp and proceeds to tell him that his attitude is an embarrassment to the people pulling for him back home, Joey gets pissed and the two men end up in the ring. Apparently, Mike could whip him back in the day, but times have changed and after absorbing a few of Mike’s jabs, Joey lays his ass out cold with one punch. The photograph that makes the papers that night is Mike lying flat on his back with the headline “Joey Savoyan puts ace photographer in darkroom!” There’s more to the story, and Bronson and Laughlin end up working together, but not many characters have knocked Bronson out and got to live to tell about it!
In celebration of Laughlin’s 95th birthday in badass heaven, I decided to share that video with you today. Enjoy!
Through the Shattered Lens 