I can’t wait to see this version due to my being in a lifelong thrall to Charles Bickford‘s patented brand of gruffness and to compare his playing of the character of “Robert ‘Bob’ Sangster” to the naughty rascal played by Chester Morris and John Wayne in later versions. Btw, during filming in the Wyler chosen location in the Mojave Desert in the blistering August 1929 heat for the Bickford version, the star and the neophyte director almost came to blows over a long tracking shot featuring the actor dragging his rifle through the sand, which Wyler wanted, in his usual fashion, to film multiple times.

Charles Bickford finally refused to do it, saying “it was lousy”, so Wyler got it done when he wasn’t around using another actor in the distance. The effectiveness of that scene was among those that alerted the studio that there might be a new kind of director on the lot. And it only took 28 years for Wyler to hire Bickford again for The Big Country (1958), which was done at the behest of Gregory Peck when Wyler resisted.

They almost came to blows again during that shoot too. There’s nothing like mellowing with age, eh?

Thanks for this great shout-out to gems on the schedule!

A few months ago I was extolling the virtues of “These Three” to some friends who became very upset with me at its lack of availability. TCM just saved those relationships.

I’ll be watching “Maytime”. I’ll cry, but I’ll be watching “Maytime”.