Massey kills it
he steals the show in every scene. A simply incredible performance.
Best part of the movie. The rest is mostly fluff and bunk, although Van Heflin provides some good moments.
share
MovieChat Forums > Santa Fe Trail (1940) Discussion > Massey kills it
Yep, it was pure Old Testament. I thought he was Moses at one point.
shareYes, for me Massey made the movie.
shareWas thinking of starting a new thread, but no need.
I don't really care that this film isn't historically accurate. It's a movie. It's entertainment, not history.
And yep, Massey KILLS it in every single scene.
Massey's depiction of Brown on the scaffold burns up the screen and captures the man's zeal. The best thing in the movie. Next best is Curtiz's amazing direction of the battle scene. Sure, the movie makes the minor fracas that really occurred look like the battle of Waterloo but it's one of the best action scenes ever.
shareFor me, it's pretty much every scene he's in. I've seen a lot of his films, from Things to Come to Arsenic and Old Lace. And for me, his performance in this one *rules* all others. There's something in his delivery in this film that pushes his performance to another level.
I think your use of the word "zeal" is perfect here. Very descriptive and absolutely accurate.
And as to Curtiz, well...all I can say is, I wish my resume looked like his...
agreed
share