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Wonderful character performance- Edgar Buchanan

posted 17 years ago by jimmygude
17 replies | jump to latest

The character development of the lead actors (Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea)is fantastic in "Ride the High Country", along with the excellent Warren Oates performance. But the acting bravura that surprised and delighted me most in this film was the scene-chewing character acting of Edgar Buchanan as Judge Tolliver. As with his performance in "Penny Serenade" he demonstrates how a focused character actor can purloin an entire picture, proving once again that there may be no small roles, but only small actors. "Ride the High Country" is filled with wonderful character developments. Edgar Buchanan's performance is perhaps one of the most over-looked.

[–] Hancock_the_Superb 17 years ago

Agreed. His little wedding speech is almost touching, and a nice counterpoint to the vulgarity of the scene to come.

PEDECARIS ALIVE OR RAISULI DEAD!

[–] pocomarc 17 years ago

"Wonderful character performance- Edgar Buchanan"

ANY performance by Edgar Buchanan was a wonderful character performance.

WHAT A VOICE he had.

[–] drystyx 17 years ago

Ditto.
It's the character actors like Buchanan that add up to make great movies. True, he played this character a lot. Maybe identical to THE COMMANCHEROS, but he was excellent in this and all his roles.

Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] UN_Jefferson 17 years ago

He will always be Uncle Billy to me.

[–] vinidici 16 years ago

UN_Jefferson: "He will always be Uncle Billy to me."

I think you might have gotten your wires crossed there, UN_J. "Uncle Billy" is a character portrayed by another great character actor, Thomas Mitchell, in "It's A Wonderful Life." Buchannan was "Uncle Joe" on the rural sitcom "Petticoat Junction."

[–] UN_Jefferson 15 years ago

He played Uncle Billy on the Leave it to Beaver show which is what I was referring to.

[–] misspaddylee 16 years ago

When I watch that scene with Randolph Scott regarding the legalities of the judge's right to perform the wedding I harken back to the five other movies these actors appeared in together. Nothing before was ever quite as chilling as that scene. You can tell that they knew this was the goods!

"It's as red as The Daily Worker and just as sore."

[–] vinidici 16 years ago

BTW, I posted about Edgar Buchannan elsewhere, I think in his message board. I wish modern generations of filmgoers had more exposure to the likes of Buchannan, Thomas Mitchell, Charles Coburn, William Demarest, Claude Rains, etc. The likes of these "scene-stealers" are conspicuously and woefully absent in current cinema.

[–] pjwoodall1 16 years ago

I've loved Preston Sturges' films for years. He had a great appreciation for the character actors as did Frank Capra. When I wrote my first screenplay a few years ago there was a tribute to Al Bridge's "Mister" in SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS and a cameo for a friend of mine Ralph Tabakin who appeared in all of Barry Levinson's films until his death.
Aside from Harry Dean Stanton there are many great actors around these days. Peckinpah also had great character actors in his films.

[–] Woodyanders 14 years ago

I agree. Edgar Buchanan was terrific as the pathetic drunken Judge Tolliver. His speech on the sanctity of marriage was simply priceless. Moreover, Percy Helton had a nice bit as wormy banker Luther Sampson.

"We're all part Shatner/And part James Dean/Part Warren Oates/And Steven McQueen"

[–] phrumpster 13 years ago

Just saw Fritz Lang's Human Desire. EB was great in it.

Poets are made by fools like me, but only God can make STD.

[–] FANatic-10 10 years ago

He was great! Besides his sermon, I loved when Randolph Scott roused him awake the next morning. "You fat-gutted old soak", or words to that effect - and Buchanan, its true, made an amazingly convincing old drunk. But this movie was stuffed with fine characters and the actors to play them: R.G. Armstrong, L.Q. Jones, Warren Oates, etc. And of course, tremendous valedictory performances by Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott. A true gem all the way.

[–] MuleDeer 9 years ago

Judge Tolliver's drunken laughing and comments during the dispute in the brothel crack me up every time. "Clear case of breakin' and enterin'.."

[–] eddie-fendel 8 years ago

Buchanan was a great Western supporting actor. Loved that gravelly voice.

[–] ScopeWatcher 8 years ago

Judge Tolliver's wedding speech is one of the highlights within a masterpiece that's packed with brilliance. However, for anyone who doesn't already know, Sam Peckinpah received no writing credit but personally rewrote all the dialogue in the RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY screenplay -- including the significant scriptural quotations traded back and forth between Joshua Knudsen and Steve Judd.

Most great films deserve a more appreciative audience than they get.

[–] eddie-fendel 8 years ago

Very talented man Mr Peckinpah. Yeah the speech was wonderful and quite moving. Beautifully delivered by E B. A fine Western. Great Western stalwarts like Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea went out in style but then I beiieve it was Joel's
penultimate film.