Balladeer’s Blog is here with a look at a score of James Garner films. NOTE: The Great Escape is not included, only because Garner was part of an ensemble cast in that movie.
Best remembered for his portrayal of slick-talking gambler/ gunslinger Bret Maverick and Westlake-esque private detective Jim Rockford, Garner inspired the term “marshmallow macho”. That description perfectly captured Garner’s special appeal.
For many American males James Garner and the characters he brought to life represented a happy medium between psychotically macho men and unbearably femmey men. I hate the term “role model” but for lack of a better choice that’s what we’ll go with.
In addition, Garner served in the Korean War and was a Purple Heart earner.
MAVERICK (1994) – Though James Garner was technically playing a supporting role to Mel Gibson in this film, Gibson was portraying Bret Maverick, the character Garner had turned into a sensation in the 1950s. Since this movie would not exist without the cultural cache built up by James’ portrayal of both Bret AND “Pappy” Beauregard Maverick (in old age makeup) this definitely counts as a Garner film. Bret, Pappy and Jody Foster as Annabelle Bransford are among the gambler-gunslingers headed east for St. Louis and a Poker Tournament on a riverboat.
James Coburn plays the Commodore, the host of the tournament.
NECESSARY SPOILER: The lawman character that Garner portrays in the film turns out to really be Pappy Maverick, with Mel Gibson’s Bret simply playing along with his father’s impersonation. FOR MY FULL-LENGTH REVIEW OF THIS FILM CLICK HERE
BARBARIANS AT THE GATE (1993) – In this telefilm based on the best-selling non-fiction book, Jim plays F. Ross Johnson, the real-life president of RJR-Nabisco who unleashed one of the most chaotic and frenzied leveraged buyouts in Wall Street history during the “greed is good” 1980s.
The real Ross Johnson was close with Warren Beatty and other major players in the entertainment industry, which may be why he gets painted in a less villainous light in the movie. (Being played by the ever-charming Garner certainly helps.) In reality FEWER jobs were lost by the ultimately triumphant Henry Kravis’ LBO plan than would have been lost if Johnson came out on top.
Teddy Forstmann, the lone Wall Street figure of the 80s who was a voice in the wilderness condemning LBOs and the damage they did to the economy, gets depicted as a virtual loon. Very odd, since Forstmann’s real-life views on LBOs were closer to the sentiments of Larry Gelbart and the others behind this flick than Johnson’s or Kravis’ were.
Ultimately Barbarians at the Gate is a dark comedy classic, it’s true, but read the book if you want the real low-down on the eventful RJR-Nabisco buyout. Continue reading
ANNE OF THE INDIES (1951) – Jean Peters stars as female pirate Captain Anne Providence, commander of the ship Sheba Queen. One day she and her crew seize a British ship in the West Indies. 
I WOKE UP EARLY THE DAY I DIED (1998) – Directed by Aris Iliopulos, this is the film that was made based on that notorious unproduced script written by THE Ed Wood, the master of badfilm behind Glen or Glenda, Plan 9 From Outer Space and more. 
There’s no dialogue, Easter Eggs regarding Wood’s various Golden Turkeys abound and excerpts from the actual screenplay appear on screen at times in case viewers are skeptical that the weirdness they’re witnessing really was in the original script. 
SWORDSMAN OF SIENA (1962) – In the Spanish-controlled Italian states of the 1500s, English mercenary Thomas Stanswood (Stewart Granger) is currently employed by the Italian nobles of Siena. The resented Don Carlos (Riccardo Garrone), Imperial Governor of Siena, is forcing a political marriage between himself and the beautiful Orietta Arconti (Sylva Koscina). 
Meanwhile, Orietta’s younger sister Serenella falls in love with the mercenary and can tell his sympathies really lean toward the rebels, like hers do. Amid action and intrigues in which Thomas saves Orietta from the rebels called the Ten, Serenella gets killed by Don Carlos’ men. 
THE BLACK KNIGHT (1954) – During the time of Camelot, King Arthur and Guenevere, a blacksmith and swordsmith named John (Alan Ladd) is in love with Lady Linet (Patricia Medina). John has no chance of winning her as a mere blacksmith, so he forges a special sword for himself and is covertly taught fencing, riding and jousting by a sympathetic knight named Sir Ontzlake (Andre Morell). 
John the Blacksmith accidentally stumbles upon part of the villains’ schemes and tries to warn King Arthur but isn’t believed against the word of King Mark and a Knight of the Round Table. Sir Ontzlake helps the now fugitive John adopt a false identity called the Black Knight. Using that nom de guerre, Alan Ladd repeatedly foils the villainy of King Mark and Sir Palamides. 
THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940) – Tyrone Power starred in this semi-remake of 
Not even Diego’s father knows about his son’s dual identity, so he is just as contemptuous of the cowardly, buffoonish figure he pretends to be as everyone else. Eligible ladies of California look down on Diego, too, despite his family’s wealth. They all have the hots for the dashing Zorro who strikes the oppressors with his sword, pistols and whip, then vanishes into the night. 
STRAIGHT TALK (1992) 
THE FLAME AND THE ARROW (1950) – In 1100s Lombardy, evil Count Ulrich (Frank Allenby) rules on behalf of Emperor Frederick the First. Ulrich abuses his power and even takes the unfaithful wife of Dardo Bartoli (Burt Lancaster) into his own court as one of his mistresses. This drives archer and swordsman Dardo into opposition against him. 
Dardo now goes all out against the Count, leading rebels both high born and low in Robin Hood style banditry against Ulrich from an old Roman fortress in the hills. At one point Dardo and his allies abduct Count Ulrich’s niece Anne (Virginia Mayo) in hopes of exchanging her for Rudi. The Count instead captures Dardo’s father and several other villagers, threatening to kill them all unless the rebel and outlaw surrenders. 
TREASURE OF THE GOLDEN CONDOR (1953) – Cornel Wilde stars as the swordsman Jean-Paul, a Frenchman whose evil uncle the Marquis de St. Malo (George Macready) robs of his royal title and his inherited lands. He flees France and sails for Guatemala. 
