SCFZ poll: Anthony Mann

[flip]

Polling the films of director Anthony Mann

The rules:

- your list can include no more than half of the Mann films you've seen, up to a maximum of 5. So if you've seen seven of his films, for example, you can list only a top 3. It's only if you've seen ten or more of his films than you can list the maximum of five.

- i'll assume ballots are ranked unless you tell me otherwise. unranked ballots are fine.

- deadline for ballots: next Friday, in seven days, whatever day that is

- if anyone is watching films for these polls, then i'll extend the deadline three days, if someone requests an extension

- next poll: whoever posts the first ballot in this thread is free to nominate the director we poll next, unless you've nominated in this round already (everyone should get a chance). Already nominated this round: nrh

umbugbene created an index on letterboxd of all of our previous polls here: letterboxd.com/umbugbene/list/index-of-all-scfz-director-polls/

one rule for nominees: at least 3 scfzers need to have seen 10+ of a nominee's films, or at least 4 scfzers need to have seen at least 8 of the nom's films, so if it isn't clear if that will be the case, we'll confirm that's true before moving forward

if 24 hours pass after a poll opens, and no one eligible to nominate has posted a ballot, then i'll nominate someone, and then we'll start over, and everyone will be able to nominate again

[flip]

whoever (besides me) posts the first ballot in this poll, please go ahead and nominate our next director -- unless you don't want to, in which case please mention that so the next person knows they can.

[brian d]

seen 12

the man from laramie
winchester 73
the far country
bend of the river
the naked spur


if i'm first, i say we go with pasolini next.

[flip]

Winchester '73
Raw Deal
Bend of the River
The Man from Laramie
The Far Country

seen thirteen

[flip]

pasolini will be our next poll!

[wba2]

Not exactly a fan (or particularly impressed, so far)

01. He Walked by Night (1948)
02. Bend of the River (1952)

Mann seen: 6

[Umbugbene]

Seen 8

From what I can remember, I'll vote for:

1. Border Incident
2. Raw Deal

[kanafani]

Seen 18 from the Mann.

Winchester ’73
The Naked Spur
Bend of the River
T-Men
Raw Deal

[mesnalty]

I've seen 3, but I'll probably watch Man of the West tonight so I can vote for 2.

[...]

Seen 27, Mann used to be a real favorite of mine, along with Aldrich, when I was into a sort of masculinist critique phase. Still like both of them, but some of the ardor has cooled for that kind of filmmaking. Mann's excellent at what he does though, with some scenes of exceeding power and always seeming to manage to create a tonal unity, where the whole feels even greater. I'm not quite sure though that I find the general attitude as convincing a point of view as I once did, with some of the westerns feeling a little less satisfying on somewhat more recent rewatch, perhaps its because so much of the attitude has been taken on so completely by the culture at large in the US, that the weaknesses of it have become more apparent or maybe just that I've grown older and have found subtler perspectives have a more lasting appeal. Still, the best of Mann is pretty great and he gets some exceptional performances from his actors, with Aldo Ray's in Men in War being a particular favorite of mine. Be that as it may, I'm currently more interested in his movies that aren't as seamless in tone, the one's that push back a bit against Mann's approach.

Men in War
Bend of the River
The Fall of the Roman Empire
God's Little Acre
The Glenn Miller Story

[thoxans]

the naked spur
bend of the river
winchester '73

*seen six (i luv his economy, conveying so much so simply, yet starkly, a little boetticher, a little hawks, but a little more expressionistic than either)

[Curtis, baby]

Seen 18

Winchester 73
Man of the west
The man from Laramie
Border incident
Desperate

[Caracortada]

Seen 7.

1. The Man from Laramie
2. El Cid
3. The Glenn Miller Story

[mesnalty]

Seen 4:

1. Man of the West
2. The Naked Spur

[rischka]

i have...21. i blame john alton

the man from laramie
raw deal
the furies
bend of the river
he walked by night

[Curtis, baby]

seen 12

the man from laramie
winchester 73
the far country
bend of the river
the naked spur


if i'm first, i say we go with pasolini next.

Just realized you voted for the five Jimbo flicks...fire!

[St. Gloede]

Seen 23:


The Naked Spur
Bend of the River
Men of the West
The Furies
Reign of Terror (had to add one non-Western ...)

[greennui]

Seen 2.

Raw Deal

[Evelyn Library P.I.]

1. The Naked Spur
2. Raw Deal

Only seen 5 at press time, though I hope to watch em 'all one day soon (maybe, this summer?) as Mann's the kind of Hollywood genre director yours truly goes ga-ga over.

[brian d]

seen 12

the man from laramie
winchester 73
the far country
bend of the river
the naked spur

Just realized you voted for the five Jimbo flicks...fire!

which is strange because he always seems miscast in a western to me. but hey, if the movie’s good, it’s good.

[wba2]

seen 12

the man from laramie
winchester 73
the far country
bend of the river
the naked spur

Just realized you voted for the five Jimbo flicks...fire!

which is strange because he always seems miscast in a western to me. but hey, if the movie’s good, it’s good.

Same here. Stewart as a (western) hero... weeeeell....
But BEND OF THE RIVER was outstanding.

[oscarwerner]

seen 17. So many films and i like some of his films, where he wasn`t credited. But i doubt if it is ok to vote for such movies.
1. Winchester '73 (1950)
2. The Tin Star (1957)
3. The Naked Spur (1953)
4. The Glenn Miller Story (1954)
5. Raw Deal (1948)
Finally i decided his western films are the best in his career for me, but tried to add something different as well to my list.

[ofrene]

seen 4

1. Man of the West
2. Raw Deal

[john ryan]

Seen a bunch

1. The Naked Spur
2. The Man from Laramie
3. Man of the West
4. Winchester '73
5. El Cid

[Silga]

Seen 4:

Winchester '73
Raw Deal

[flip]

results

1. Winchester '73 (1950) -- 29 pts
2. The Naked Spur (1953) -- 24 pts
3. The Man from Laramie (1955) -- 22 pts
4. Bend of the River (1952) -- 21 pts
5. Raw Deal (1948) -- 15 pts
6. Man of the West (1958) -- 14 pts
7. Men in War (1957) -- 5 pts
7. The Furies (1950) -- 5 pts
9. The Far Country (1954) -- 4 pts
9. Border Incident (1949) -- 4 pts
9. The Tin Star (1957) -- 4 pts
9. The Glenn Miller Story (1954) -- 4 pts
13. El Cid (1961) -- 3 pts
13. The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) -- 3 pts
13. He Walked by Night (1948) -- 3 pts
13. Strange Impersonation (1946) -- 3 pts
13. T-Men (1947) -- 3 pts
18. God's Little Acre (1958) -- 2 pts
18. Railroaded! (1947) -- 2 pts
19. Desperate (1947) -- 1 pt
19. Reign of Terror (1949) -- 1 pt

[Lencho of the Apes]

Strange Impersonation
Railroaded
T-Men

Not a great fan of his westerns. Seen nine.

[flip]

i added that in, if only to get votes for two new films, didn't change the top ten at all

[Curtis, baby]

I've been meaning to see Railroaded for about 8 years now. And it's only 72 minutes. This Noirvember, there is NO EXCUSE

[Lencho of the Apes]

Oh, oops. I wasn't paying attention.. No sweat, Flip.