The War Wagon has always struck me as a strange movie - a caper film set in the old west. John Wayne plays John Wayne, assembling a heist crew including Howard Keel as Levi Walking Bear and Robert Walker, Jr as an alcoholic explosives expert.

But the one who steals the whole movie is Kirk Douglas as Lomax, an oversexed gunman who had previously shot and framed the Duke. Its a running gag that Lomax always mounts his horse with style - vaulting on from the back, doing a running side hurdle into the saddle, but my personal favorite is when he effortlessly flies over the horse parked next to his and lands perfectly astride his own. It is clearly KD doing the work, not a stuntman.

He did this at the age of 51, and he is a physical specimen to behold. He's still hanging in now at the age of 99, a WWII vet mustered out for injuries. I'm working my way through his many films, but the joy he brings to The War Wagon always makes my day.

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Rule of law, not a man.

What I always thought was odd was wearing a ring over the glove.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Ha! I loved how he explained to the Mexican girl that his famous chin dimple came from sleeping on that ring!

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Rule of law, not a man.

That's the thing about many of actors of both past and present, they don't have anything to do with their time but stay in shape. It's not like they have a job to go to.

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- Change it back -

I liked him mainly as Spartacus. He doesn't overact/emote as badly as his son Michael, but he's a little too dramatic for my tastes.

Both of them are ardent anti-gunners, even by Hollywood standards.

Someone mentioned his WWII service. From what I read of his background, didn't think he was American then. Who knows what here? Douglas is not his real family name.

He was born in New York as Issur Danielovitch, later he used Izzy Demsky, but was Kirk Douglas when he joined the Navy in 1941. He was blown up on a sub chaser by his own ship's depth charge and discharged for injuries in 1943.

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Rule of law, not a man.

Well, in a way that IS their job...actors are generally more appealing on screen if they are fit, so they work out to keep themselves in peak shape.

Seven Days in May is one of my favorites of his movies.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

I couldn't get the idea to just shoot the dang horses out of my mind.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Kirk Douglas did much more than just stay in shape, such as helping to end the Hollywood blacklist. For younger forum members, the Wikipedia article on him is well worth reading, if you like history of all types.

Remember the 80's film Tough Guys with Burt Lancaster? Not a great film, but entertaining for us old guys who are rarely depicted as anything but feeble in mind and body.

That's how it would work in the real world and only one would need to be shot. I agree that the movie version was more entertaining. Larry

Just saw his portrayal of Doc Holiday in "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral", and I thought he did a great job with the role. Seeing him acting alongside DeForest Kelly (Dr. McCoy) was pretty cool, not everyone knows that Mr. Kelly constantly played heavies in old westerns.

Been awhile...... but wasn't the idea to separate the War Wagon from the 40(?) outriders?????????????

10 to 1 odds......................plus the Gatling gun......

When I was a kid way before VCR I audio recorded my favorite bits of Spartacus and listened to them just for fun.

"We keep you alive to serve this ship."

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch in Amsterdam, New York.
His parents were Jewish Russian immigrants who adopted the name Demsky. I had no idea. He changed his name to Kirk Douglas when he joined the Navy during WWII.

He was almost railroaded into being a rabbi by his family and community and had to fight hard to become an actor.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

He wasn't an action star in it, as it wasn't an action movie, but my favorite KD film was "The Bad and The Beautiful." It shows up on TCM occasionally. It's really a movie about the movies. The musical theme always gets me. Well worth a watch.

Douglas in the "Villain" as "Cactus" Jack Slade.


What a character,





.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Perhaps his best is the Kubrick film Paths of Glory. Short and sweet anti-war movie about the French in WW1. Run out to see it if you haven't yet.

Lonely are the Brave.
A must watch film for any Kirk Douglas or Western fan.
Walter Matthau and Carol O'Connor too.

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Virtue,Liberty & Independence

A favorite quote of mine from the movie:

(Lomax) "Mine hit the ground first."
(Duke) Mine's taller."

I was one of about 22 people who watched that in theater--loved the movie. Eli Wallach stole the show in every scene he was in-he was the VERY near-sighted mob "hit man."

I appreciate Kirk Douglas for being willing to play good guys, bad guys and everything in between. He was truly a physical specimen and short. Many big stars in the movies are below average height and directors had to frame shots to compensate.

Looking at the OP's original post, either JW is standing in a hole or KD is on a box.

Wayne famously criticized Douglas for not sticking to a positive image in all his films.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

An underappreciated film. First time I saw it--I hated it. Fast forward about 15 years-I saw it again and loved it.

It's funny how ego affects these "stars." I was reading about how Steve McQueen and Yul Brynner had a sort-of feud going while filming "The Magnificent 7." Brynner was self-conscious about the very small difference in his and McQueen's height, even though Brynner was actually 1/2" taller than McQueen. Brynner actually had placed a small mound of dirt he was going to stand on while filming next to McQueen, and before shooting a scene, McQueen would go kick over the mound of dirt. McQueen would also do things to annoy Brynner and divert attention to himself during a scene, like shaking the shotgun shells before loading them, when he and Brynner were getting ready to drive the hearse, or taking off his hat to shade his eyes from the sun. Brynner actually had an assistant count the number of times McQueen touched or took off his hat while filming.

Douglas and Wayne first worked together in the war movie "In Harm's Way" and despite their very different politics, got along well. I think they were real people despite their star status, and not overly burdened with egos.

They were also together in "Cast a Giant Shadow". They probably worked together on others.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

I watched that for the first time last night! George Kennedy is in it, too.

The scene of him practically dragging his horse up a mountain is amazing.

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Rule of law, not a man.

Well said but actually, after filming his last move with Douglas, Duke said if he ever had to work with him again? he'd kill him.

That's kinda like being married...

Duke actuallly used a few choice words when talking about Douglas-bt cant post em for fear of big hammmer coming down on my thumb. :-))

Ben-Hur (9/10) Movie CLIP - Row Well and Live (1959) HD - YouTube