If you ever find yourself near Telluride, Colorado visit Dunton Hot Springs a former gold mining camp, pull up a stool and enjoy a drink at the Saloon where Butch and the Kid carved their names into the wooden bar top
Hey Luke, love the movie. Loved this piece. And, dig the Chatwin references (he’s a mixed bag…part outageously unreliable narrator and part brilliant wordsmith).
I too have a soft spot for Bruce Chatwin. Yup one of the best of that generation of wonderful travel writers. A great aunt of mine (Rosita Forbes) was in her day a well known traveller writing romantic novels - made a fortune , then disappears into obscurity . Shows it’s a genre that really does change over generations
I loved this film. I remember seeing it soon after it came out. It was of its time. Music also was brilliant. It was funny and sad at the same time. Thanks for reminding me of the mention in In Patagonia. I still love Bruce Chatwin though my favourite was On the Black Hill. Having grown up in North East Wales and then spent most of my adult life in different counties in the Welsh Marches I found it very relatable.
Yes, nostalgia, and some of the scenes are a wee bit long :) - still a long time favorite... even if I prefer The Sting. Nice to see you mention Bruce Chatwin ... unfashionable, eh? Lord help us... The Songlines was a shock to the system. I haven't reread it in a long time, I wonder if I'll still be bowled over. Or should I leave it alone, in a closed box of treasures?
I'm afraid he really is. I don't think he holds the same literary status, as say, thirty years ago. First Edition prices for Chatwin are now incredibly cheap. You can buy The Songlines (rather good d/j) for a mere £30. And I think First Edition prices tend to mirror an author's fashionable status. Which is bad news for me- as I have a complete set of Chatwin Firsts. One of my all-time favourite writers.
There are two 'westerns' that are firmly fixed in my mind from my teenage visits to the cinema. This film that I saw not long after its release in the UK in early 1970 and the very different Soldier Blue that I saw a year later (although technically I was underage to see the latter - given its X rating in the UK)
A criminal offence not to have mentioned Pat Garret and Billy the Kid. Peckinpah’s revisionist masterpiece (1973). Great as always but always felt this film couldn’t make up its mind and was too cute fit its own good. Very enjoyable though.
Well... v. difficult to squeeze the complete history of the Western in a shortish Substack post. So I picked out a few which, I hope, illustrate my point.
Triggers lovely soft focus memories, Luke.
If you ever find yourself near Telluride, Colorado visit Dunton Hot Springs a former gold mining camp, pull up a stool and enjoy a drink at the Saloon where Butch and the Kid carved their names into the wooden bar top
Thanks for the tip.... sounds great.
Time to make some popcorn and introduce my 10 year old to this film.
He watched Annie Hall with me on Friday and loved it.
Sophisticated taste! EXCELLENT. Love it.
Hey Luke, love the movie. Loved this piece. And, dig the Chatwin references (he’s a mixed bag…part outageously unreliable narrator and part brilliant wordsmith).
Cheers for this, man.
Many thanks for this. Appreciated. Huge fan of Chatwin...
I won't hear a bad word about Bruce Chatwin, Nicolas, a wondrous, wonderful writer.
Hey Portia, I agree absolutely…the unreliability is all part of that wonder.
It is! And I wonder, what is a reliable narrator, anyway?
I'm wondering if Etta Place and Anne Bassett are the same person.
I too have a soft spot for Bruce Chatwin. Yup one of the best of that generation of wonderful travel writers. A great aunt of mine (Rosita Forbes) was in her day a well known traveller writing romantic novels - made a fortune , then disappears into obscurity . Shows it’s a genre that really does change over generations
The Raindrops keeps falling scene is one of my favourite things EVER!
I loved this film. I remember seeing it soon after it came out. It was of its time. Music also was brilliant. It was funny and sad at the same time. Thanks for reminding me of the mention in In Patagonia. I still love Bruce Chatwin though my favourite was On the Black Hill. Having grown up in North East Wales and then spent most of my adult life in different counties in the Welsh Marches I found it very relatable.
I retain a whole slew of dialog from this film, "What are you worried about, the fall will probably kill you!"
Yes, nostalgia, and some of the scenes are a wee bit long :) - still a long time favorite... even if I prefer The Sting. Nice to see you mention Bruce Chatwin ... unfashionable, eh? Lord help us... The Songlines was a shock to the system. I haven't reread it in a long time, I wonder if I'll still be bowled over. Or should I leave it alone, in a closed box of treasures?
I can't believe he's unfashionable either, I love Bruce Chatwin. Don't leave it alone, Martine, his books are always worth rereading.
I'm afraid he really is. I don't think he holds the same literary status, as say, thirty years ago. First Edition prices for Chatwin are now incredibly cheap. You can buy The Songlines (rather good d/j) for a mere £30. And I think First Edition prices tend to mirror an author's fashionable status. Which is bad news for me- as I have a complete set of Chatwin Firsts. One of my all-time favourite writers.
I also have a first of The Songlines…. Precious to me!
Give it time, Luke, and hold on to those first editions, as fashion, even that of the literary kind, changes. He's also one of my favourite authors.
I hope you're right... we shall see. But I wouldn't want to sell them anyway, so it's kinda hypothetical, isn't it?
There are two 'westerns' that are firmly fixed in my mind from my teenage visits to the cinema. This film that I saw not long after its release in the UK in early 1970 and the very different Soldier Blue that I saw a year later (although technically I was underage to see the latter - given its X rating in the UK)
I have yet to see Soldier Blue, but I know the excellent Roy Budd Soundtrack well...
A criminal offence not to have mentioned Pat Garret and Billy the Kid. Peckinpah’s revisionist masterpiece (1973). Great as always but always felt this film couldn’t make up its mind and was too cute fit its own good. Very enjoyable though.
Well... v. difficult to squeeze the complete history of the Western in a shortish Substack post. So I picked out a few which, I hope, illustrate my point.