50'S FOCUS : THE BRAVADOS .. 1958 ...

 20TH CENTURY FOX
Presents
A CINEMASCOPE PRODUCTION

THE BRAVADOS
Starring

GREGORY PECK as Jim Douglass
JOAN COLLINS as Josefa Velarde
STEPHEN BOYD as Bill Zachary
ALBERT SALMI as Ed Taylor
HENRY SILVA as Lujan
LEE VAN CLEEF as Alfonso Parral
ANDREW DUGGAN as Padre
KATHLEEN GALLANT as Emma
BARRY COE as Tom
KEN SCOTT as Primo
GENE EVANS as Butler

       Director of Photography - Leon Shamroy   Art Director - Mark Lee Kirk & Lyle R Wheeler
       Music by Lionel Newman  Screenplay by Philip Yordan From a Novel by Frank O'Rourke
         Edited by William Mace   Costumes by Charles Le Maire   Produced by Herbert B Swope JR
                                                           Directed by Henry King

When Jim Douglass arrives in Rio Arriba, he has revenge on his mind! Believing the four men who raped and murdered his wife are awaiting the hangman's noose in the town's jail, he is determined to settle the score. But his intentions are short lived as the four escape and take a local girl hostage. Jim sets out with some local men to track them down and bring them to a final justice... His justice! See the wraith of his vengeance.. as he hunts down The Bravados!!
(c) 1958 20TH CENTURY FOX  98 MINS  REGION 1 DVD FROM FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT

This popular western was a film that Joan was not too keen in doing, as she felt the role of Josefa was not suited to her, however she was keen to work with Gregory Peck, whom she greatly admired. But she had turned down a few film scripts and was on suspension, without pay and needed to work. Joan recalled,

JIM & JOSEFA HEAD FOR CHURCH

" I was totally wrong for the role of a tough frontier woman, whose life was only complete when she was roping a horse or striding the dusty plains! Horses and I are like oil and water. But I still wanted to do the film because of Greg.. He was a great actor and a wonderful looking man, tall and rangy, with a classic profile."

At that time Joan was seeing George Englund, who was best friends with Marlon Brando. But the relationship was erratic as Englund was still married to Cloris Leachman. The film was shot over three months, with location shooting in the Mexican city of Morelia. Before filming bagan, Joan spent some time at the Fox ranch in Santa Monica. She had to her horror, try and learn to ride a horse for the film, something that terrified her. She claimed to have gotten only nine hours practise before setting off for Mexico. However her co-star Peck, was an expert horseman and thought her a lot and was very patient as a teacher. That was a godsend to her as she had to ride a fiesty large black stallion called Adonis...

UK POSTER

" Greg taught me a lot about riding a horse.. Although on the last day of shooting he did tease me unmercifully by riding so fast that I was sore for a week!"
Greg commented on Joan's appearance a few years later...

" Joan was a sensational young girl at that time, a knockout!"

JOAN MAKES TRACKS DURING FILMING!

Gregory's new wife Veronique was not too impressed about her new husband spending time with the glamorous Joan and decided pregnant as she was, to endure six weeks in the hot dusty desert, to be at her husband's side! Off set was far from glamorous as the cast and crew had to stay in a crumbling motel, which was situated far away from any night-life or day-life for that matter! Joan spent her time listening to her records and eating the Mexican food, which did nothing for her waistline!  The role of Josefa was originally set for Susan Hayward, who maybe was more rugged looking than Joan!
 Chatting with Louella Parsons sometime later Joan announced.
"That I am alive is a miracle!"
Her brush with the saddle, not exactly something she planned to repeat.
Joan did say to columnist Sheilah Graham.

" The Bravados is a marvellous western. But I genuinely feel a girl is out of place in such a picture. She is only put in for the sake of the sexy ads! But it was wonderful to work with Gregory Peck. It's the only way to make stars in this business... For a girl to be put opposite a big star!"

JOAN with ANDREW DUGGAN

Gregory Peck was so fond of the cowboy life that soon after shooting "The Bravados", he purchased a vast working ranch near Santa Barbara, which had 600 head of cattle. The film although not a box office smash, it did do well enough and garnered some awards for it's stars. Albert Salmi received a Best Supporting actor award from The National Board Of Review in 1958. While Gregory came 3rd place in the top action performance category at the 1959 Laurel Awards. The film was directed by Henry King, who eight years earlier had directed Peck in a well received western, "The Gunfighter". Although Joan has little to do in the film, she does bring a touch of style to the proceedings. The film is still widely shown and is certainly one of more enduring westerns..

(c) 2010 ... Mark McMorrow...