Last of the Cowboy Heroes

by Robert Nott

2005 · McFarland

In the world of Western films, Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, and Audie Murphy have frequently been overlooked in favor of names like Roy Rogers and John Wayne. Yet these three actors played a crucial role in the changing environment of the post-World War II Western, and, in the process, made many excellent middle-budget films that are still a pleasure to watch. This account of these three Western stars' careers begins in 1946, when Scott and McCrea committed themselves to the Western roles they would play for nearly twenty years. Murphy, who also joined them in 1946, would continue his Western career for a few years after his cohorts rode into the film sunset. Arranged chronologically, and balanced among the three actors, the text concludes with Audie Murphy's last Western in 1967. Covering both the personal and professional lives of these three Hollywood cowboys, the book provides both their stories and the story of a Hollywood whose attitude toward the Western was in a time of transition and transformation. The text is complemented by 60 photographs and a filmography for each of the three.

The Encyclopedia of Best Films

by Jay Robert Nash

2019 · Bloomsbury Publishing USA

This all-inclusive A-Z encyclopedia by one of the world's foremost experts on cinema provides comprehensive annotations of the best films produced from 1914 on. The work offers more than 5,000 three- to five-star entries (three stars=good; four stars=excellent; five stars=masterpiece), and yes, author Jay Robert Nash has viewed every single one of them as well as many more that did not "make the cut." In addition to a precis, each film's entry also includes a listing of the cast as well as the key principles involved in production, from the director to the hair stylist. Especially unique to this book is a rating system that helps parents determine whether or not a film is appropriate for their children. Unlike the industry rating system which can be influenced by studio lobbying, Nash objectively evaluates each film and confers upon it one of four recommendations for viewing: recommended, acceptable, cautionary, and unacceptable. Backmatter includes a list of top films by genre (i.e. animated, drama, sports, mystery, adventure etc.) as well as an annotated name index listing all persons mentioned along with their dates of birth and death. Rounding out this essential volume for the film buff are over 500 still photos from the author's private collection.