Niven Busch (1903–1991)

I usually don't read political fiction and this book strengthened my position. It was dry and complicated with election statistics and strategy. The best chapters involved the relationship between the protagonist and his wife. Her insight about the man she had boosted into the Presidency was the only saving grace.

Those of you who have seen the movie starring Gregory Peck and Jennifer Jones are familiar with the story; the book is a bit more detailed and has a different ending.

Surly Senator Jackson McCanles, the despotic ruler of the Texas ranch Spanish Bit, gets a burr put under his saddle by the arrival of orphaned Pearl Chavez. The precocious 12 year-old is a poor distant relation to the long-suffering, secret drinking, mother to four sons, Mrs. Laura Belle McCanles.

The curvy half-breed girl, who show more is not modest about nudity, inspires an instant fixation in the handsome, spoiled, bad-boy second son, Lewt McCandles. The two become lovers when they are 15 and 17, respectively, and declare themselves affianced by breaking a dime in half. However, Lewt is full of teenage boy swagger and cowboy machismo and blows Pearl off.

When she is 19, Pearl becomes engaged to ranch foreman Sam Pierce, whom Lewt murders in fit of jealous rage the night before the wedding. For the next two years, Lewt lives as an outlaw, aided at first by the Senator’s money, then by a series of robberies and murders.

When Lewt sends a secret message to Pearl to join him in exile, so that they can continue their toxic relationship, the stage is set for a deadly showdown.

Busch works a lot of historical accuracy into this novel, capturing a slice of history - when the West was truly wild, before the arrival of the civilizing influences of towns and railroads. For example, the senator can no longer afford to finance Lewt’s outlaw lifestyle because of “The Great Die-Up of 1887”. I’m sure this book would be just as successful if published today, but the nudity and sex scenes would be more explicit. show less

At the very first look at Lana Turner in this film, you'll immediately believe a man could kill for her. After that, things get so convoluted that this is far from a great film despite some memorable performances, notably from Turner. Garfield, of course, is one of the great tragic stories of cinema, dying from a heart attack at age 39. Few had his charisma, but he isn't really great in this film, mostly because of the character he plays, who seems to lack a center. The script is really show more pretty poor and lots of things happen for no good reason. As the ever-present DA, Ames is memorable--but not really in a good way. Hume Cronyn is much more effective as Turner's (Cora's) defense lawyer. He reminds me an awful lot of Charles Martin Smith for some reason--but sinister. As Turner's older husband, Kellaway is quite good, but he does grow tiring as the movie goes on. It's the script here that is really at fault. There is really no suspense and just too many stops and starts. I saw the Jack Nicholson-Jessica Lange version many years ago and now I need to see it again. Does it improve on this mess? show less

An unhappily-married woman and a drifter do some murder.

1/4 (Bad).

Lana Turner is pretty great, despite having crap material to work with. Everything else about the movie is bad.