Toonbots message board: Heil, Pardner!

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Brother Emsworth Sat Apr 12 21:11:38 2003
Heil, Pardner!

Currently engrossed in research for a summer scholars program project on US propaganda animation from 1939-1945 (images and narrative, typologies, etc.), from a book which turned out to focus only on feature films which depicted the infamous German Dictator, I discovered something so wonderfully bizarre I feel compelled to share it with as many people as possible, including the Jihad (all three or four of you.) "Storm of the West," MGM's aborted 1943 Hitler Western! No, I'm not making this up.

Dore Schary conceived the notion for an allegorical representation of the events of World War II up to that point, using Western settings, cliches, and archetypes. Sinclair Lewis wrote the screenplay, along with Schary, and fortunately the script was published in 1963 (and my university library had a copy), even though the film was never made. The story would open as drifter Arnold Hygatt, a troublesome young man whose "thatch of black hair tumbles down over his left brow," and wearing "a short black moustache," is released from jail and then heads off with cronies Gribbles, a wily sort with a limp, and strongman Gerritt. They soon arrive in Homeville and take over the ranch of Arnold's uncle Dan Gorman, and set their eyes on the land belonging to neighbours Poling, the Fransons, Belger, the Nortons (sold out by treacherous ranch hand Quist), and others. Ineffectual old sheriff Ned Chambers tries to settle everything peacefully, despite cigar-chomping crusading editor Wally Chancel telling him you can't make peace with Hygatt. Hygatt soon partners with Bunny Mullison, an oafish but wealthy rancher, to form the Two Axes Mining Company, and strip the land of its coal reserves. Storekeeper Ulysses Saunders, known for his natty goatee and the stuffed eagle he keeps on his safe, feels that Hygatt has legal right to the land (due to documents forged by Gribbles) and pays his grocery bills besides, and only gets involved when daughter Pearl is wounded. Of course, the whole thing ends in a shoot out at Moon Creek.

Victor Fleming and William Wellman were amongst the directors considered, preliminary costume/character sketches were done, and the short list for the principals included Hitler impersonator Bobby Watson as Hygatt, Walter Huston as Sheriff Chambers, and Thomas Mitchell as Wally Chancel. In the end, Louis B. Mayer felt it was too political, especially the use of the hammer and sickle for the brand of aloof rancher Joe Slavin, a former Confederate who immigrated from Georgia and who most of the other law-abiding townsfolk are slightly wary of. Dore Schary tried to revive it when he left MGM for RKO, but the former studio still legally owned the story and refused to give it up. Well, maybe some day Mel Brooks will pick it up as a sort of sequel to both The Producers and Blazing Saddles.

If I have time next week, I need to see if I can scan any of the pre-production sketches (reprinted in the published version of the book.) You haven't lived 'til you've seen Hitler, Churchill, Stalin, and the rest in ten-gallon hats.

Oh, and "Bunny" Mullison boasts about how he makes sure his hands do everything on time.

mouse Sun Apr 13 02:22:20 2003
Re: Heil, Pardner!

oh. my. god.

this sounds totally hilarious (although i'm sure it was intended to be deadly serious). i thought sinclair lewis had a somewhat defter touch with political commentary - this seems like something an ernest high schooler would produce for a writing class. ulysses saunders and his daughter pearl? with a stuffed eagle, no less! hope you get the time to scan this stuff - i would _love_ to see more of it.

Emsworth Thu Apr 17 23:55:35 2003
Re: Heil, Pardner!

Alas, forgot to put the book in my bag this morning, so won't be able to access the scanner (in the scholars program office) until Monday at earliest, but don't worry, you'll see Buck Adolf soon enough. In the meantime, may post about other odd bits of media from the past to keep things rolling when time allows (much like Oddball Comics, which I really need to dig up more fish in the face links from, only with a wider scope.) The popular radio variety show "San Quentin on the Air" may do for next time.

Emsworth Mon Apr 21 16:15:00 2003
Joe and Adolf in Cowboy Hats! (pics)

Well, finally managed to scan a few of the many images from "Storm of the West," and uploaded a montage:http://members.aol.com/hungrywolverines/montage.jpg

I would *assume* identifications would be unnecessary, but just in case, clockwise from the top left, we have Wally Chancel (Churchill), Arnold Hygatt, Joel Slavin, and Sheriff Ned Chambers (no umbrella, alas.)

mouse Wed Apr 23 14:45:43 2003
Re: Joe and Adolf in Cowboy Hats! (pics)

> Well, finally managed to scan a few of the many images from "Storm of
> the West," and uploaded a
> montage:http://members.aol.com/hungrywolverines/montage.jpg

> I would *assume* identifications would be unnecessary, but just in case,
> clockwise from the top left, we have Wally Chancel (Churchill), Arnold
> Hygatt, Joel Slavin, and Sheriff Ned Chambers (no umbrella, alas.)

oh my - i missed this post yesterday. this is excellent. funny how only hitler (sorry, hygatt) looks unnatural in a cowboy hat.

thanks!

Chris Sat Apr 26 00:04:33 2003
Re: Joe and Adolf in Cowboy Hats! (pics)

> oh my - i missed this post yesterday. this is excellent. funny how only
> hitler (sorry, hygatt) looks unnatural in a cowboy hat.

I didn't even recognize the others until Emsworth explained, since I didn't have the names at hand... and really, they don't look THAT much like their namesakes, especially fakenStalin.

mouse Sat Apr 26 15:55:08 2003
Re: Joe and Adolf in Cowboy Hats! (pics)

> I didn't even recognize the others until Emsworth explained, since I
> didn't have the names at hand... and really, they don't look THAT much
> like their namesakes, especially fakenStalin.

i thought churchill was identifiable (even without a cigar). the main problem with stalin and (especially) chamberlin is that one rarely sees pictures of them anymore - so they aren't exactly at the top of one's mental id list.

Patrick Sun Apr 13 18:22:08 2003
Re: Heil, Pardner!

You have just made my day a *lot* more unusual. Many thanks.

Patrick

Michael Wed Apr 30 19:51:11 2003
Re: Heil, Pardner!

> Hitler Western!

How does Godwin's Law apply to this thread? Is it DOA?

Emsworth, you have made my day, if possible, even brighter.

mouse Thu May 1 13:53:59 2003
Re: Heil, Pardner!

> How does Godwin's Law apply to this thread? Is it DOA?

according to the godwin's law faq (http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/legends/godwin/): Rule #4: (Godwin's Rule) Any off-topic mention of Hitler or Nazis will cause the thread it is mentioned in to an irrelevant and off-topic end very soon; every thread on UseNet has a constantly-increasing probability to contain such a mention.

so since the thread _started_ with hitler, it's not off-topic. of course he also says:

2. What happens if we're actually talking about Nazis?

Then you've already invoked Godwin's Law, and the chances are that your thread isn't going to last all that much longer as a sane discussion.

since very few toonbots threads qualify as 'sane discussions', i figure we are outside the range of the statute.

Michael Sat May 3 10:13:42 2003
Re: Heil, Pardner!


> since very few toonbots threads qualify as 'sane discussions', i figure we
> are outside the range of the statute.

Woo-hoo!






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