Paint Your Wagon

Successful California "Gold Rush" prospector Lee Marvin (as Ben Rumson) is in his element after digging a grave for the brother of singing cowboy Clint Eastwood (as Pardner). A self-described "boozing man," Mr. Marvin likes to live under the influence. Like Mr. Eastwood, Marvin also likes to sing. The two men become companions, sealing their relationship with a simple exchange: Marvin says, "I like you Pardner," and Eastwood says, "I like you Ben." Since they are heterosexual, Marvin buys beautiful Jean Seberg (as Elizabeth) to be their wife. At $800, Ms. Seberg's a steal. Simply put, "Paint Your Wagon" is a too long, stupid, and wasteful movie. But, it didn't have to be… Since the studio was obviously spending money, why didn't somebody suggest paying Frank Sinatra to do Marvin's role, and giving Elvis Presley whatever Colonel Parker was asking, to take Eastwood's part? Then, think about the fun in casting "Elizabeth". The mind boggles. Anyway, the musical highlights are Marvin's "Wandrin' Star" (late in the film) and Harve Presnell's "They Call the Wind Mariah" (early in the running time). Ray Walston is a supporting asset, and Tom Ligon catches on fast. ** Paint Your Wagon (10/15/69) Joshua Logan ~ Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, Jean Seberg

Oh for cryin out loud... Perhaps I'm tainted in the fact that I'm just a bit to young for this kind of movie. But really now... Clint Eastwood singing? The only thing that could possibly be worse is Lee Marvin singing... You get both singing in one film watch out. Neither one of these truly classic and highly respected actors are comedic either, but yet here they are delivering their lines... Ouch! Perhaps if I had seen this before seeing anything else either starred in this would have been tolerable and not painful. I'll call this one the worst caste movie I've ever seen. Well filmed and expertly timed, the movie moves along at an adequate pace. At over 2 1/2 hours its too long in today's theatre's, but probably not for the time it was released in. Listening to Clint Eastwood singing "Talk to the Trees" alone makes this an unforgettably bad movie.

source: Paint Your Wagon

I love musicals, but I honestly didn't know what to make of this film. Out of the Joshua Logan-directed musical movies, this film is my least favourite. It does have some nice photography, costumes and sets, and the score and songs are very pleasant and hummable. Out of the cast, Ray Walston and Harve Presnell(who actually has the best songs) come off best, and the chorale work directed by Roger Wagner is some of the finest ever heard in a musical. However, Joshua Logan's direction didn't work, I personally found it too stage-bound and smug. Also the dialogue doesn't convince, the film is too long and the story is forgettable and has one too many silly moments. The acting is nothing special, and while the singing isn't amazing it was passable. Lee Marvin's rendition of Wandrin' Star is listenable, and some of his comedy is a nice touch. Wasn't sure about Clint Eastwood though, I was perplexed at his casting initially and after hearing his singing my opinion hasn't changed. In conclusion, if I had to make an honest summary of this film, I would say worth watching for the music, chorale work and production values if little else. 5/10 Bethany Cox

***SPOILERS, IF ANYONE CARES**** And I HATE musicals! This film falls in with 'Little Shop of Horrors' and 'The Blues Brothers' in the very short list of musicals I really love. It's Lee Marvin who makes the film. You could have replaced Eastwood or Seberg with almost any other actor or actress; it's Marvin's performance as Ben Rumson that brings this movie to life. All the way through, his facial expressions communicate volumes about his character - for a quick instance, watch his eyes as he prepares to eulogize Pardner's dead brother in an early scene. Anyone else could have played Pardner or Elizabeth and done as good a job, but Lee Marvin gave us a Ben Rumson that I don't think anyone could equal. He does more just by his looks and body comedy than could be expected. If you disagree, please go back and watch what I think is his best scene: Rumson trying to walk nonchalantly away from No Name City as it sinks into the collapsing tunnels he built under it. A fantastic film. It's only average, if you don't have the capacity to fast-forward through Eastwood's and Seberg's songs.

Joshua Logan's screen version of "Paint your wagon" works a treat, perhaps because the original stage version is so little known and apparently has been given something of a make-over by screen writer Paddy Chayefsky. The fact that the leads (Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood and Jean Seberg) can't sing matters not a jot; they perform with charisma, (even Seberg is less wan than usual) and bring a touch of realism to the proceedings, their songs seeming to evolve naturally from the action. Other singing duties are performed by the splendid Harve Presnell and a rousing, mostly male, chorus for this is a musical western of a more robust kind than "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers". It's plot, which concerns mining for gold, polygamy and the building of a town, fairly races along. Logan handles the whole thing with great aplomb and brings to it some nice, naturalistic touches sadly lacking from his earlier musicals, "South Pacific" and "Camelot". Most critics didn't warm to it, though and it remains largely under-valued.

Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin - in a musical? Yes, and it works rather well. No expense was spared by Paramount in assembling the behind-camera talent. Lerner and Loewe's successful stage show was beefed up by Andre Previn's compositions and Nelson Riddle's arrangements, and a script by Paddy Chayefsky. If Clint and Lee aren't exactly Mario Lanza and Tito Gobbi, they are good enough. Clint sings timidly but tunefully ("I Talk To The Trees", "Gold Fever") and Marvin's growly "Wandering Star" was a big chart success back in 1969. The songs are strong, the lyrics clever and the choreography slick and busy. At two and three-quarter hours, the film is rather too long, but it contains plenty of interesting things, including some excellent comedy. No-Name Town is a rough and ready prospectors' settlement, one of many such ramshackle communities springing up during the California Gold Rush. Two very different men link up as partners and grow into inseperable friends. 'Pardner' (Eastwood) is a straight, solid farmer from the Mid West, while Ben Rumson (Marvin) is a hell-raising wildman from no place in particular. When a mormon auctions one of his wives (Elizabeth, played by Jean Seberg), Rumson buys her. Things get complicated when Pardner falls in love with Elizabeth, and she falls in love with .... er, both men. Added interest is provided by the arrival of a bunch of French whores and a party of rescued wagon-trainers (this last was drawn from a true story). Good things include a barnstorming performance from Marvin, radiating enormous personality and a real flair for comedy. His career flowered late, but he was at his best in the late sixties ("Point Blank", "Hell In The Pacific", and of course this one). Previn's musical interlude which introduces the Parson (Alan Dexter) is superb, leading into one of the film's best songs, "Here It Is". The comical discords of the musical passage are a joy in themselves, and they pave the way perfectly for the Parson, who is at odds with everybody. "Hand Me Down That Can Of Beans" is rendered by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, guesting in the movie. The boys obviously decided to stay on, because they crop up in various shots throughout the film. Mad Jack is played with manic zest and a peculiar British accent by Ray Walston, none other than TV's "My Favourite Martian". The interminable gag of the collapsing tunnels stand as a metaphor of the film's shortcomings - over-elaborate, and over-long.

(No spoilers herein). My friend sent me this movie wanting to know my comments on it, without telling me even a word of what it was about or what he thought of it. I went and checked out the entry on IMDB and was a touch confused why he was sending me a sort of musical half-western flick, being that neither of those categories would pop up at the top of either our lists. Needless to say, something about this movie surprised me -- I fully enjoyed watching it ! Right from the start the characters were interesting and the scenes quite absurdly funny. Some of the singing was truly awful (in a funny way), and other songs were actually very toe-tappingly catchy. There is a whole lot of physical humor in this movie, from the opening scene after they bury the guy, to the ending scenes with the bull. And holy crap the older man drinks a lot. I don't think I've ever seen a movie where a single character drinks so much hard alcohol ! Along with the numerous sexual jokes I certainly wouldn't recommend this movie for children. As the movie came to a conclusion, I found myself attached to the main characters and wanting to see more of their adventures. The plot had a very natural progression. As silly and ridiculous as it certainly was, the plot made a strange sort of sense. I rate the movie an 8 out of 10.

This movie is certainly a lot of fun to watch and is a lot of entertainment packed into just one film. I really like to watch PAINT YOUR WAGON and have seen it several times. However, there is absolutely no way I could with a clear conscience give it a higher score because the notion of having Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood star in a musical is completely nuts!!! While Eastwood's singing is quite poor, Lee Marvin sings worse than a cat in heat. But, it is because of this that I like the movie so much! In other words, the awfulness of their singing is amazing and captivating!! Now, the rest of the singing actually is good--particularly the songs sung by the townspeople. Plus, the script is witty and memorable. So, it's worth seeing but terribly bad in some ways that makes me assume the producers were either insane, abusing drugs, tried to make a flop (like in the film THE PRODUCERS) or did this all as a big joke (and considering how much the film cost to make, this is the least likely possibility).

The dynamics between Pardner and Ben were fantastic. The friendship and trust that grows in a pioneer settlement was something I really related to. The music and the timing of the songs was a feature of the movie. The song about civilization was particularly poignant given the rapidly diminishing availability of untamed land. Close to the best part of the movie was the dancing scene in the mud near the start of the movie. The careless, complete enjoyment of a group of men in a gold mining tent city dancing to some crazy folk music made me wish that everyone could experience that wild abandon. As a connoisseur of melancholy moments I really enjoyed this movie. The ending was not unexpected but well packaged and presented.