This episode of "The Men Who Made the Movies" is fantastic because it features Raoul Walsh telling stories to students and talking with Richard Schickel (with questions edited out) about his life and career. He had a wonderful sense of humor, a great memory, and the students enjoyed what he had to say immensely. Walsh was a director kept very busy by Warner Brothers, and his descriptions of encounters with Jack Warner are hilarious. He talks about working with Bogart, Cagney, Flynn, George Raft, and all the tricks he played on them while shooting. There is a lot of footage from "White Heat," "Gentleman Jim," "They Died with their Boots On," and also footage of Walsh as an actor playing John Wilkes Booth in a silent film. He also talks about discovering John Wayne for "The Big Trail" and picking the name Anthony Wayne for him, after a character in a book he liked.
This was an invaluable episode. I wish IMDb had the Sam Fuller segment listed - perhaps I will try to add it myself - which was also excellent and featured the flamboyant Mr. Fuller talking about his work and life. We have some fine directors today, but these rough and tumble guys were from another era, and what they have to say is priceless. Worth every second of viewing.
This was an invaluable episode. I wish IMDb had the Sam Fuller segment listed - perhaps I will try to add it myself - which was also excellent and featured the flamboyant Mr. Fuller talking about his work and life. We have some fine directors today, but these rough and tumble guys were from another era, and what they have to say is priceless. Worth every second of viewing.