Wuchak RELEASED IN 1966 and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, "The Rare Breed" chronicles events in St. Louis and Texas in 1884-85 when an English woman (Maureen O'Hara) and her daughter (Juliet Mills) conscript a lanky cattleman (James Stewart) to try and get their hornless British bull to mate with the longhorns of Texas, but they have to deal with venal thugs (Jack Elam), a curmudgeon ranch mogul (Brian Keith) and the harshness of nature itself.The film meshes drama with lighthearted amusement in the manner of a screwball Disney family comedy, "fun" brawls reminiscent of John Wayne Westerns of that era, dead-serious sequences and romance. I didn't feel this inconsistent tone marred the movie; after all, doesn't real life include all of these things? The exception would be the "fun" brawling scenes which, while lively, are not true to life. In real fights people get broken noses, black eyes, bruises and broken bones. Anyway, the cast is great, but I didn't find the drama that engaging, especially the entire last act. Furthermore, the indoor sets substituting for outdoors are obvious and smack of old-fashioned movies & TV Western fare of the time period.About a third of the way in there's an exceptional stampede sequence that includes a heart-stopping on-set accident involving the wagon carrying Martha (O'Hara) and Hilary (Mills) ahead of the stampede. The stunt women were supposed to be thrown clear, but the wagon rolled over them. Thankfully, the dipping ground underneath the wagon allowed the stuntwomen, Stephanie Epper and Patty Elder, enough room to survive without being crushed, although they did experience minor wounds and shock. In the same sequence a young man is forced to try to run UP the canyon wall in stark terror as the charging cattle threaten.THE FILM RUNS 97 minutes and was shot in Jamestown, Mecca, Coachella Valley, Mojave Desert and Universal Studios, California. WRITER: Ric Hardman.GRADE: C

pdwebbsite This western has much going for it: great stars (Jimmy Stewart, Maureen O'Hara, and Brian Keith), interesting plot twists (is Stewart's character a thief, after all), and some comedic moments (Brian Keith is a hoot as Scottish cattle baron). Take the movie as it is, an old western that is mediocre in script with star power holding it afloat, and you'll enjoy the movie. Start picking it apart for studio shots, etc and of course you'll not enjoy it. The storyline of how Herefords came to replace Texas Longhorns sounds plausible enough. It was cute how Juliet Mills (sister of Hayley) got that Hereford bull to follow her by whistling "God Save the Queen". Juliet added quite a bit to the movie, and she was a good balance to the humorous triangle of Keith, O'Hara, and Stewart. Some reviews are harsh, yet the questions remains--How could anyone not enjoy a movie with Jimmy Stewart in it?

willrams Not only a good story but the acting was terrific in this western where a woman, played by Maureen O'Hara, comes to America with her daughter. Her husband died and she had to take over. It was the introduction of Hereford cattle into the American West that was her husband's dream. They enlisted help from Sam, played by James Stewart, who struggles to bring a bull to breed in Texas. The whole journey is fraught with many dangers and Sam doubted the survival potential of this 'rare breed'. If you like good stories, I recommend this one highly. 7/10

nfuller The Rare Breed I saw this movie in the theatre when it came out in 1966 (I was 12 years old). I just today on American Movie Classics. I suppose that 37 years of growth has changed my perspective a little bit. When I was 12 I was not too much into westerns. The closest I came to liking westerns was Cat Ballou, which may succeed more as a comic western than The Rare Breed does. Still I liked, and still like, any-thing with James Stewart. I think, however, that The Rare Breed succeeds as a romance. In 1966 I might have seen the romance as `mushy stuff.' Although James Stewart did Westerns (`Classic' and `Modern') as well as Fantasy (It's A Wonderful Life) and biography (Charles Lindbergh, Glenn Miller) I think of him as a comic actor (The Philadelphia Story; Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation; Take Her, She's Mine). For this reason, I have to view The Rare Breed as a Comedy as much as a Western.I can see the phoniness of the fist fights now and I might have seen them in 1966 as well. I also have one observation: Even after Brian Keith shaves off his beard, he sometimes doesn't look like the Brian Keith we all know and love from, say, Family Affair. He certainly doesn't SOUND the same because he does a VERY strong Scottish brogue in The Rare Breed.