The Cheyenne Social Club / Firecreek (1970)

Two classy actors in two serviceable westerns

Both films are beautifully restored and presented in letterbox format. The colors, the photography, especially the night shooting in "Firecreek" are excellent. Of the two, "Firecreek" is the standout. "Firecreek" is a simple "High Noon" story with cowardly townspeople unwilling to take a stand against a gang of invading outlaws. Henry Fonda plays a fine hangdog villain and gang boss and James Stewart is the reluctant hero faced with his own moral and spiritual crisis. "Firecreek" lacks the taught script and perfect pacing of "High Noon", but it's also less manipulative and contains more careful character development. I've always thought "High Noon" was too political for its own good. No worries of that here. This is just a good western with solid opposing characters who must have it out. The weaker film of the set is "The Cheyenne Social Club". It is quite dated, silly, corny, cute and sexist in that old fashioned Hollywood way. The ladies are lovely and busty prostitutes with hearts of gold. James Stewart plays the plain cowhand who is thrust into pimpdom after his deceased brother leaves him a bordello as part of his estate. Henry Fonda is very amusing as Stewart's close friend. Fonda has less lines but always seems to get the laugh just by cracking a nut, grinning or twinkling his eyes. This movie is pleasant and diverting and delivers humor and action in regular doses, but it is otherwise forgettable. July 26, 2008

Tour de force performances by two Hollywood legends

Unlike many movies made today, The Cheyenne Social Club and Firecreek pit two veteran actors whose consummate skill and ability to tell a story makes special effects unnecessary-the quality of the story and the acting carry both movies.

Both films feature great supporting casts, and Fonda and Stewart show why they qualify as screen legends in every scene. Cheyenne Social Club features Stewart as John O'Hanlon and Fonda as Harley Sullivan, two rough and tumble veteran Texas cowboys whose lives revolve around endless cattle drives and the stoic and simple life on the open range of the West.

O'Hanlon's brother D.J. dies and leaves him as the sole owner/proprietor of the Cheyenne Social Club, the most notorious brothel in the wild west. Fonda tags along for the ride as Stewart rides the 1000 mile journey to claim his inheritance. The men of Cheyenne consider the Social Club as a hallowed and precious shrine. O'Hanlon is shocked to discover the real meaning of his inheritance and announces to the madam, artfully played by Shirley Jones, and her bevy of beautiful women that he intends to close the brothel and open a respectable boarding house in it's place.

The firestorm against O'Hanlon by the townspeople and his employees begins a tour de force comedy romp with the befuddled Stewart trying to weather the storm while Sullivan watches bemused from the sidelines. This movie features two veteran actors and a superb supporting cast at their very best. The sex is suggested rather than "in your face" like today's movies, but gets the sexual points across gracefully without being crude, graphic or clumsy.

The end result of O'Hanlon's adventure is a classic cautionary tale of being careful what you wish for-you just might get it! The movie is bittersweet, ironic, and emotional without being maudlin, and shows why these stars from the golden age of Hollywood films set the standard for great acting and class performances.

While Fonda and Stewart give great performances in Firecreek, I find this movie to be rather Hollywood formula and too close to "High Noon" in the concept of the story. But, if you love Fonda and Stewart as actors, it's hard not to like how these legendary actors tell the story, as rivals pitted against each other on opposite sides of the law. The problem is not the actors, but the story they have been given has been done before. So they have little room to breathe fresh life and a new perspective into a basic formula western.

What Stewart does so well is make you sympathetic and willing to support his underdog character. He must use his wit and grit to overcome evil men and seemingly insurmountable odds, a classic position for Stewart in so many movies. Fonda gives a credible performance as the "bad-guy", but his performance in that type of role in such classics as "Once Upon A time in the West" gave him a better vehicle to explore his turn as an evil and criminal man with no scruples and little compassion. November 22, 2007

The Cheyenne Social Club 1970 / Firecreek 1967

Friends Of The West : Cinema Icons James Stewart and Henry Fonda ! . They can be tough as leather . Or as down-home as any pair of good ol'boys . Either way there's a sense og warm respect between the two stars . The Off-camera friendship of James Stewart (1908-1997) and Henry Fonda (1905-1982) goes back to their days as struggling actors and roommate . THE CHEYENNE SOCIAL CLUB (1970) Casts then as saddle-weary Texans who surprised to find they've inherited a Wyoming bawdy house , feel honor-bound to defend it against a gun-wielding gang . Gene Kelly (1912-1996) produces and directs this mix of fun and Western Action . Next comes a firestorm of character-driven excitement in FIRECREEK (1967) Fonda plays an outlaw preying on small towns , and Stewart is the jittery , Two dollar-a-month part-time lawman who must find courage to stop him . This will be some showdown ! . High Quality Transfer . August 28, 2007

Cheyenne Social Club DVD

It's a lesser known flick with Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart. If you like westerns, if you like comedy, and you particularly like Fonda and Stewart, you'll have a tough time NOT liking this movie. Shirley Jones is a madam of a brothel Jimmy Stewart inherits. Think of it - the "honest-to-a-fault" Jimmy Stewart, surprise owner of a brothel. The premise alone is funny! July 13, 2007

Good Movies

Bought the set because I wanted "The Cheyenne Social Club". Bought it as a gift for my boyfriend. That is one of his favorite movies. He loves the classics. I must say that even though I'm not into the older movies as much as he is, it was refreshing to see a movie about a brothel that wasn't trashy. It was funny in parts as well as enough drama to keep it interesting. May 20, 2007

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