Way of a Gaucho

Way of a Gaucho. Original release poster from IMDb.

Way of a Gaucho. Rory Calhoun as Martín Peñalosa. Photo: Il Cinema Ritrovato.

Gauchojen kuningas / Gauchon / Il grande Gaucho / Le Gaucho / Martín, el gaucho.
    Director: Jacques Tourneur. Year: 1952. Country: USA. Sog.: dal romanzo omonimo di Herbert Childs (1948). Scen.: Philip Dunne. F.: Harry Jackson. M.: Robert Fritch. Scgf.: Lyle Wheeler, Mark-Lee Kirk. Mus.: Sol Kaplan.
    Int.: Rory Calhoun (Martín Peñalosa), Gene Tierney (Teresa Chavez), Richard Boone (maggiore Salinas), Hugh Marlowe (don Miguel Aleondo), Everett Sloane (Falcon), Enrique Chaico (padre Fernández), Jorge Villoldo (Valverde), Lidia Campos (zia María), Hugo Mancini (tenente dell’esercito), Teresa Acosta (ballerina).
    Prod.: Philip Dunne per 20th Century-Fox Film Corp.. 35 mm. D.: 95’. Technicolor.
    Song: "La huella, huella" / "On the Trail" (Felix L. Palorma, Engl. lyrics Philip Dunne).
    Helsinki premiere: 29 May 1953 at Rea, distributed by O.Y. Fox Films A.B.
    Copy from BFI by courtesy of Park Circus.
    1960s 35 mm Technicolor print.
    In Search of Colour.
    Introduce Ehsan Khoshbakht.
    Viewed at Cinema Arlecchino, Bologna, Il Cinema Ritrovato, e-subtitles in Italian by Sub-Ti Londra, 26 June 2019.

Ehsan Khoshbakht (Il Cinema Ritrovato): "This year’s Il Cinema Ritrovato offers some of the most eclectic westerns ever made: Henry King’s realist, anti-violence drama The Gunfighter, Budd Boetticher’s austere and minimalist Ride Lonesome and Tourneur’s Argentinian western, Way of a Gaucho. Interestingly, the latter was meant to be directed by King, too, but his wife’s illness prevented him from accepting an assignment that demanded shooting entirely in Argentina."

"Gauchos are a “special breed of men answering only to their laws and codes”, as the voiceover in the opening sequence clarifies with its clear analogy to cowboys, setting the tone for a classic western narrative. The film follows the story of gaucho Martín Penalosa, from imprisonment, after killing a man in a duel, to agreeing to serve in the militia, which he eventually deserts. This gives the film its dramatic core, especially after Martín’s commander, Major Salinas, embarks on a long chase to capture the deserter, who by now has become a hero bandit."

"When Martín saves the life of a woman and later falls in love with her, the film finds its romantic weight. The ending, a rather optimistic one, stays faithful to both the myth of the gaucho and that return to law and order – a conclusion that the Juan Perón government (who were closely monitoring the production of the film) had possibly expected. It’s also been claimed that the production of the film in Argentina inspired the local filmmakers to produce that country’s first western, El último cow-boy (Juan Sires, 1954)."

"In his brilliant study of Tourneur’s cinema, Chris Fujiwara calls this “a poignant meditation on freedom and desire”, and along with Anne of the Indies, “perhaps the most beautiful of Tourneur’s films”. A great part of that beauty lies in the use of colour, which is totally lost in home video versions of the film, even those in supposedly high definition. The actual colours, as seen in this print from the 60s, with their dark blues and reds against the bright backdrops of outdoor scenes, are captured, like the lives of its three leading characters, rough and crisp." Ehsan Khoshbakht

AA: Spanish Wikipedia: "La historia es una versión libre del poema épico Martín Fierro (1872 y 1879) del poeta argentino, político y periodista José Hernández. El productor y guionista de la película, Philip Dunne, observó que los partidarios de Juan Perón: "habían hecho del legendario gaucho, entonces casi extinto, un héroe nacional y símbolo de su nacionalismo agresivo", y el guion era estrechamente controlado por el Ministro de Información Raúl Apold. Fue Apold quien eligió al asesor de temas costumbristas que trabajaría con Dunne, el pintor especialista en el campo argentino Eleodoro Marenco."

El gaucho Martín Fierro by José Hernández is one of the most famous epic poems of Latin America. It has given its name to the Martín Fierro award, and it has been filmed many times: by Rafael de los Llanos (1923), David Stivel (telenovela, 1967), Leopoldo Torre Nilsson (1968), Enrique Dawi (1974), Fernando Láverde (animation, 1989) and Norman Ruiz and Liliana Romero (animation, 2007). Fernando Solanas has directed a film called Los hijos de Fierro (1972). In Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow there is a plot thread about filming Martín Fierro.

Way of a Gaucho by Twentieth Century-Fox is a free interpretation without credit to José Hernández. The approach is that of "the last gaucho", "the end of the gaucho era". The similarity to the Western is striking, and there are affinities also to cangaceiro and samurai stories. The approach is that of an epic poem, a folk tale.

In the context of Bologna's Henry King retrospective it is interesting to learn that the project was originally assigned to Henry King, starring Tyrone Power. Perhaps they both felt that they had done this before. But The Gaucho by Douglas Fairbanks is one of his most highly regarded films, and it would have been interesting to see Tyrone Power's interpretation.

There are affinities with Jesse James, among other films: the outlaw realizing that he is now only bringing disaster to everybody, and feeling the irresistible pull of the woman he loves and who is expecting his baby.

For Henry King the strong presence of the Roman Catholic church might have been attractive. The church is a refuge of a higher spiritual existence in the middle of mindless violence. Vaya con Dios! with King is not an empty phrase.

Rory Calhoun in the leading role is convincing but lacking in charisma. Gene Tierney brings a whole web of associations with her star history (Sternberg, Lubitsch, Preminger, Mankiewicz, Goulding...) compatible with the perfect cinematic dream woman.

Jacques Tourneur was in the middle of his period of adventure films. He was filming swashbucklers and westerns, directing stories set in Honduras, Renaissance Italy and the Caribbean, and now the Argentinian pampa. He brings out the poetry of the seasons in the pampas and the mountains, the deserts and the snowfields. The external adventure is also an internal one, a story of a resignation and a new growth.

The meaning of the screening was for us cinephiles to be able to soak genuine Technicolor glory. The 1960s re-release print was indeed very satisfying in its saturated hues. The screening was also a healthy reminder that Technicolor was not sharp but necessarily soft in the Technicolor way.

AFI CATALOG ONLINE: HISTORY

At the end of the opening credits for this film, a written acknowledgment reads: "This picture was filmed in its natural settings in Argentina. Twentieth Century-Fox acknowledges with gratitude the assistance and cooperation of the Argentine Government." According to contemporary news items, Henry King was originally set to direct the film, and Tyrone Power was cast in the leading role. A May 1951 HR news item noted that King requested a transfer to another picture and was replaced by Jacques Tourneur. A Jun 1951 LAEx article reported that Power had been placed on suspension by Twentieth Century-Fox for refusing the role; he reportedly did not want to make any more "costume pictures." The article noted that Dale Robertson was tentatively set to replace him. Aug and Sep 1951 HR news items noted that Jean Peters had originally been cast as "Teresa" but had to withdraw from the role due to health reasons. An Aug 1951 NYT article incorrectly lists Michael Rennie in the cast instead of Hugh Marlowe.

As noted in the onscreen credits, the film was largely shot on location in Argentina, but some scenes were shot on location in California near Pacific Palisades and Vasquez Rocks. Both Robert Webb and Henry Levin briefly filled in for Tourneur when he was suffering from a back injury. According to information in the Twentieth Century-Fox Records of the Legal Department, located at the UCLA Arts--Special Collections Library, in order to receive official cooperation from the Argentine government, the studio agreed to shoot a short film about "certain Argentine charities supervised by Mrs. [Eva] Peron."

According to HR news items, a preview of the film was held on 30 Sep 1951 aboard the ocean liner S.S. Argentina . The liner was docked in New York, and according to HR , "close to five hundred newspapermen, stars and representives of the city, United Nations and the Argentine government" attended the screening. Modern sources note that Ray Klune served as the film's production manager. Way of a Gaucho marked the first assignment as a producer for noted screenwriter Philip Dunne. A 10 Oct 1953 SEP article reported that the film was very well received in Latin and South America.

SYNOPSIS

In 1875, rugged Argentine gaucho Martin Penalosa welcomes his lifelong friend, Don Miguel Aleondo, back to the Aleondo estancia, his ranch. Due to the death of his father, Miguel is returning to the ranch after a long absence, and the other gauchos mistrust his "city ways." During the fiesta celebrating Miguel's arrival, Martin takes offense when a fellow gaucho disparages Miguel, and kills him in a knife fight. Miguel allows Martin to be arrested, despite Martin's declaration that it is the gaucho way to fight for one's honor.

In prison, Martin meets fellow gaucho Falcon and stiffly greets Miguel when he visits. Miguel explains that he arranged for Martin to serve in the army rather than be imprisoned, and assures him he will always be welcome at the ranch. Martin and Falcon then go to the fort overseen by tough disciplinarian Maj. Salinas, who admires the gauchos' courage even though he is determined to turn them into good soldiers.

Martin resents Salinas' strictness, and one day, after the soldiers fight off an advancing group of Indians, Martin deserts. While he is riding, Martin sees an Indian carrying off a screaming woman, and succeeds in killing the Indian and rescuing the woman, who is Teresa Chavez, Miguel's fiancée.

Despite the initial animosity between the arrogant Martin and Teresa, an aristocratic city-dweller, Martin escorts her to the Aleondo ranch. During their journey, an attraction between Martin and Teresa grows, and she is distraught when he is captured by Salinas' men.

Determined to extinguish Martin's rebelliousness, Salinas has him staked out on the ground and leaves him there for several days. Martin refuses to submit, and one night, Falcon helps to free him. Before leaving, however, Martin challenges Salinas to a knife fight, and when Salinas tries to shoot him, Martin slashes his arm.

During the day, a patrol pursues Martin but the gaucho scout leading them does not reveal his location. Martin then travels through a desert, where he comes across a bandit known as Valverde. Badly hurt when his horse fell on him, Valverde speaks only a few words to Martin before dying. Martin then assumes Valverde's identity and, joined by renegade gauchos, Indians and army deserters, starts a band of rebels who attempt to prevent the encroachment of civilization upon the wild pampas.

"Valverde's" notoriety grows, and Salinas, who has left the military to join the police, despite his useless arm, suspects that he is actually Martin. Salinas questions Teresa, who professes ignorance, but she later persuades her maid, who knows one of the outlaws, to lead her to their hideout.

Salinas follows them and is captured by Martin's men, but Martin, who grudingly respects his enemy, sets him free. Martin is both pleased and disturbed to see Teresa, but when she confesses her desire to stay, he kisses her passionately.

Two weeks later, Salinas convinces Miguel to request that the militia be called to capture Valverde and his men. Later, Martin and Teresa, who have been living as husband and wife, ask Father Fernandez to marry them, but the priest, outraged by Martin's lawlessness, initially refuses. Father Fernandez does relent, but they are interrupted when they see Salinas and the federal troops ride by on the way to the gauchos' hideout.

By the time they reach the camp, Martin and Teresa are horrified to discover that all of their friends have been captured or killed. Martin and Teresa then begin the arduous journey to Chile, where they hope to live safely, but when Teresa reveals that she is pregnant, Martin realizes that she cannot finish the trek through the mountains. Determined to marry Teresa despite the risk of capture, Martin searches for Father Fernandez. The couple finds the priest but when Gomez, Salinas' former sergeant, recognizes them, he calls the police and Teresa is apprehended, although Martin escapes.

Father Fernandez apprises Miguel of Teresa's condition, and Miguel informs Teresa that he has arranged for Martin to serve only a three-year jail sentence if he turns himself in voluntarily. Teresa is uncertain, as she fears that Martin's need for freedom will cause him to die in prison, but does reveal his hiding place. Unaware that Salinas is following him, Miguel goes to Martin's hideout, and there tells him that he cannot purchase his freedom at the cost of the lives of Teresa and the baby.

Seeing Salinas and his men arrive, Martin rides off, followed by Miguel. The gunshots and confusion start a cattle stampede, and Miguel is killed while trying to help Martin escape. Later, Martin slips into Teresa's room and confesses that he was wrong to cling to the old gaucho ways and now hopes to rectify his mistakes.

Martin arranges to meet Teresa at the cathedral the next day, and Father Fernandez also summons Salinas. The priest urges Salinas to prove his strength by being merciful, although Salinas protests that some things cannot be forgiven. When Martin arrives, however, and tells Salinas that he will go with him voluntarily, after he marries Teresa, Salinas allows him to enter the cathedral with his beloved.