December of 2014 is a significant month for fans of western star William S. Hart. His first feature was released a century ago this month and he was born one hundred and fifty years ago. I couldn’t let this milestone month pass without paying tribute to everyone’s favorite Good Bad Man of the west.
What’s more, I am going to be featuring spoofs of Hart’s gritty west that star some of the best comedians of the silent era! Please enjoy. Oh, and if you have a little something special planned for Hart this month, let me know and I will link to you.
Big V Riot Squad is joining me in the Hart celebration.
To whet your appetite, here are my past reviews of Hart films. Also, I get a chance to be punny. I offer no apologies.
Dark Hart: The Toll Gate (1920) has Hart at his most menacing.
Burning Hart: Hell’s Hinges (1916) is perfectly apocalyptic.
I left my Hart in San Francisco: The Cradle of Courage (1920), in which Bill trades his Stetson for a copper’s cap.
Broken Hart: Bad Buck of Santa Ynez (1915) is a rare tragedy from our usually-victorious hero.
Review #1: New Hart
The Bargain (1914) set the stage for all subsequent Hart films. It’s also a darn good piece of entertainment that holds up remarkably well.
Review #2: Lying Hart
Keno Bates, Liar (1915) was Hart’s last short film and provides an unexpected bit of vamping, courtesy of Louise Glaum.
Review #3: Lloyd Goes West
Two-Gun Gussie (1918) is Harold Lloyd’s fun little short dealing with the perils of a jazz pianist in the oldish west.
Review #4: Arbuckle-Keaton-St. John Go West
Out West (1918) is a dark, morbid and violent send-up of William S. Hart’s grown-up westerns.
Movies Silently 
Tumbleweeds is a good one, but I wish someone would restore it in bluray.
Agreed! Hart’s films in general have not got the releases they deserve.
William S Hart might even crack a smile at your honoring his sesquicentennial.
🙂