Review of Paint Your Wagon

As a writer and director, I find the "Paint Your Wagon" cinematic project to be a fascinating one. A play first staged on Broadway, Alan Jay Lerner's and Frederic Loewe's first popular hit was done with human beings, lighting, effects and music. As a film., director Joshua Logan opened the production out; he showed men trekking West in a fantastic array of wagons and rolling vehicles, founding a city amid tall trees in the hills of California, striking gold and building their town "No Name City" from nothing. The feature was scenic, big in appearance, outdoor-oriented, spacious and colorful I suggest--and he downplayed the musical numbers with the exception of "They Call the Wind Maria". So, we as appreciators and viewers of his large-scale work need to look at how and why he did what he did to make this a very cinematic experience--one which begins by the camera resolving fractured or hazy images into clear forms and which ends with an opposite devolution as the city's dwellers trek off to the next goldfield and vanish like the elements of an improbable mirage or fever-dream. Logan had directed "Picnic" with extraordinary skill, moving it to real locations and out-of- doors; but the difference was that he then had a cast of mostly stage-trained actors to work with. Here, his attempt as in "South Pacific" to use plausible physical types and not trained actors did not work as well, once again, I suggest. In a musical, singers are not always good actors--which is why they are frequently replaced on soundtracks by dubbed voices of singers; and so the director's priorities are to find the right actors if he is having them sing or else plausible actors among available singers. The story-line of "Paint Your Wagon", as written for the screen by naturalistic author Paddy Chayefsky and Lerner, is amusing but not important. The narrative follows men West who are misfits, seekers after gold, and/or men with an inordinate desire, wish or lust of some sort. These men find gold in California's hills; they labor months on short rations under rain, stormwinds, cold, privation and loneliness. And two strike up a firm friendship as a tent city is raised--bright, moody, hard-drinking Ben Rumson (Lee Marvin) and Pardner, a Man who is obviously new to the West. The two eventually end up agreeing with the young woman who suggests the solution to the fact that she is in love with both of them, Elizabeth (Jean Seberg), that she ought to marry both of them at once. This is a mining camp--no one objects. From this point on, the wild West becomes even wilder. The men hijack a stagecoach after holding a huge meeting to discuss the action. And its cargo is brought to No Name City--six shady Gallic ladies. The growth and wildness of the place continues unabated. There are saloons erected, gambling houses running full-bore and vast underground tunneling operations being conducted. Instead of the gentle "I Talk to the Trees", the evocative "Paint Your Wagon", and "I Still See Luisa" now the songs become hard-edged, "Gold" and "I Was Born Under a Wand'rin' Star". There is rough humor involving Ben introducing a young man to sex with the help of the Madam of the local cathouse and being amazed by his progress. There are arguments between Ben and Pardner. And Elizabeth finally refusing to leave the house they build for her, as a wild-eyed preacher predicts the fall of No Name City--and watches as it collapses as if on cue as a bull stampedes down the main thoroughfare. The qualities of the film are opulent but a bit inconsistent. William A Fraker was the feature's cinematographer, John Truscott did the good production design. Carl Braunger did the vivid art direction and the set decorations were supplied by James L. Berkey. John Truscot also designed the many admirable costumes. In the cast, Lee Marvin dominates in a nearly-award-caliber and lively attempt. His renditions of "Gold" and "Wanderin' Star" are very effective despite his lack of singing ability. Clint Eastwood is pleasant and adequate as Pardner, even though he cannot sing at all. Jean Seberg is rather good as Elizabeth, showing maturity as a star performer. Others in the numerous cast include Alan Dexter as the dynamic preacher, Ray Walston (charismatic) as Mad Jack, Harve Presnell, Benny Baker, H.B. Haggerty, Tom Ligon, H.W. Gim and Robert Easton, Carl Bruck, Alan Baxter and Paula Trueman. The film has the defects of director Logan's methods as noted above. I assert; but the film's breezy success as an entertainment owes much to Logan's eye for physical and interpersonal moments: the staging of "They Call The Wind Maria" to symbolize the loneliness of a grey winter; and the cheerful industry of the miners singing "Gold" as they tunnel happily away, the great meeting etc. I admire much of the film's drive and attempted realism; and I appreciate many of its best moments, its lighting, its lack of pretension. I saw the film in New York City in 1969; and I still enjoy it as much as ever without being insensible of its imperfections.