I'm going to have to go back and re-watch this because something just tapped the back of my mind. Penny and her family have been in that territory for how long? And she's never heard of Marshal McClintock before? Or was this just the "innocent girl never being involved with the Law" routine?
"I'm not reckless . . . I'm skillful!"
I think you got it with your last statement. Penny was an innocent girl who had never been involved with the law. I don't even know who my own county sheriff is.
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Come to think of it, neither do I. But, rather than Innocent, I'm just Unexciting.
"I'm not reckless . . . I'm skillful!"
im gonna take a guess and say it's probably the latter, as she doesn't seem the type of girl that would get involved with the law.
are you going to bark all day little doggie,, or are you going to bite
Isn't he the Marshall for the Territory - which I assume is a pretty big area. It's only the badmen and those associated with them who were likely to actually see the Marshall.
shareOK, I went back and checked out the scene (thank you, YouTube). McClintock was indeed the Marshall for the Territory (which I suspect, along with you, was a pretty big area).
Initially I thought it was an awful lot of territory for one man to have to patrol. But, in retrospect, there didn't really seem to be anything worth attracting a lot of crime (except for some herds of cattle, and also land and water disputes). And, seeing as how McClintock knew about Lila (who was in another town altogether), he obviously swung a rather large rope.
"I'm not reckless . . . I'm skillful!"
The only thing off for me was the Marshall . I thought he was miscast . He was too folksy, like someone's grandpa . It would have been better, IMO if they had gotten a more badass type of guy. He did say that he was an old Indian fighter after all, and Mr. Carey didn't have that persona to me .
shareI would respectfully disagree. I thought Carey's folksiness and overall attitude signaled the confidence he had in himself. And recall how he suddenly appeared and drew down on Bruce Cabot at the end. Pretty smooth move to my way of thinking.
"I'm not reckless . . . I'm skillful!"
Carey was one of the very first film stars going all the way back to the infancy of American cinema.
I also disagree with your "miscast" assessment. Both Carey and his lawman character are obviously old men, but never to be underestimated by the wise! Both actor and character have acquired much wisdom and know-how in their respective crafts.
Okay folks, show's over, nothing to see here!