FEARMAKERS CINEMA OF DANA ANDREWS

Director Jerry Hopper's Western adventure SMOKE SIGNAL, finally streaming in hi-definition, starring Dana Andrews as an Indian-friendly trapper helping an American troop escape angry Indians by way of white-water-rafting... Ironically, the same year, Dana's former directorial collaborator Otto Preminger had another white-water-western in theaters, the more suitably titled RIVER OF NO RETURN... Shown here are William Talman and Rex Reason. 

Not long after the double-birthdays of LAURA actors Gene Tierney and Clifton Webb is musician and actor Hoagy Carmichael, who appeared in three films with Dana Andrews, including Jacques Tourneur's character-driven western CANYON PASSAGE (pictured with Lloyd Bridges and Andy Devine), the post-war classic THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES and their true collaborating combination as fellow musicians in the melodrama NIGHT SONG.

The seventies' Western TAKE A HARD RIDE seemed to have several sub-genres at play, and yet, despite a small yet important role, Dana Andrews is the best representation since it's not a Blaxploitation despite stars Jim Brown (as Dana's friend), Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly, nor a Spaghetti Western with Lee Van Cleef on their trial, but more a modernized version of the kind of classic rough-and-tumble cowboy picture that Dana himself was a veteran of, from CANYON PASSAGE to THREE HOURS TO KILL, and before and beyond, including his last starring roles, TOWN TAMER and JOHNNY RENO.

Dana Andrews with GUNSMOKE actor Milburn Stone, the same year in fact he'd play Doc on that series here in SMOKE SIGNAL.

It's bad quality from YouTube but either way, DeForest Kelley let his friend Michael Landon, who was hot on BONANZA before STAR TREK even started, do his dirty work, stunt-doubling a fight with Dana Andrews in TOWN TAMER. 

Another screen capture from the opening of CANYON PASSAGE showing Dana Andrews riding in soaking wet from the Northwestern rain into Oregon, where the movie's both filmed and takes place.

Our second capture from the Kino Lorber Blu Ray of Jacques Tourneur's gorgeous Western CANYON PASSAGE has Dana Andrews riding into town in the rain at the film's opening.

Dana Andrews stands firm all though CANYON RIVER, and here's the first shot from the Kino Lorber Blu Ray that just came out on Tuesday, and is worth the time and purchase.

Finally, Dana Andrews's greatest Western, CANYON PASSAGE, directed by his future CURSE OF THE DEMON and THE FEARMAKERS collaborator Jacques Tourneur, fresh from horror b-pictures for Val Lewton, is on Blu Ray... for a while only available on DVD with another Western, or a Spanish Blu Ray import that was good, but this will be better: although not the cover, which, as proven below, are always superior when foreign.

In the same year, Dana Andrews plays characters whose sudden heart attacks moved the story forward. Here in TAKE A HARD RIDE it sends partner Jim Brown the titular trek, and the death in AIRPORT 1975 causes Dana's small plane to crash into Efrem Zimbelist Jr's large one: the opposite of THE CROWDED SKY.

A scene or two before the big kiss revelation of love between former friends, Susan Hayward looks jealously over towards Dana Andrews's smoky gaze, where Patricia Roc comments on his footloose working life as Andy Devine looks on in CANYON PASSAGE.

"What are your gods, Cornelius" Dana Andrews asks the shallow gold-weigher who dreams of professional banking in Jacques Tourneur's gorgeous Western CANYON PASSAGE: And this image is proof that the Spanish Import Blu Ray is worth the buy.

Dana Andrews with Milburn Stone in the Western Adventure, SMOKE SIGNAL, the same year Stone would start a twenty-year career playing Doc Adams on GUNSMOKE.

Dana Andrews with British import Patricia Roc in CANYON PASSAGE, the only American film she'd ever take part in before returning to her homeland melodramas.

As all Westerns starring or featuring Dana Andrews have something to do with a kangaroo court, here he's searching for the real killer of a murdered man Dana's character was not only blamed for, but he has a rope burn on his neck to prove it: and he wants answers and revenge, with only THREE HOURS TO KILL.

Dana Andrews as title character JOHNNY RENO, a U.S. Marshall taking Joe Connors, played by Tom Drake, in for whatever lawful justice is necessary, but the small town, blaming him for an Indian's death which could  bring savagery and revenge, wants what happens or almost happens in all Westerns starring Dana Andrews... a kangaroo court trial and hanging.

Dianne Foster plays feisty redhead Chris Palmer in THREE HOURS TO KILL, a vengeance Western starring Dana Andrews as a falsely-accused man who returns to his hometown to find the real killer. Meanwhile, Chris wants his investigation to end for them to run off together. And doesn't take rejection lightly.

Dana Andrews and a smitten Dianne Foster discuss his having been away after the town attempted a lynching for a murder he didn't commit, and now he's got THREE HOURS TO KILL. And Foster, not on the list, wants him to run off again... but not alone.

Dana Andrews and James Westerfield in THREE HOURS TO KILL, another of a handful of Westerns starring Dana featuring the hangman's noose: In this picture, he's almost strung-up, survives, escapes, and returns to town to find out who killed the man he was accused of killing in the first place. This handsome Western, directed by Alfred Werker, happens mostly in flashback.

Heavily drinking, and married, Dana Andrews fell for co-star Linda Cristal, best known later for MR. MAJESTYK: In a strange turn of somewhat creepy evens, he wanted his wife to meet her as he starred in the politically-correct Western, COMANCHE: Simply put, Dana needed to sober, and smarten, up at this point of his career, and life.