MovieChat Forums > Will Penny (1968) Discussion > re: You will Like this film

re: You will Like this film

posted 20 years ago by carl170
23 replies | jump to latest

I love this film. Joan Hackett, was a beautiful looking person, and one that could act too!

Charlton Heston. Well he's Charlton Heston, and this is one of his better movie roles. His character is gritty, stuck in his ways, but can't help loving Joan and her son..Reminds me a little of Shane. In my opinion the greatest Western ever!. But this movie is good, trust me.

I still love as his character within Planet of the Apes (*I suppose everyone does!) But this movie is cool.

At the end I am truley wishing for Heston to stay with Joan.. I really wish they could. That's how good this movie is right up to the end...

Donald Pleasance is great in this movie as well. I mean real good. A real good bad guy.

The movie screen shots and location shots are wonderful as well. And make the movie more believable then it already is...

The Christmas song scene between Charlton and Joan Hackett will make you smile

A good movie to have in your box.

Thank you Joan Hackett, Charlton Heston and Donald Pleasance for your fine acting abilites throughout this film.

Its one of the great movie Westerns...But has been forgottan over time!

[–] ch5563 20 years ago

You're right, Carl. One of the most under-rated westerns ever. Don't forget Bruce Dern as one of the psycho offspring...

[–] dvfran4 19 years ago

I agree, this a good movie. I saw it once on cable in like 88' and I've never heard anyone else mention it.

[–] keith-264 19 years ago

Channel 5 puts a decent film on! I haven't seen this for 25 years but then I haven't forgotten Joan Hackett for 25 years either.

Marlon the Cat 1991-17th October 2005

[–] a_heathen_conceivably 19 years ago

Just Checked Amazon for the DVD
Amazon.com (US NTSC Region 1) disc is 1.85:1
with featurette and other extras
Dolby Digital 2.0 mono English track

Amazon.co.uk (UK PAL Region 2) is 1.78:1
(I don't know which aspect ratio is correct)
and NO extras, apparently.
But with a Dolby Digital 5.1 English track.

Hmmm.

PS purchase from Amazon not obligatory (disclaimer!)

[–] keith-264 19 years ago

Geezah! Thanks for the tip.

Marlon the Cat 1991-17th October 2005

[–] doherty-elle 19 years ago

Ooh good some posters at last - this was on British Telly today and the scene around the christmas tree is still my favourite but it just isn't fair how it ends! What's so wrong about somone finding contentment even if he's never had it before - Anybody think Will Penny went back?
'Meet the new boss...Same as the old Boss'

[–] keith-264 19 years ago

I hope not as I'd be rather jealous. Seriously though it goes to show that Charlton Heston used to be a bit of an actor. Soylent Green and The Omega Man aren't bad either.

Marlon the Cat 1991-17th October 2005

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] keith-264 19 years ago

I thought Donald Pleasence was a splendid demented baddie as well.

Marlon the Cat 1991-17th October 2005

[–] doherty-elle 19 years ago

Ahh the omega Man, that was a weird wacky film - bonkers ending!

'Meet the new boss...Same as the old Boss'

[–] keith-264 19 years ago

Anthony Zerbe Excellent!!

Marlon the Cat 1991-17th October 2005

[–] ch5563 17 years ago

I agree. Great all-around cast and everyone does a great job with their respective roles. I'm not sure if I ever found Joan Hackett as attractive as she was in this movie.

[–] briarmor 12 years ago

well for a whole nation he will sure come back, I have discovered Yesterday from my multiLanguage dvd that the italian version I saw lot of years ago has Will tell her & Alex he will come back at the end of winter.....the italian translators wanted a possibile happy end!!!read my post about it

[–] liscarkat (18897) 2 years ago

Yes, I think Will laid awake all night, staring up at the stars, thinking about Catherine and Horace. First thing in the morning, he rode back to the cabin and rejoined them.

[–] Madyas 18 years ago

I LOVE this movie! Next to Shane, it is probably my favorite western. I love the actos, acting, script, music, scenery and it just pushes all the right buttons for me. Joan Hackett was wonderful; it's the only thing I've ever seen her in. I once saw Heston being interviewed on a TV show and he said that out of all the movies he had ever done, this one was his favorite. He went into detail about how the props used (guns, etc.) were historically authentic. I agree Anthony Zerbe was great, too, Ben Johnson is always great, and Pleasance, Dern, Majors, Wills and Shallert all did a wonderful acting job too. Interesting how the woman who played Shallert's wife was in fact, Heston's real wife! Was there ever any more word on what became of Quentin Dean, who played the girl? Seems like she disappeared from the planet, soon after. She was so fabulous in In the Heat of the Night. I just think everything came together beautifully in this movie. I've had a tradition for many years, that I always play this movie in January, right after Christmas. What a cast! I love the part where Hackett tells Heston something to the effect that her two horses had never kicked or bucked a day in their life, and Heston replied "I surely believe that" because they were not spirited like the cow-cutting horses were. I've always liked to think in my mind that eventually he came back for her and the boy, though. I'm so glad to see that others like this movie as much as I do.

[–] dgcrow 18 years ago

I've always wondered what happened to Quentin Dean as well. Her part in "Will Penny" is tiny (no lines), which is a shame. She shows real talent as an actress in other appearances, such as "In the Heat of the Night". Does anybody know what became of her?

[–] csu16387 18 years ago

This film is on my must-see list. I believe TCM has this film listed on their schedule, but I'll have to double check. I've been interested in seeing more Chuck Heston films for a while now. I hear this is one of his best performances.

"Dry your eyes baby, it's out of character."

[–] aliencat 18 years ago

I just ordered a bunch of movies from Columbia House and, right before checking out, was offered a chance to buy this movie for 99 cents. I bought it as I figured, oh what the h*ll, if it's really bad I've only wasted a a buck. Now I think it will be the first film I watch when I get the batch of them delivered to me!

[–] blueandsammy 17 years ago

Just saw this movie last night. WOW! I am usually not a western movie type. But when the movie started, I was reading all the credits for thanking the BLM, DOI, etc. for allowing use of land for production of the movie.

I flipped thru a few channels then came back to it. What I was most drawn to was the landscape. I look at a lot of the older movies that were made and think about how there is no way that they could be made today. The development of land in this country is insane. Where some movies were shot, there are most likely master planned gated communities. This movie had such great location shots.

This movie was not over the top, just a nice great western movie. I never expected to enjoy it, it just looked like another AMC movie. I will be buying this movie when I get the chance. Classic film. They don't make them like this anymore.

[–] corriganville 16 years ago

I was at the line rider shack location last October and can tell you it hasn't changed in forty years.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] carl170 16 years ago

I'm glad that people who may have seen this film for the first time, or haven't seen this film in years are in acknowledgment of how good this film is.

I really like the performance of Charlton Heston and Jean Hackett in this particular film. When I get paid at the end of the moment I shall be trying to purchase this movie.

Carl Brown
Ipswich, England

[–] Woodyanders 12 years ago

This is an excellent realistic Western. Heston shines in the lead. Joan Hackett likewise excels in her role. In fact, the cast is tip-top all down the line, with Donald Pleasence in perfectly slimy form as the crazed preacher villain and Bruce Dern frightening as one of his no-count sons.

I'm a totally bitchin' bio writer from Mars!