I mentioned to my friend, Mel that I discovered a wonderful, quirky movie on TCM: The Traveling Executioner, headlined by the multifaceted Stacy Keach and costarring Bud Cort (who worked with Keach in Brewster McCloud); M. Emmet Walsh; Graham Jarvis; and the mesmerizing Marianna Hill, who fans will recall from High Plains Drifter; El Condor; The Astral Factor; Messiah of Evil; and the classic Star Trek episode, "Dagger of the Mind". Mel, of course, uncovered a collectible set to mark my fascination with this all-star, gallows-humor gem.
To give a little further background, The Traveling Executioner takes place in the American South, circa 1918, and gained a wide, theatrical release in '70 but still slipped through the cracks. It's directed/produced by Jack Smight (known for such imaginative contributions as The Illustrated Man, Frankenstein: the True Story and Damnation Alley) and written by Garrie Bateson (of Rod Serling's Night Gallery and the original Mission: Impossible fame). To boot, the movie is complemented by a catchy, ragtime-ish score by Jerry Goldsmith. In the film, Keach's Jonas Candide (an ex-carny) offers his services to prisons to execute those who've exhausted their time on death's row. Candide, you see, owns an electric chair, which leads him to fall for one of the condemned and as such, dubious and desperate, Frankenstein/bank-heist scams to keep her alive.
Mel procured a nifty (27" x 41") Traveling Executioner poster reproduction for me, featured at the top of this post (albeit the above is a stock source, if only to grant more clarity for my entry). What's interesting here is that this particular poster features both Keach and Marianna Hill, whereas the prime, distributed poster depicts only the former with his profitable device.
Mel also located two (11" x 14") lobby-card reproductions for me, as inserted above via stock shots: one of Keach collecting brothel fees from prisoners and the other of Keach and Hill in an amorous, touching-hands moment. Both reproductions are quite crisp and demonstrate the movie's diverse components.
Along with these precious pieces, Mel gave me a pleasing (8" x 10"), black-and-white, Traveling Executioner/Keach publicity photo.
The Traveling Executioner is a now a favorite of mine, and for having entrenched my favor further, I have dear, generous Mel to thank. You're truly a thoughtful, go-that-extra-mile lady and then some.
No comments:
Post a Comment