As Charlton Heston becomes even more of a bizarre caricature of a right-wingnut gun freak, I always find it appealing to look back on his often-ludicrous acting career.
Will Penny, the ’68 Western, has just been released on DVD. In it, Heston plays a lone wrangler who finds himself the target of a gang of evil rogues. The casting is pretty funny, including Lee Majors (in his first big screen role, look for shots of him in long underwear), Bruce Dern (playing the psychotic type he’s become famous for) and especially Donald Pleasance, as the Bible-quoting, dancing, patriarch of the mob which is hell bent on killing Heston.

Penny is slow to start and ends with the obligatory stand-off/shootout, but my favourite bits come with the smaller, more intimate details. Like when Heston and leading lady Joan Hackett realize their strong mutual attraction—while churning butter in unison (how erotic!). The passion is balanced with pathos, as Hackett is heartbroken to learn Heston doesn’t know the words to one lousy Christmas carol. Can you believe it? In a touching scene, she tries to teach him the lyrics to “Deck the Halls.” But dear old Chuck gets stuck on “Fa la la la la, la la la la.” Now this is heartwarming moviemaking. :

—Matthew Hays