Review of Rare Breed, The

Introduction

Martha Evans` husband had a dream, that he would introduce the refinement of the Hereford cow to America, and by crossing the quintessential English Cow with the American Longhorn he`d breed a superior specimen. That dream appeared to perish with him, when he died on the crossing over from England. Martha and her daughter Hilary were left with their cows and their prize bull Vindicator. They quickly sold the cows to raise the cash for the return trip, and all that remains now is to sell Vindicator, though they want to find a customer who`ll appreciate Vindicator`s purpose. But when a potential customer turns out to have ulterior motives, Martha changes her mind and decides to take Vindicator to Texas herself. To guide her she finds Sam Burnett, a cantankerous bulldogger, who quickly joins in ridiculing the hornless Hereford bull. However he too has other intentions regarding the bull, and the trip to Texas isn`t going to be incident free.

Awaiting them in Texas is cattleman Alexander Bowen, a gruff Scotsman who immediately takes a shine to the spirited Martha, although he too isn`t too enamoured with Vindicator. By now Sam has seen the light, and is soon pursuing the dream that Martha`s late husband had, but will Vindicator survive the harsh Texas winter.

Video

The Rare Breed is presented on a single layer disc in a 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer. The image is really quite impressive for a nigh on forty-year-old film. It`s clear and sharp throughout, with vivid vibrant colours. Print damage is comparatively minimal and the only problem of real note is a smattering of moiré and just a hint of grain.

The scenery certainly stands out, and the film looks glorious for the most part. There were a couple of scenes with the then equivalent of bluescreen that look rather out of place compared to the rest of the film.

Audio

The sound is a simple DD 2.0 track, and all the dialogue is as clear as it`s going to get. I don`t think much can be done about Brian Keith`s accent though. Johnny Williams, better known to you and me as John Williams of Star Wars fame, composed the music for this film.

Features

It`s pretty much a bare bones release, so all you get is the trailer and English subtitles for the main feature.

Conclusion

The Rare Breed is one of those Westerns that provide all round family entertainment. It`s got a bit of everything in, action, comedy, romance and if you can stand Brian Keith`s bagpipes, music too. It`s lighthearted fun from beginning to end, which makes for perfect Sunday afternoon fare, as James Stewart and Maureen O`Hara lead a Hereford bull to the Promised Land. James Stewart initially looks out of place as Sam Burnett a grizzled cowpuncher, but this film is replete with odd casting. Maureen O`Hara has an English accent that varies from scene to scene, although Juliet Mills is wickedly sharp-tongued as her daughter Hilary. Perhaps the oddest casting of all is Brian Keith as the Scottish Alexander Bowen. He sports the most amazing russet beard and mane, and his accent is close to incomprehensible, despite being mostly looped in postproduction. Pretty much the only person typecast is Jack Elam, who is the villainous Simons, although he does start out more comic relief than anything else.

The Rare Breed is that cinema from a certain age, good old-fashioned fun, and as such it won`t tax the brain cells. It does seem at times to be two films in one, and there is a sharp line drawn between the trip to Texas and what comes after that, but it doesn`t outstay its welcome. The presentation on this disc is impressive, visually speaking at least, and while the film may not be one of the all time classic Westerns, it will certainly keep you amused for an afternoon.