I was listening to Quentin Tarrantino’s interview on Fresh Air last week, and he was talking about his fondness for westerns. He went into some detail about the structure of these films, and how they were influenced by their time periods. This got me thinking about a western I saw on TV when I was a kid in the 70’s. It stuck with me because it was so disturbing. Two snippets remain in my memory, and I wonder if someone can identify the film for me.
One involved a shooting contest with shotguns. One guy shows another how to cool off the gun by dunking the barrel in a bucket of water, which the owner at first is pissed off about and then realizes is a good idea.
The disturbing scene was one in which a Native American is captured, having committed some (perhaps perceived) misdeed. They decide to punish him with a branding and then release him. They show them sticking the guy with a red hot iron, and true to the reputation of his people, he shows almost no pain, although it’s clear he is in agony.
I thought maybe it was Winchester 73, but I now doubt it because I think the film I watched was in color. Any takers?