Wagons West Chronicles October 2016 11
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Remembering Shane ’ s Ultimate Badman By Michael F . Blake
Editor ’ s Note : Michael Blake is the author of “ Code of Honor ” about the making of three great American westerns , High Noon , Shane and The Searchers .
The villain is probably the most important role in a motion picture . Casting a good actor in the role of the lead villain is equally important . A good actor can create a memorable performance that will live on for many generations after the film was originally released . One such villain was the character of Jack Wilson in Shane ( 1953 ), played with great menace by Jack Palance .
In the original script of Shane , he ’ s called “ Slick Wilson ,” and described as “ a thin man , dressed in striped trousers and other garb that appears too elegant for cowboy work . His face has the sharp alertness of a fox . Beneath his pushedback hat we see that he has lost half his right ear . The butt of a revolver projects prominently from a holster at the right side .”
When the script first introduces Wilson he is not riding into town , but merely sitting at a table in the saloon watching a conversation between Grafton and Ryker . As written , the scene lacks the dramatic impact of the hired gun arriving in town . In the film , Ryker sends one of his men into Cheyenne to hire the gunman . The scene dissolves to a wide shot of a lone rider in black hat and boots , slowly riding up to Grafton ’ s . Upon entering , Wilson leans against the bar and asks for Ryker . Director George Stevens shoots his entry from a medium lowangle , suggesting the character ’ s dominance , and uses this theme again ( Wilson being the dominant figure ) in the confrontation between the gunslinger and Torrey . The dog , who is ever-present in the saloon , gets up and walks out of the saloon , implying the animal even senses the danger associated with Wilson . ( Stevens will use the same action with the dog again in the climax .) This sequence gives a heightened impact to Wilson ’ s character , rather than his simply sitting at a table .
Interestingly , Stevens originally had planned to have Palance gallop up to the saloon , but the actor “ bounced like a bag of potatoes in the saddle .” Stevens then suggested he just trot in on the horse , but the visual wasn ’ t much better . Finally , he settled on Palance slowly walking his horse to the bar . In choosing to let the actor walk his horse in , Stevens has created a greater sense of fear and menace with the Wilson character .
One of the most memorable scenes in the film happens when Wilson goads Torrey into a fight . Arriving at the harness makers , Torrey and Shipstead dismount . Wilson has come out of the saloon and walks to the corner of the boardwalk , calling Torrey over . Shipstead tells Torrey to ignore him , but the Southerner cannot
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resist the challenge , even though he knows he should ignore the taunt . Wilson remains on the plank walk while Torrey stands in the muddy street . This allows Wilson to play a mental game with the homesteader by appearing as the dominant force . He slowly goads Torrey by forcing him to walk in the mud , hindering his ability to gain access to the plank walk .
Wilson asks if Torrey was named after Stonewall Jackson , calling both Torrey and the Confederate hero “ Southern trash .” As he is doing this , the two men are walking parallel to each other , Torrey in the mud , Wilson on the plank walk . Wilson slowly slips a black glove on his right hand ; a gesture that we come to associate with Wilson ; when he does it again later in the film , the gesture reminds the audience that Wilson is getting ready to draw his guns . The men finally square off in front of the saloon and Torrey , goaded to the breaking point , calls Wilson a “ lowdown Yankee liar .” Wilson , in a venomous whisper , dares the man to prove it . The two men draw . Torrey , with his gun extended , stands in the street for what seems like a lifetime , facing Wilson and his gun . The scene is absolutely silent until we hear the deafening roar of Wilson ’ s pistol , which sends Torrey sprawling backward into the mud .
When it came to filming the killing of Torrey , George Stevens wanted the street to be muddy . However , when the film company arrived on a Saturday to film the scene , the street was not muddy enough to suit the director . Consequently , the remainder of the day was spent watering down the street and the sequence was not filmed until the following day . But on Sunday the company was greeted with dark clouds ; because they were using Technicolor film , which needed a high level of light exposure for images to register properly , the wisdom of shooting in the gloom became a point of debate . According to associate producer Ivan Moffat , Stevens decided to go ahead and film with the clouds , feeling that the darkness would “ emphasize the moodiness of the scene .”
As Torrey is shot , his body is forced back by the impact of the bullet . To achieve this effect , a wire was placed on the back of Elisha Cook , Jr .’ s , vest , and two grips yanked him backward , where he landed on a pad that was covered with mud . Today , this is known as a “ rachet gag ” in stunt verbiage . A stuntman , or in this case the actor , has a large harness with a metal clip on the back . This metal clip , which comes through an opening in the wardrobe , is attached to another clip that is secured to a wire . The wire is run through one or two pulleys that are secured to either the floor or a Continued on page 12