The Cheyenne Social Club

Plot synopsis:
In 1867, John O'Hanlan (Stewart) and Harley Sullivan (Fonda) are aging cowboys working on open cattle ranges in Texas. O'Hanlan gets a letter from an attorney in Cheyenne, Wyoming, that his disreputable and now deceased brother, DJ, left him something called The Cheyenne Social Club in his will.
After they make the 1,000 mile (1,600 km) trek to Cheyenne, O'Hanlan and Sullivan learn that The Cheyenne Social Club is a high-class brothel next to the railroad. O'Hanlan's new-found status as a man of property makes him the most popular man in town, until he decides to turn the Club into a respectable boarding house.
The ladies of the Club show no sign of leaving. John gets into a bar-room brawl with several men who are equally angry at the prospect of the Club closing. John then learns from DJ's lawyer that DJ had made a deal with the railroad: if the ladies leave the Club, the land the Club is on will revert to the railroad.
John returns to the Club to discover that Jenny, the head girl (Jones), has been assaulted by a man named Corey Bannister. John, with Harley following along, arms himself and goes to the bar where Bannister is. John kills Bannister when Bannister mistakes Harley's cracking pecans for a second gun. "Just like DJ would have done" the barkeeper intones of John's heroics.
The Sheriff advises John and Harley that Bannister's relatives are sure to head for Cheyenne once they learn of Bannister's death. He says he would like to stay and help John and Harley face down the Bannisters, but has to leave town on business.
Harley heeds the Sheriff's warning and leaves for Texas in spite of John's pleads to stay. En route, Harley meets several men at a campfire. While engaging in conversation with the men, Harley discovers they are the Bannisters. He gets on his horse and rides on.
The Bannisters show up at the Club and a gunfight ensues. John, with help from Jenny, kills two Bannisters from the window. A third Bannister enters the house through a back door and is killed by Jenny. Harley, who has returned, kills the fourth Bannister after climbing the railroad water tower. John yells, "Is that you Harley?" The head Bannister hears this and remembers Harley as the man who approached them at the campfire. He shoots at Harley, but is gunned down by John. The sixth Bannister runs away.
John and Harley are feted at the bar which had formerly shunned them. The Sheriff congratulates them and then tells them 20 to 30 of the Bannisters cousins, the Markstones, are heading to Cheyenne. He says he would like to stay and help John and Harley face the Markstones, but has to leave town again on business.
This time, John decides to leave and he has DJ's lawyer transfer ownership of the Club to Jenny. Months later, while working cattle on the range in Texas, John receives a letter from Jenny. He is touched by it, but tosses it into the fire before him. Harley is upset John has destroyed the letter because he wanted to read it. They then ride off together, arguing.

Tags: revenge, violence

Review:
"The Cheyenne Social Club" is a delightful easy going comedy western produced and directed by screen legend Gene Kelly.
Given the subject matter, Kelly manages to stick handle around the double entendres and present a comedy that is tastefully done and probably offended no one.Two drifters, John O'Hanlan (James Stewart) and Harley Sullivan (Henry Fonda) are working cattle in Texas.
So he and Harley set out for Cheyenne.When they arrive, they discover that the property that O'Hanlan has inherits is a bawdy house known as The Cheyenne Social Club.
Harley meanwhile has struck up a friendship with another saloon girl Alice (Jean Willes) after he stops her runaway horse.O'Hanlan is uncomfortable with the kind of business he's in and announces that he is closing up the Social Club while he ponders his next move.
On the trail he meets the Bannisters led by "Uncle" Charlie (Charles Tyner) who are heading to Cheyenne.Only O'Hanlon is left to defend the Social Club and its girls.
They even get to "sing" a song on the trail (good thing they didn't quit their day jobs).The film is made even better with its fine supporting cast.
So Stewart quits his job in Texas and rides to Cheyenne to claim his inheritance and saddle pal Henry Fonda goes along for the ride.
The Cheyenne Social Club rises and falls on the chemistry between its two stars and this one rises like the lightest of angel food cake.
The two movie icons and best friends from Princeton days are so perfectly cast it's a shame they didn't make a sequel and have some further adventures.No doubt also these two helped director Gene Kelly over the rough patches in a movie genre he really wasn't familiar with.
Kelly was wise enough to cast the film with a whole lot of players familiar with the western genre.
And he was wise enough to give all these people their head and they don't let him down.It turns out that The Cheyenne Social Club is a bordello under the temporary management of Shirley Jones.
Apparently whatever suits Stewart just tickles Fonda plumb to death.Best moment in the film is when Jimmy Stewart gets the best of bad guy Robert J.
Has to be seen to be appreciated.This was James Stewart's last starring western and a great one to go out on as well..
Cliches and all, it is a pleasure to watch the interaction of these two old "pros," Stewart and Fonda, and the superb supporting cast.
Jimmy Stewart (John) and Henry Ford (Harley) have been "riding together" for 10 years when John receives a letter from a lawyer in Cheyenne.With John and Harley being drifters, it has taken the letter two years to catch up to them.
John is told his older brother DJ has died and left him a thriving business in Wyoming; The Cheyenne Social Club.
The wagon wheel comes off when John realizes the Cheyenne Social Club is actually an high end, upscale brothel.
When John pops into the picture, the ladies fancy him a hero although John has plans to turn the house into a legitimate business.The casting and directing of this film is perfectly done.
Fun Western comedy with two-towering actors and bemusing situations that happen when an upright cowboy after the death of his brother receives an unusual legacy : The Cheyenne social club and he along with another friend from Texas go to the location .
"John", a honest cowpuncher (James Stewart) to which accompanies his inseparable friend "Sullivan" (Henry Fonda), another cowboy from Texas who are longly friends from 10 years ago , at the prospect of inheritance they decide to go in search of the business of his deceased brother .
After that , they discover the truth as the Club results to be the town's bawdy brothel plenty of joyful girls ( Shirley Jones , Sue Ane Langdon , Elaine Devry as sexpots of bordello) with a great tradition in the region.
Meanwhile there appears the assortment of bad guys (Robert J Wilke , Charles Tyner) who force shoot'em up on them.Gentle entertainment about a bordello in the Old West with two masters of the performance , James Stewart and Henry Fonda , they are magnificent experts in the art of conjuring laughs of nothing , here are reunited in this atypical but amusing western with a lot of jokes , undistinguished moments and comical attitudes , in addition a multitude of absurd situations.
Fun screenplay by James Lee Barret , Western's ordinary , though clichés run through-out , the enjoyable story is enhanced for amusing moments developed among main characters and especially on the relationship between James Stewart and Henry Fonda.
The stellar cast is accompanied by some secondary actors very good as Shirley Jones , Robert J Wilke , Robert Middleton , John Dehner and Charles Tyner .
Clothier , John Ford's usual .It's a movie highly desirable to spend 103 fun minutes professionally directed by Gene Kelly, an expert dancer and choreographer .
He directed some films as "Singing in the Rain" , ¨On the town¨ , co-directed by Stanley Donen , and ¨Invitation to the dance¨, ¨Hello Dolly¨ , ¨Guide of married men ¨ , ¨ Cheyenne Social Club turns out to be his only Western .
It's a minor and thin effort and is beneath this great trio Fonda-Stewart-Kelly .
No matter how many movies teamed Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda, it was not enough.
Gene Kelly directs the pair here in a simple story of long-time friendship in the Old West, familiar ground, sure, but a story that always brings a smile to my face.When John O'Hanlan (Stewart) discovers that his long lost brother has died, he's surprised to find that he has inherited a business.
Thankfully his riding partner Harley Sullivan (Fonda) has tagged along, Harley may have his own point of view on most things, but he does smooth out many of the rough spots  they encounter along the way.Story is predictable, the climax is anti-climatic, but, who cares when you get to see these on-screen buddies in a buddy movie defined..
Is "The Cheyenne Social Club" a comedy or action Western?
Cowboy James Stewart receives a letter telling him that he has inherited property from his late brother so he starts out for Cheyenne along with his buddy, Henry Fonda.
It is only after he arrives that Stewart finds out the Cheyenne Social Club is not a boarding house or saloon as he supposed, but, well, something else.
Director Kelly plays up the discomfort Stewart feels being the not so proud owner and his futile efforts to close the place down, but most of the jokes in that vein fall flat.
The Cheyenne Social Club sounds like a bad idea on a number of levels.
For beginners it stars two elderly actors towards the end of their careers in a comedy about prostitution, not to mention Gene Kelly would be one of the last people I would expect to be directing a western.
For a long time it remained a movie I doubt I would ever watch yet much to my surprise the film turned out not only to be perfectly dignified but also very funny and surprising endearing.
The movie doesn't shun prostitution and while propaganda might be a strong word I certainly got the impression the movie was voicing its support for the legalisation of prostitution.Henry Fonda is by far the funniest thing in the film; a child in an adult's body living out a completely carefree existence with Stewart being the straight man and the grown up one of the two.
Even as soon as the film begins Fonda babbles through the entire opening credits which according to the movie lasts for literally over a thousand miles which helps distract from how ordinarily plain the test in the opening credits are.
It is also very amusing as Fonda just follows Stewart wherever he goes as he has nothing else to do with his time but also because he just likes his company.
The film's other major highlight is Stewart and Fonda's discussing of politics (Stewart being a Republican and Fonda a Democrat) mirroring their real life personas and bringing to mind an occasion when their friendship was almost brought to an end when they got engaged in a fist fight over politics in 1947 ("I don't like to dispute you John but didn't you always vote democratic?, Well...that was when I didn't know any better") .The Cheyenne Social Club is the third of three films James Stewart and Henry Fonda starred in together.
Thankfully the third time was the charm; it took 35 years to get these two legendary actors in a great film together but it was worth the wait..
My lasting memory from seeing this film in a large screen theater in 1970 is the opening scene: Fonda and Stewart at work on a snowy range with other cowboys before Stewart gets notified of his inheritance.
(63%) A light hearted comedy western made toward the latter stages of both James Stewart, Henry Fonda's career, and actually westerns in general.
With its charm, nicely drawn characters, and good entertainment value I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to all fans of the western genre or just those looking for something decent to pass the time..
You would think a film headlined by Fonda and Stewart would be a nailed on success, and through Gene Kelly you have enough experience to make a blockbuster.Right off the bat Fonda is poorly cast as Stewart's cowpoke side kick.
The first few scenes are supposed to build the Fonda-Stewart characters relationship.
The sort that comes out with endless folksian nonsense, but for whatever reason Fonda can't play himself down.It also has to be said that Fonda and Stewart's partnership lacked the natural chemistry that make for the best buddy films.Unfortunately either the script, or the direction is howlingly bad.
Despite the fact it had Gene Kelly (of all people) as director, this western comedy-drama is incredibly tired and stale.
James Stewart plays a cowboy in the late 1800s who inherits an upscale brothel; Henry Fonda is Jimmy's talkative partner; Shirley Jones is the resident madam.
Perhaps the script is the main culprit: screenwriter James Lee Barrett, working from the novel by Davis Grubb, must have been raised on old western serials, for his scenario is cluttered up with hammy folks and the type of movie-prostitutes who can't wait to jump into the sack.
Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart are about twenty years too old for their characters but who cares?
Western comedy about an aging cowboy (James Stewart) whose brother dies and leaves him a brothel.
I don't know about you, but the thought of a Jimmy Stewart movie where he is the new owner of a brothel just seems wrong.
Certainly not.It's sad, but in the late 60s and early 70s, there a string of "modern" westerns that featured amoral leads--Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart, among others, made them.
Now it was nice to see movies that tried to be different, but these westerns generally weren't very good.
Just once, I'd like to see a movie where a prostitute is a selfish alcoholic or has an STD.The film has decent writing and the dialog between Fonda and Stewart is good.
I am surprised that Stewart and Fonda where part of this, they certainly didn't need it at this point in their careers...I could probably write a book about the flaws in this film, but it simply isn't worth waisting any more time on...
Even though it was supposed to be a "classical" western, you can see straight away that it was filmed in recent times.
Alas, the times of good westerns ended in the 1960's, ...and they are probably never coming back!.
One feature of "The Cheyanne Social Club"; it marks the 3rd (count'em third) time that James Stewart "killed" career bad guy Robert J.
Stewart's pal, Henry Fonda, is noshing on pecans while watching the action.
Shades of Liberty Valence!This movie was directed by Gene Kelly, and this scene was played for slapstick comedy.
(Heck, even Grace Kelly snuffed him in "High Noon"!) This was quite likely the only time his demise was played for laughs.In an enjoyable movie, this was one of the outstanding moments.
The film is neither good nor bad, entitled neither as farce nor Western.
After an interminable journey across the plains, two itinerant cowboys (the two Hollywood legend Stewart and Fonda) reach Cheyenne, where Stewart has inherited the noisiest bordello in town, which is well-managed by pretty Shirley Jones...
Shot on location near Santa Fe, New Mexico, the film is neither good nor bad, entitled neither as farce nor Western Some of the jokes about the bordello are labored and repetitious, and there was some complaint over Stewart compromising his clean cut image when he confronts one of the prostitutes in a see-through negligée Stewart wanted the scene cut out, but the company overruled himThe film's director was a surprising choice Stewart's reasons for wanting to use Gene Kelly, whose reputation was scarcely associated with Westerns, remain obscure Perhaps he felt Kelly would sly1y inject more tongue-in-cheek elements, given the bordello angle, than an action-oriented director like Andrew, McLaglen would haveFonda seems to have had a solid affection for "The Cheyenne Social Club," especially as it gave him and Stewart a chance to really co-star in a movie with some human dimensions....
After James Stewart and Henry Fonda appeared together in a Western called "Firecreek" (1968), it was wisely decided that the two old friends should be paired together in another Western, only this time they would actually play off of their real-life friendship.
Written by James Lee Barrett and directed by - of all people - Gene Kelly, this project would be titled "The Cheyenne Social Club." John O'Hanlan (Stewart) and Harley Sullivan (Fonda) are two Texas wranglers, the former soon learning that he has inherited a place from his deceased brother known as the Cheyenne Social Club.
Soon enough, they find out exactly what kind of place this "social club" is.Two highlights: Probably the funniest scene in the whole piece occurs near the beginning when Harley chatters endlessly during the opening credits as he and John ride to Cheyenne; John finally gets a word in edgewise after they've travelled their thousand miles.
And when John learns that Pauline (Elaine Devry) supposedly has a bad liver, he walks into her room and gives her some money so that she may see a doctor; Pauline, however, thinks that this money is meant for a little something else.The making of "The Cheyenne Social Club" was not a most pleasant experience.
Henry Fonda reportedly didn't want to do the picture at all, trying to get Jack Elam to replace him; certainly, Jack Elam is a wonderful actor (one of my favorite Western bad guys, in fact), but no doubt this film would have been quite different had Elam stepped into the role of Harley Sullivan.
Gene Kelly directs this occasionally funny western.
John O'Hanlan(James Stewart) inherits a Texas landmark...well, its actually a popular whore house.
Down on his luck O'Hanlan talks his good friend Harley Sullivan(Henry Fonda)to help him run it.
Yes, there is some laughs; but this movie seems way beneath efforts and reputations of both Stewart and Fonda.
Situational comedy just doesn't seem to be even par with the cast.Stewart and Fonda work very well together.
Song and dance legend Gene Kelly turned over a new leaf with this 1970 western co-starring James Stewart and Henry Fonda.
"The Cheyenne Social Club" qualifies as one of the best western sex comedies.
Stewart plays a career cowpoke that received a letter two years late and discovers that he has inherited a bordello much to his chagrin.
Henry Fonda plays his long-winded best friend of ten years.
Stewart and Fonda make a hilarious pair who have been riding together for so long but don't know why they've been together.
Shirley Jones and Sue Ann Langdon round out the cast as a couple of the prostitutes at the Cheyenne Social Club.
After he learns that he has inherited a house of ill repute from his brother, John O'Hanlan (James Stewart of "Vertigo") decides to close the place to everybody's surprise.Although it was the only western that Kelly helmed, he used John Wayne's favorite cinematographer William H.
Clothier and "The Cheyenne Social Club" looks as western as all get out..
A buddy Western with James Stewart and Henry Fonda, directed by Gene Kelly.
Produced and directed by Gene Kelly, with a story written directly for the screen by James Lee Barrett, this slightly above average Western comedy, with lots of humorous dialogue, is also a buddy picture for James Stewart and Henry Fonda (their last on-screen appearance together), whose real life longtime friendship comes through very well.Stewart plays John O'Hanlan, whose brother J.D. died and left him the titled club.
John is a hardened cowboy who's been drifting around all his life working different jobs when Cheyenne lawyer Jedediah Willowby's (Dabbs Greer) letter reaches him, two years later, with the news.
Harley Sullivan (Fonda), who's been tagging along with John for 10 years, decides to follow his friend to Wyoming where they learn that the club is a house of ill repute; it's been kept running by one of its girls, Jenny (Shirley Jones, who'd earned her only Academy recognition, a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, playing a different prostitute, Lulu Bains, in Elmer Gantry (1960)).Even though he is treated like a king by 'his' girls AND in town, once they learn who he is (the club is a veritable institution!), John believes himself to be of high moral character, and decides to close the social club down, much to the chagrin of everyone, including Harley who's begun to sample the merchandise one-by-one.