Men of the West - Weekend Western Movie Festival at the Strand

The Strand Theatre and Running Wild Films present

Men of the West

  

a weekend of Western movies and more  
with special guest: 
Mitchell Ryan

September 20 - 22 

The Strand Theatre & Running Wild Films are excited to present our first Western Film Festival:  Men of the West featuring 4 Western classics, a special guest: Mitchell Ryan, other programs, and free popcorn!  



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Feature Film:
Friday, September 20 / 7:00 PM
BITE THE BULLET 
Directed by Richard Brooks

Opening night film: A contrasting group of riders enter a 700-mile horse marathon across Southwest America. Mutual feelings of distrust  and a difficult race through the desert puts each rider up to the ultimate test. Filmed in Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico. 
Tickets

(Watch trailer)

Cast: Gene Hackman, James Coburn, Candice Bergen, Ben Johnson, Ian Bannen, Jan-Michael Vincent. (Swank) 

This showing is a tribute to Jan-Michael Vincent who lived in Vicksburg until his death earlier this year.


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Program:
Saturday September 21 / 8 AM :  open casting call for 12 Westerns in 12 Months until Noon.

NO VIDEO SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED. TO AUDITION, YOU MUST ATTEND IN PERSON.

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Feature Film:
Saturday, September 21 / 2 PM
MAN OF THE WEST
Directed by Anthony Mann

Matinee -  Gary Cooper, in his last great role, portrays a former outlaw whose past returns to haunt him when he is forced by his old gang to participate in a train robbery. 

Julie London and Lee J. Cobb co-star. (Park Circus) 

Introduction by Travis Mills of Running Wild Films discussing the connection between this Western and the horror genre.  

Tickets

(Watch the trailer)

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Program:
Saturday / 4 PM
WESTERN SHORTS PRESENTATION

Free Admission

Featuring two of Running Wild Films’ Western shorts RANCH HANDS and THE OUTLAW, THE SHERIFF, and THE GOVERNOR accompanied by two Western silent classics.  



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Reception;
Saturday / 6 PM 
RECEPTION WITH MITCHELL RYAN
Festival pass holders ONLY mingle with festival guest/actor Mitchell Ryan. Complimentary snacks will be available.
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Feature Film:
Saturday / 7 PM
MONTE WALSH 
Directed by William A. Fraker

In this western adventure, two aging cowboys are finding the end of the Wild West hard to come to terms with; when one is shot by an old adversary; the other sets out on a last adventure to avenge his friend's death. Filled with richly drawn characters and magnificent photography.  

Tickets

(Here's some clips)

With Lee Marvin, Jeanne Moreau, Jack Palance, Mitchell Ryan. (Hollywood Classics USA)   
Featuring an introduction / Q&A with festival guest Mitchell Ryan 
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Program:
Sunday, September 22 / 2 PM
Selection of Readings from the 12 Westerns in 12 Months. (Free admission)
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Feature Film: 
Sunday / 6 PM (Free Show)
HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Closing Night Film:  Clint Eastwood's first Western as both director and star is a revenge tale of a mysterious stranger who rides into a settlement, where the citizens beg him to defend them against a group of outlaws. 

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Verna Bloom, Marianna Hill, Mitchell Ryan, Jack Ging ( Courtesy: Swank)  





(View Trailer) 
A free showing to close our festival with another introduction / Q&A with festival guest/actor Mitchell Ryan. 
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SPECIAL GUEST: Mitchell Ryan was featured in both Monte Walsh and High Plains Drifter and will share memories of those productions with us. He also appeared in dozens of movies and televison shows including:  Lethal Weapon, Electra Glide in Blue, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, Dark
Shadows and Dharma & Greg.
 
TICKETS
The Festival Pass at $50 provides admission to all programming including a patrons only reception with guest Mitchell Ryan. It also helps support the efforts of the Strand Theatre to bring arts programming to downtown Vicksburg. 
Tickets for individual movies are $10 each.

Selected programs are free of charge including the closing night film: High Plains Drifter.

The Festival passes and tickets to individual films are available at Highway 61 Coffeehouse and online.

Click to print your own program schedule brochure

The Strand Theatre is located at 717 Clay Street in the Adolph Rose Building in downtown Vicksburg. It opened as a movie theatre in 1934, and closed about 30 years later. In 2011, the Westside Theatre Foundation, a 501 (c) (3), began the ongoing task of rehabbing the theatre and bringing it back to life as a movie theatre and performance space.