After working as a director for episodic television shows, Sam Peckinpah finally broke into directing feature films with Ride The High Country in 1962. Cowboy star Randolph Scott thought was such a great film that he retired afterwards so he’d be leaving on a high note. But Peckinpah’s success turned into a back to back nightmare. He directed Major Dundee with Charlton Heston. This project was a nightmare with studio slashing the budget right before the production left for Mexico. Sam blew his cool when Columbia cut the film by 13 minutes after the premiere. While directing Steve McQueen in the Cincinatti Kid, Peckinpah was fired by the producer after a week for changing the tone. At this point, studios had lost faith in Peckinpah as a filmmaker. Sam didn’t completely give up as a director. He returned to the small screen. Instead of working on Gunsmoke and Bonanza, he adapted Katherine Anne Porter’s novella “Noon Wine” for ABC’s Stage 67 anthology series. How would he do under a tight schedule, low budget and two major stars? Would his fate change on November 23, 1966?
Royal Earle Thompson (All the President’s Men‘s Jason Robards) has a dairy farm in Texas. He’s married to Ellie (Gone With the Wind‘s Olivia de Havilland) and raises his two son. She’s not that affectionate with her husband. They seem to exist for the boys and the business. One afternoon Olaf Helton (The Girl Who Played With Fire‘s Per Oscarsson) wanders by looking for work. Royal’s taken by the Swedish visitor who has no livestock experience, but once worked a wheat field of North Dakota. Royal offers him a job at a low pay, but includes room and board. Olaf proves to be very valuable and reliable to the dairy. Everyone seems happy with the arrangement for several years. Things look great except on day when Olaf freaks out when the boys play with his harmonica. Ellie is a bit concerned although Royal thinks it’s just a one-time thing. Later a man from North Dakota comes looking for Olaf. That’s when things change quick.
Noon Wine really sticks close to Katherine Anne Porter’s original novella. ABC had no problem letting the bleak ending appear on TV. Peckinpah didn’t give it the “Bloody Sam” treatment. He uses a couple visual tricks to compact everything into 50 minutes without making it feel rushed. He lets Jason Robards and Olivia de Havilland dig into the unhappy couple on the farm who welcome a stranger into their lives. Along with his major stars, Peckinpah cast two members of his informal acting troupe: Ben Johnson (The Getaway) and L.Q. Jones (The Ballad of Cable Hogue) in minor roles.
Noon Wine rescued Peckinpah’s career when he was nominated by the Director’s Guild for the special and the Writer’s Guild. He was no longer unwanted. This is what allowed him to get Warner Bros. to give him the green light to make The Wild Bunch. He’d follow that up by reuniting with Jason Robards on The Ballad of Cable Hogue. His hot streak also had him back with Steve McQueen with Junior Bonner and The Getaway. Robards would return for Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid. This is essential viewing for fans of Peckinpah to see what it took to bring him back from the brink of having to find a new career. While Royal ends up in a mess, Noon Wine proved to be a redemption story for Sam Peckinpah.
The Video is 1.33:1. The transfer is to from a 1967 video master. It appears Noon Wine was shot with 16mm for the outdoor scenes and standard definition video for interiors. There is a videotape editor credited at the end. This is such an important part of Sam Peckinpah’s career; the resolution quality won’t distract. The audio is Dolby Digital mono. The sound levels are fine.
Original Broadcast Version (59:01) includes the Stage 67 opening and commercials for Singer, Alka Seltzer, Fab with Borax, Colgate, ABC Special on Rome, NCAA College Football on ABC and Christmas Seals. This feels like the proper way to watch Noon Wine.
Liberation Hall presents Noon Wine. Directed by Sam Peckinpah. Screenplay by Sam Peckinpah. Starring Jason Robards, Olivia De Havilland, Theodore Bikel, Per Oscarsson, Ben Johnson and L.Q. Jones. Running Time: 50 minutes. Rating: Not Rated. Release Date: May 30, 2023.
