Missing Scenes from "Conagher"?

[Coal Creek Griff]

Way back when “Conagher” was first on TV, it was one of my favorite westerns.  I liked it enough that it was one of the first VHS tapes I bought when I finally got a VCR (this was back when you had to go to a store that specialized in videos and pay $15 bucks or so for a VHS tape). 

By then, it had been quite a while since I had seen it on TV.  When I got the tape home and watched it, there were a few scenes “missing” from the movie.  The ones I could remember for sure were pretty short and it didn’t matter much to the plot, but it kind of bugged me, like I wasn’t getting the whole movie.  Later, I had a hazy idea that there were more missing scenes.  I seem to remember a shootout where Conagher is in the bunkhouse and Smoke Parnell’s rustlers are shooting at him.  The short scenes are one when Conagher is riding his horse and says something like, “Conagher, you’re as dumb as a post.”  The other one is when he rides into town towards the end of the movie and talks with Charlie McCloud, the stage driver, outside for a while before he goes into the saloon.  Both of those are missing from my VHS copy.

I’ve lived with the tape that I have—it still works fine and I still have a VCR.  If I knew that the DVD would have the missing scenes, though, I’d spring for it.  Does somebody out there have a DVD version who can tell me whether those scenes are there?

Thanks, pards.

Creek Griffith

[Mossyrock]

Yup, they are on the DVD.  Great movie!   

[Coal Creek Griff]

Thank you, sir.  I guess I'll have to step into the 20th century and order the DVD.

CCG

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[Coal Creek Griff]

My DVD came today.  There are a whole bunch of scenes that were cut for the VHS version.  It baffles me why they would have scenes in the TV version, then cut them in the commercial VHS version.   Well, now I get to watch the whole thing for the first time in years.

Thanks, Mossyrock.  By the way, it seems they had an earthquake here in Washington this week named for you.

CC Griff

[Mossyrock]

Thanks, Mossyrock.  By the way, it seems they had an earthquake here in Washington this week named for you.

CC Griff

I heard that rumor...  I work in a basement out on scenic and historic Camp Lewis and didn't feel a thing.  I'll have to ask my folks...they still live down thataway.

[Coal Creek Griff]

I didn't feel in in Tacoma either.  I wonder if it even really happened.

[Regret Chancy]

A good movie and an even better book. There are alot of things in the book that are pertinent to the overall plot but with this being made during the time when most everything was 90 minutes (that was made for tv). It is still a very good movie and goes into my top 10 of all time. I did have a problem with the Hollywood cartridge discrepency when at Horse Creek Station he trades 2 rifles recovered from killed Apaches and gets 44's. Not that I have a problem with 44's but he was carrying a Smith and Wesson 44 Russian pistol and a Winchester '73 that I figure was 44-40. Not a major problem just a Hollywood screw up.
                                                                                            Regret Chancy

[Coal Creek Griff]

Maybe one box was 44 Russian and the other 44 WCF  .

As I mentioned, when I saw the movie on TV, it was one of my favorites--so much so that I ran out and bought the VHS tape.  The version on the tape was much shorter, with key scenes (and whole characters) cut out.  It dropped out of first place as my favorite western.  Now that I have the DVD, with the "missing scenes" back in, I can understand why I liked it so much--it makes much more sense and is more interesting.  It may not be number one anymore, but it is close.

Creek Griffith

[Coal Creek Griff]

Just as a point of interest, the VHS box for "Conagher" says that it is 116 minutes long.  The label on the tape says 118 minutes. Which one is right?  Neither.  I just timed the movie and it is 95 minutes.  The DVD says that it is 117 minutes and that is correct.  All those years, I didn't buy the DVD because it was about the same length (so I thought) as my VHS tape.  I wish I had known then.  I'm still baffled by the whole situation and I'm irritating my family to no end talking about it.  I'll have to get over this some day I guess.  I'm sure glad Mossyrock set me straight!

CC Griff

[Scout53]

Many years ago I watched the VHS version of the film. It seemed to be missing something so I read the book. A lot of key information was missing so I have not been too anxious to own a copy.
If the DVD is a better version, with the missing material back in place I just might get a copy. Is the DVD a Better version?

[Coal Creek Griff]

Even the longer version of the movie doesn't include all that is in the book.  In particular, there is an extended portion of the book that doesn't appear in the film at all.  When Conagher is shot off his horse, in the book, he crawls into a protected valley and hides out for a few days, making herb tea and setting rabbit traps.  That is not in the film.  There are other shorter scenes and a few characters that are cut for the film.  Of course the movie would be six hours long if they included it all.

Having said that, the DVD version is MUCH better than the VHS version.  I would strongly advise finding a copy.  They can be had from half.com for $3-6 (plus shipping) http://product.half.ebay.com/Conagher-DVD-2005_W0QQprZ45070830QQtgZinfo.  That's the route I would take.

CC Griff