Arizona (1940) [HD]

Jean Arthur at the Lead Makes It Even More Fascinating...
Go west and find your riches, as the west offers new opportunities that await discovery. This was the idea of the 18th and 19th century America, which led many to seek a new and better future in the unknown west. It led to the colonization of the western United States, which continued over centuries, as people began to inhabit different regions of the west. It was not an easy journey, as the Native Americans sought a way to protect their way of life against the new invaders while nature also presented numerous threats. Despite the many hazards, people continued to flow west with the hope for something better. Director Wesley Ruggles portrays the struggle of the western expansion through a woman and the people around her, as they fight for their southwest state - Arizona.

Arizona opens with a rolling text that briefly explains the situation, as a large caravan rolls into the meager town of Tucson in the year 1860. Tucson has become a gathering place for a diverse group...

I like this film!
Jean Arthur is terrific in "Arizona" as a strong-willed woman who holds her own out west. She gets her man (Holden) without sacrificing her freedom and dreams. I suppose one should call the whole thing unconventional. After all, it's a western whose lead character and overriding focus is the heroine (who is also unconventional). So few westerns retain my interest because of the lack of interesting roles for women. Thelength of the film, a common complaint, didn't bother me, I felt the film showed the "complete world," of Arthur's character's life in Arizona while never becoming one of those overblown epics in which the characters get lost for all the action. All in all, I think this film deserves more respect and attention than it gets.

Another superb Jean Arthur performance.
I just viewed this 1940 movie a few days ago.Overall,the picture was above average for two or three reasons.First of all,the cinematography is superb and secondly,Jean Arthur's fine performance elevates my opinion.There is a very brief moment near the end of the movie,when Arthur's character(Phoebe),is standing off by herself waiting for the outcome of the gunfight between her new husband(Holden)and the villain(Warren William).No words are spoken but in less than thirty seconds of a closeup on Arthur,her expressions shift from terror(at the sound of gunshots),to hope,and finally to extreme relief when she hears Holden's voice.A simply superb piece of acting by the wonderful Jean Arthur.If you buy this movie and if you are a Jean Arthur fan,you will not be disappointed.

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