Overview: Originally broadcast on PBS as part of its American Playhouse series, Noon Wine is a hauntingly rich and mysterious tale of the old West. Adapted from Katherine Anne Porter’s short novel, it is set on a small Texas farm at the turn of the century, where a Swedish immigrant (Stellan Skarsgard, Mamma Mia!) asks for work and begins a new life.

Through no fault of his own, he causes the downfall of his new employer, Royal (Fred Ward, Tremors), when a suspicious visitor comes to call (Pat Hingle, Batman).

Written and directed by Michael Fields (Bright Angel) and produced by Ismail Merchant and James Ivory (Howards End), Noon Wine is a brilliantly tense and moody Western.

DVD Verdict: To my humble mind, there are three clinching proofs of Peckinpah’s genius as dramatist and director: RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, THE WILD BUNCH and this made for television adaptation of Katherine Ann Porter’s tragic novella (with her collaborating with the director on the teleplay).

It is, arguably, the most emotionally convulsive short story (along with Bartleby The Scrivener) ever written by an American and Peckinpah achieves in this TV version something akin to Faulkner’s AS I LAY DYING as if directed by Bergman. And the ending is unforgettably shattering.

This was one of the entries of the unfortunately short-lived ABC omnibus series, Stage ’67, that ran for exactly one year. This series also included the Sondheim-Anthony Perkins musical, whose name escapes me at the moment but more importantly, an absolutely marvelous version of a John Le Carre story entitled DARE I WEEP, DARE I MOURN, starring Jill Bennett and, in the role of the protagonist, James Mason (in a performance as cathartic as Jason Robards’ is in NOON WINE).

Interestingly, Sam Peckinpah said that Olivia De Havilland was not convincing in the final sequence. So he asked the camera man to continue shooting after he - Peckinpah - told the crew to Cut and then told De Havilland that she was a nasty actress. Peckinpah then took advantage of De Havilland’s reaction, to put the scene in the can. At last, Peckinpah got his take, as he wanted, I guess!

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