It would not have been Ladd’s choice to wear buckskin. That would have been the brilliant George Steven’s decision. I, too, sometimes wish we could see him in black as he was in the book. But it is a minor point for me. Such a wonderful movie and yes, I cry every single time I watch it.
Ladd got so fed up with Brandon DeWilde’s monkeyshines that he said to the kid’s father: “If you don’t get him under control, I’ll beat him to death with a brick!” That story makes me laugh. Ladd had a bit of Shane in him!
DeWilde literally showed the wide-eyed innocence of Joey.
I can never remember the name of the actor who played Chris.
He was a real cowboy, though.