The interesting thing about Fritz Lang's western "Rancho Notorious" (1952) is that it is very interesting. Mostly that is style over substance because the story is rather routine and the cast is nothing to write home about. Yet somehow the way Lang tells the story transforms this film into something very special. Flashbacks were nothing new, even in 1952, but Lang uses them very efficiently at several points in the film to provide a nice bit of background and character development.
Lang sets up the story with a goodbye scene between Beth Forbes (Gloria Henry or Mrs. Mitchell to "Dennis the Menace" fans) and her fiancé, cowboy Vern Haskell (Arthur Kennedy), who gives her a jewel-studded brooch on his way out of town. The story is told from Vern's point-of- view, so when later that day Beth is raped and killed in her fathers assay office, Lang has the violence occur off camera, showing only accomplice Whitey waiting outside the office. The murderer is shown very briefly and his identity remains almost as unclear to the viewer as it is to Vern. The film is about Vern's efforts to track down a man who he cannot identify. This is what gives the film a complexity (to the first-time viewer) that is far greater than the standard "avenge your sweetheart's murder" story. Not unlike "High Noon", where the Frank Miller character provides all the motivational elements but is not actually seen until the last few minutes of the film. Lang understood how to structure a film and uses the language of film to play with his audience.
Vern continues alone after the town's posse turns back (insert "The Searchers" here) at the Wyoming border. Meanwhile the two outlaws have a falling out and the murderer shoots Whitey and leaves him for dead. Still being told from Vern's POV, Lang cuts ahead to Vern catching up with the dying Whitey who mutters "chuck-a-luck" when asked where his murderer is heading. Chuck-a- luck, the alternative title of the film, is a gambling wheel (sometimes a dice game) found in western saloons. It gives Vern very little to go on but in a town near the Mexican border he is able to link it to a legendary woman named Altar Keane (Marlene Dietrich). Altar runs a "hole-in-the-wall" type outlaw sanctuary and Vern gains admission by helping her boyfriend Frenchy Fairmont (Mel Ferrer) break out of jail.
There is immediate chemistry between Vern and Altar. She explains to him her rancho's "no questions" rule and introduces him to a group of outlaws who use the place as a base of operations, kicking back a percentage of their loot to Altar. A couple days later Vern knows that he is in the right place when Altar puts on Beth's brooch. The remainder of the film concerns Vern's attempts to deduce which of the resident outlaws is Beth's murderer.
Throughout the film, voice-over commentary is provided by a Frankie Lane style ballad, which would be nicely satirized by Nat King Cole in "Cat Ballou". The film also inspired a parody of Dietrich in "Blazing Saddles".
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
Lang sets up the story with a goodbye scene between Beth Forbes (Gloria Henry or Mrs. Mitchell to "Dennis the Menace" fans) and her fiancé, cowboy Vern Haskell (Arthur Kennedy), who gives her a jewel-studded brooch on his way out of town. The story is told from Vern's point-of- view, so when later that day Beth is raped and killed in her fathers assay office, Lang has the violence occur off camera, showing only accomplice Whitey waiting outside the office. The murderer is shown very briefly and his identity remains almost as unclear to the viewer as it is to Vern. The film is about Vern's efforts to track down a man who he cannot identify. This is what gives the film a complexity (to the first-time viewer) that is far greater than the standard "avenge your sweetheart's murder" story. Not unlike "High Noon", where the Frank Miller character provides all the motivational elements but is not actually seen until the last few minutes of the film. Lang understood how to structure a film and uses the language of film to play with his audience.
Vern continues alone after the town's posse turns back (insert "The Searchers" here) at the Wyoming border. Meanwhile the two outlaws have a falling out and the murderer shoots Whitey and leaves him for dead. Still being told from Vern's POV, Lang cuts ahead to Vern catching up with the dying Whitey who mutters "chuck-a-luck" when asked where his murderer is heading. Chuck-a- luck, the alternative title of the film, is a gambling wheel (sometimes a dice game) found in western saloons. It gives Vern very little to go on but in a town near the Mexican border he is able to link it to a legendary woman named Altar Keane (Marlene Dietrich). Altar runs a "hole-in-the-wall" type outlaw sanctuary and Vern gains admission by helping her boyfriend Frenchy Fairmont (Mel Ferrer) break out of jail.
There is immediate chemistry between Vern and Altar. She explains to him her rancho's "no questions" rule and introduces him to a group of outlaws who use the place as a base of operations, kicking back a percentage of their loot to Altar. A couple days later Vern knows that he is in the right place when Altar puts on Beth's brooch. The remainder of the film concerns Vern's attempts to deduce which of the resident outlaws is Beth's murderer.
Throughout the film, voice-over commentary is provided by a Frankie Lane style ballad, which would be nicely satirized by Nat King Cole in "Cat Ballou". The film also inspired a parody of Dietrich in "Blazing Saddles".
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.