OK, so it's not that accurate a portrait of the era and the writers may have fabricated "history" but that's Hollywood. Let's not under estimate Van Heflin. The guy was one of my favorites and terribly underrated. You can see all kinds of emotion in his eyes. He was not a very energetic actor like Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power nor did he have the matinee idol looks of a Robert Taylor but the guy was cerebral. He was brilliant in "Johnny Eager" and all but stole every scene he was in in "Santa Fe Trail". He excelled at complex characters.
I wonder what kind of career he would have had if he had lived longer.
Watch this movie with an open mind and really enjoy Heflin's acting.
I wonder what kind of career he would have had if he had lived longer.
Watch this movie with an open mind and really enjoy Heflin's acting.