A Montgomery Production, released through Warner Bros. (A Televista DVD).
Copyright 1957 by Montgomery Productions. U.S. release: 14 September 1957. New York opening on a double bill with Stakeout on Dope Street at RKO neighborhood cinemas: 23 April 1958. U.K. release: 13 April 1958. Australian release: 1 May 1958. 85 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Montgomery plays a U.S. marshal, wrongly accused of shooting his best friend in the back in order to pinch his wife and his stolen loot. Facing the scorn of the town and the barrel of a gun-crazy avenger, Montgomery...
COMMENT: Let me say at once that action fans should give this one a miss. The script - by actor Leo Gordon himself - eschews action. Not only has all the excitement at the beginning of the story occurred before the film commences, but the movie actually comes to a finish before the final showdown. This said, there is much in the picture to interest connoisseurs - not the least of which is Miner's clever direction. The movie's strongest quality, however, is its unusual atmosphere - a mood that is conveyed as much by its well-off-the-beaten-track storyline as by its ingenious music score, using a player piano and a spinet, plus skillfully attuned art direction (I love the marshal's squeaky chair). Acting is perfectly in accord with the mood of the script. Some wonderful character studies really impress, particularly from John O'Malley and Stanley Adams. The sparse black-and-white photography, the carefully judged film editing and excellent sound recording are also considerable assets. In all, a most striking and off-beat western.
OTHER VIEWS: The trouble with this film is that it worships unusualness for its own sake. Why does the hero wear a black patch? Why do two out of three of the plot's dramatic climaxes take place off-screen? The answer seems to me that the film's producers just didn't know when to stop and take stock. Whilst it's commendable in principle to get well away from the familiar clichés and conventions of the standard "B" western yarn, this picture is allowed to run right off the rails. A pity, because there are many fascinating things in it - JHR writing as George Addison.
Copyright 1957 by Montgomery Productions. U.S. release: 14 September 1957. New York opening on a double bill with Stakeout on Dope Street at RKO neighborhood cinemas: 23 April 1958. U.K. release: 13 April 1958. Australian release: 1 May 1958. 85 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Montgomery plays a U.S. marshal, wrongly accused of shooting his best friend in the back in order to pinch his wife and his stolen loot. Facing the scorn of the town and the barrel of a gun-crazy avenger, Montgomery...
COMMENT: Let me say at once that action fans should give this one a miss. The script - by actor Leo Gordon himself - eschews action. Not only has all the excitement at the beginning of the story occurred before the film commences, but the movie actually comes to a finish before the final showdown. This said, there is much in the picture to interest connoisseurs - not the least of which is Miner's clever direction. The movie's strongest quality, however, is its unusual atmosphere - a mood that is conveyed as much by its well-off-the-beaten-track storyline as by its ingenious music score, using a player piano and a spinet, plus skillfully attuned art direction (I love the marshal's squeaky chair). Acting is perfectly in accord with the mood of the script. Some wonderful character studies really impress, particularly from John O'Malley and Stanley Adams. The sparse black-and-white photography, the carefully judged film editing and excellent sound recording are also considerable assets. In all, a most striking and off-beat western.
OTHER VIEWS: The trouble with this film is that it worships unusualness for its own sake. Why does the hero wear a black patch? Why do two out of three of the plot's dramatic climaxes take place off-screen? The answer seems to me that the film's producers just didn't know when to stop and take stock. Whilst it's commendable in principle to get well away from the familiar clichés and conventions of the standard "B" western yarn, this picture is allowed to run right off the rails. A pity, because there are many fascinating things in it - JHR writing as George Addison.