Stranger on Horseback (1955) User Reviews

Yes, there is a color version...and it's a bit ugly.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 1 April 2010]

The review by Tom Slaback (tom-374) from Prescott, AZ says that he's only seen this film in black & white and wanted to know if a color version is available. Well, I rented the DVD and it IS is color, though the DVD indicates that there is no surviving negative and the copy is not optimal. In other words, while it's in color, the colors are a bit off (everybody appears sunburned because of the over-saturation of reds) and the print is a tad fuzzy.

The film begins with a new federal circuit judge (Joel McCrea) arriving in a western town. The first thing he notices is that all the businesses in town are owned by a man named Bannerman. The second thing he notices is that the sheriff and prosecuting attorney in town are bought and paid for by Bannerman--and he and his family can pretty much do as they please. It's obvious that there will soon be a showdown between the judge and Bannerman--and it's a fairly typical sort of plot for a western.

At times the plot is a lot like a lower budget "5:10 to Yuma" as well as "High Noon"--awfully good company in which to place any film. Despite having many familiar elements, Joel McCrea is so good in the film and the movie is made economically (not just cost but a lot of bang in such a short film), it's well worth seeing.

Man believes in a thing and he goes ahead.

[hitchcockthelegend · 8/10 · 5 October 2012]

Stranger on Horseback is directed by Jacques Tourneur and adapted to screenplay by Herb Meadow and Don Martin from a story written by Louis L'Amour. It stars Joel McCrea, Miroslava Šternová, John McIntire, Kevin McCarthy, John Carradine, Nancy Gates and Emile Meyer. Music is scored by Paul Dunlap and cinematography by Ray Rennahan.

Joel McCrea stars as Circuit Judge Richard Thorne, who rides into a town to find it is entirely owned by the Bannerman family, headed by Josiah Bannerman (McIntire). Initially only there to check over the town's books, it comes to light that Josiah's son Tom (McCarthy) has killed a man in cold blood under the guise of self defence and never been brought to trial. Thorne arrests him, and in a town of few friends, sets about staying alive long enough to ensure Tom Bannerman does indeed go to trial.

A mighty unusual judge, Sir.

Clocking in at just 66 minutes long, Stranger on Horseback is very much a quintessential B Western. Filmed in beautiful Sedona, Arizona, picture makes the most of having McCrea in the lead. Where many of the other characters are drawn as standard Western fodder, McCrea really gives a characterisation that is easy to jump on board with. He is like a one man army, but he doesn't need to go all guns blazing, he has his law book and his wits, he knows how to charm the ladies, he is tough and throws a good punch, but he mellows to give a child a silver dollar. He is a man that men want to be and a man that the women want to wed. It's meat and drink for McCrea, with straight back and piercing eyes, his shoulders packing some brawn, it is he that is primarily the reason why the film is so enjoyable.

The story is simple and played out as such, with echoes of High Noon and the like. Friendless man of the badge has to go it alone to ensure what is right is actually achieved. Along the way people will be either hurt or awakened from their stupors, enemies confronted, a lover gained and a finale plays out when it all comes together in a triumphant whirl of machismo. Tourneur and Rennahan ensure the second half of the picture is picturesque, the characters finally out in the open and framed wonderfully against the vistas, while the writers come up with a couple of nifty turn of events to keep the narrative interesting. Away from McCrea the fun turn comes from Carradine, while McIntire and Meyer are as reliable as ever. McCarthy is passable as a Western weasel and Miroslava, who would sadly commit suicide the same year of the film's release, turns up and with a sexy glint in her eye and manages to say her lines correctly.

It's not pushing the boat out or trying to redirect the direction of the 50s Western, but it's one of the more enjoyable B Westerns from that decade. McCrea and Rennahan ensure that is the case. 7.5/10

Joel McCrea and John Carradine

[kevinolzak · 6/10 · 22 January 2014]

1954's "Stranger on Horseback" was shot in Sedona AZ in the rarely used Ansco color process, rather than the far more popular Cinecolor. Joel McCrea is the star, playing circuit judge Richard Thorne, arriving in a town ruled by the Bannerman clan, investigating a shooting death where no arrests have been made. Trouble begins when Thorne learns that Tom Bannerman (Kevin McCarthy) was the shooter, his father Josiah (John McIntire) unwilling to allow any lawman to bring his offspring to trial. The beautiful Miroslava commands the screen as Amy Lee Bannerman, whose allegiance wavers under the judge's influence. Although a star in Mexico, she was actually Czech-born, a sad suicide only two weeks prior to this film's release. A year away from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," the amiable Kevin McCarthy just isn't the right actor to play a slimy villain (all the bad guys are rather colorless). Legendary scene stealer John Carradine is in typical form, playing the tailor-made role of Colonel Buck Streeter, indeed a trial run for his Cassius Starbuckle in 1962's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," seedy Southern prosecutor aiding the judge while staying close to the Bannermans (he disappears from the film once the cross country journey begins).

Change of Venue

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 13 July 2012]

According to the Films of Joel McCrea series book, McCrea liked so much working with Jacques Tourneur on one of his best films Stars In My Crown that he signed eagerly to do this adaption of a Louis L'Amour novel of a western circuit riding, gun toting judge. This is a man who backs up his decisions.

No one has been to this town recently when McCrea rides in and he quickly discovers the place is run top to bottom by the local Ben Cartwright played by John McIntire. McCrea discovers quickly enough that McIntire's punk son has been responsible for several non-natural deaths and no one has seen fit to prosecute. McCrea orders cynical marshal Emile Meyer to arrest Kevin McCarthy. Soon enough though it's pretty obvious that no fair trial can be obtained in McIntire's town so a change of venue is ordered. The rest of the film is McCrea, Meyer, McCarthy and a few others making the journey for said change of venue with McIntire on their heels.

Stealing every scene he's in is John Carradine playing a rather cheerfully corrupt prosecutor in McIntire's town. He reminds me so much of Cassius Starbuckle the cattleman's mouthpiece in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. His role here could be a younger version, a dress rehearsal for the John Ford classic.

Playing McIntire's niece is Czech/Mexican actress Miroslava who would do only one more film before committing suicide at the age of 30. She was one sexy alluring creature who tries her ways on McCrea. He's tempted to be sure.

Stranger On Horseback is short and taught western with maximum editing skills applied by its director. McCrea's character might well have been transferred to television for a series about a circuit riding judge. I'm surprised no one saw the possibilities.

needs to be seen in color

[tom-374 · 7/10 · 30 May 2002]

As usual, Joel McCrea is excellent in an underplayed role of dignity. The movie was filmed on magnificent locations surrounding Sedona, Arizona. Unfortunately I have only found black and white copies of this movie. To due the film justice it should be seen in color, which would greatly increase my rating for this movie.

Stand-out , great Western well performed and stunningly directed by expert Jacques Tourneur

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 15 April 2014]

This excellent , meaty Western contains interesting plot ,thrills , brawls , shoot'em up and is quite entertaining . This outstanding Tourneur Western balances action , suspense and drama . During the early days when civilisation was pushing its frontiers farther and farther West, there roamed a special creed of men , neither outlaws nor officers of the law, yet more feared than either ; then there appears a circuit judge in the old west and he attempts to bring a suspected killer to justice .¨The stranger judge¨ arrives in a town and the powerful owner gives him 12 hours to live . The judge runs afoul of the killer's rich cattle baron father in the process . The judge meets a motley group of characters : ¨The wildcat¨ (Miroslava) , when she couldn't outshoot a man she used other weapons ; ¨The killer¨(Kevin McCarthy) , a kid who liked to play with lives ; ¨The land baron¨ (John McIntire) the owned the town , hardware , lock , livestock and gun barrel ; ¨The Colonel¨(John Carradine) , he liked his cigars for him and his killings done for him .

This grand Western in the tradition of ¨Red River¨ and ¨High Noon¨ contains a thought-provoking screenplay , emotion , violence , go riding , double crosses , shoot'em up and results to be quite enjoyable .It's a classic recounting about an upright man seeking justice and attempting to detain killers . The public likes big Westerns and here to satisfy them is a big adventure , starring a big box office favorites of the 50s , Joel McCrea , with the kind of high pitched excitement that pay off . The traditional story and exciting screenplay by Herb Meadow and and Don Martin based on the story written by specialist Louis L'Amour . Photographed in Ansco Color by Pathe , being necessary a good remastering because of the copy of film is worn-out . Top-notch Joel McCrea as a relentless judge who seeks justice and magnificent John McIntire as a proud baron land . Support cast is frankly excellent such as Kevin McCarthy as Tom Bannerman , John Carradine as Col. Buck Streeter , Nancy Gates as Caroline Webb and Emile Meyer as Sheriff Nat Bell .

This is another superbly powerful triumph from producers Leonard and Robert Goldstein who brought other Westerns as ¨The duel of Silver Creek¨, ¨The Battle at Apache Pass¨, ¨The Great Sioux Uprising¨, and ¨The good guys and the bad guys¨. It is probably one of the best Western in the fifties and sixties . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Jacques Tourneur . Jacques was an expert on Noir cinema such as the classic ¨Out of the past¨ , terror cinema such as ¨Cat people¨ , ¨Leopard man¨, ¨I walked with a Zombie¨, ¨Night of demon¨ and adventures as ¨Flame and the arrow¨ , ¨City under the sea¨ . In Western genre he made 5 films : The masterpiece titled ¨Canyon passage¨(1946) , ¨Star in my Crown¨(1950) also with Joel McCrea , ¨Wichita¨(1955) with Joel McCrea as Wyatt Earp formerly to OK Corral duel and ¨Great day in the morning¨ with Robert Stack dealing with facing Union and Confederation . He finally directed episodes of ¨Norhwest passage¨ (1958) titled Frontier Rangers , Fury River and Mission of danger . ¨Stranger on horseback¨ rating : Well worth watching and it will appeal to Joel McCrea fans .

Enjoyable B Western

[jongibbo · 7/10 · 18 April 2019]

Circuit judge rides into town and finds that a killing has taken place that no-one wants to investigate. He soon finds that the killer is the son of the local landowner who basically owns the town. The film relates the story of the judge's attempts to bring him to justice. Although this is a fairly cliched story, it is made with panache, and with a running time of a little over an hour, it does not outstay it's welcome. Miroslava, with her eastern European looks and accent, is a striking presence in the film. Her tragic death after the film was completed was a sad loss. I saw this movie on Movies4Men and wouldn't mind having a DVD of it, and having found that it is available as part of a box set called Darn Good Westerns 1 I have ordered it through amazon.

Direction and acting of an A pic, length and photography B

[adrianovasconcelos · 7/10 · 20 March 2023]

Director Jacques Tourneur always produced quality work in short films. This one, at 65', is certainly easy to watch. Sadly, however, its short length makes for a film with an abrupt standoff in an open plain surrounded by mountains and an open ending in a courtroom that just leaves this spectator quite frustrated - hence the 7 out of 10.

The screenplay, off a book by prolific Western writer Louis L'Amour, suffers from that abrupt change of scenery and action without proper character buildup to prepare you to accept it.

The two highly positive aspects of this are: direction by Tourneur, first class for the most part; and the acting, with Joel Mc Crea in extraordinarily good form. He is well assisted by an ensemble of distinguished supporting actors performing at the top of their ability, namely John McIntyre as the powerful rancher Bannerman, Emile Meyer as sheriff, Kevin McCarthy as Tom Bannerman who is counting on his Dad protecting him but soon realizes Judge Thorne (McCrea) ain't about to kowtow to no one except the law.

A rousing take of justice in the Old West

[bux · 9/10 · 15 August 1999]

McCrea glows as the circuit judge attempting to deliver to justice the murdering son of a wealthy cattle baron. the routine tale is uplifted by a superior cast including a rare appearance by International star, the late Miroslava, John Carradine, John McIntire, Roy Roberts, and a pre-Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) Kevin McCarthy. The story moves at a rapid pace to a furious and unpredictable conclusion. This is truly a great western, and it is a shame that the only copy to make it to VHS is from film that is obviously deteriorated. C'mon Turner or AMC...this is one that deserves restoring!!!

Fair Western but Considering the Cast It Should Have Been Better

[Michael_Elliott · 19 April 2011]

Stranger on Horseback (1955)

** (out of 4)

Judge Thorne (Joel McCrea) arrives in a small town ran by Josiah Bannerman (John McIntire) and finds that the man pretty much owns everything and makes sure that everything is under his control. This doesn't sit too well with the Judge because he wants to bring the man's son (Kevin McCarthy) to trial for the murder of an innocent man but the Judge doesn't find too many people willing to stand with him. STRANGER ON HORSEBACK isn't a masterpiece and it's not even a good film but it's a decent little "B" Western that has an attractive cast even if the story itself is just a second-rate mix of HIGH NOON and 3:10 TO YUMA. Considering the talent involved I can't help but label this a minor disappointment because not only do you have McCrea doing a role he was born to play but you have the highly underrated Tourneur calling the shots. The most surprising thing is that there's not a single shot that will remind you of anything Tourneur had done in his career. Usually the director had a certain eye for style but none of that is to be seen here and that's a real shame because a little more spark is exactly what the familiar story needed. The story itself is pretty familiar stuff that you could trace back to the Westerns of the 1930s. A good man comes into a corrupt town and must try to battle the owner for what's right. The familiar story leads up to a finale that I won't ruin but I must admit that I found it rather weak. I don't mind too much the way the Judge character goes about doing his business but what the McIntire character does just seemed way too far-fetched and I thought it pretty much made the entire movie pointless. What makes the film worth sitting through is the terrific cast with McCrea leading the way as the good guy. Along with Randolph Scott you really couldn't find a better good guy than McCrea and he does a nice job with the part. McCarthy was fun in this early role even if his sometimes comic approach is a tad bit off. It's always fun seeing McIntire as he eats up scenes and we even get John Carradine as the corrupt prosecutor. Miroslava plays the bad man's cousin and makes for some good chemistry with McCrea. I'm not familiar with the Louis L'Amour story so I can't say how close this film follows it but the routine screenplay could have used some better stuff but if you're a fan of the cast then you might as well kill 66-minutes.

The scenes of slapping

[svoboda_k · 6/10 · 13 December 2020]

In this mediocre film, in addition to the standard acting of the main actors, I remember the scenes of slapping, the attempt to take the revolver from the judge by Amy Lee Bannerman (Miroslava) and pushing the navalent, wild Amy from the judge Richard 'Rick' Thorne (Joel McCrea). If you have time, you can watch this slightly shorter film lasting 66 minutes.

Great western-noir

[andreygrachev · 9/10 · 2 January 2009]

Another Jacques Tourneur's picturesque movie. This is a bright story about brave and honest Ranger, who is fighting about crime in a town in 19th century America! Here we can see many beautiful filmography in decent Tourneur's style. Mountains and stoned valleys. The film is an excellent example of fantastic taste that the great director has. His character is surely a hero, the hero who helps to believe that judges serve God, like angels. We recommend this film to everybody.

The special thanks to the artist of the film, he made the pictures be really surprising.

www.myspace.com/neizvest

Obscure "Ansco-Color" Film...High-Powered Cast & Director...Short Sharp & Succinct

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 10 June 2023]

Stylist Jacques Tourneur Directed this "B" Western with an "A" Cast, that is an Oddity.

Little-Seen Because of its Unavailability on Home-Video. Also, the Surviving Copy is a Dupe, the Original Negative Lost, and the "Cheap" "Ansco-Color", Comes Off as Looking Artificial and Gaudy.

Joel McCrea is Perfect as a Righteous Circuit Judge, a No-Nonsense "By the Book", but Fair, Traveling Judge, who From the Saddle Opens the Film with...

"A Traveling Circuit Judge only needs 3 things...1)A Law Book...2)A Horse...and 3)A Gun...and the further West he travels the more he needs #3...I'm traveling West."

When He Arrives in Town, He Finds Everyone and Everything is under the Yoke of 1 Man's (John McEntire) Clan "The Bannermans' '.

Bannerman's Son (Kevin McCarthy) Tom has Killed a Man and is Walking Free, Pleading Self-Defense, but it Doesn't Smell Right to the Judge.

The Bulk of the Running Time, has the Judge Ruminating with the Smooth Talking Public Prosecutor (John CarradIne), Feeling Out the Situation in Town with the Sheriff ( Emile Meyer), and Bannerman's Daughter (Mirosavla) Coming On for some Romance.

The Ending has an Awkward Rushed Feel with a Stand-Off in an Open-Field, and the Beginning of the Trial.

Overall, the Attention to Detail is Superb, the Characters are All Well Drawn and Sharp (considering the 66 min. Run-time), and the Pace Exponentially Quickens.

The Outdoor Scenes are Beautiful with Some Sprawl, and Joel McCrea's Arrest of Kevin McCarthy is Stunningly Staged with a Punch.

It's All in a Very Strange Package with the Director, the Number of Stars, the Short Running Time, and that Thing Called "Ansco-Color"

Definitely...Worth a Watch.

Anscolor Justice

[EdgarST · 5/10 · 17 June 2023]

An aspirational western about law enforcement and citizen justice, made in naive times when we attributed all contradictions to the Cold War, and the media distracted us while the economic and political powers prepared the next shock. Everything remains the same or maybe worse in the world: the same thugs ruling, the same injustice and the same dead innocents as usual.

A few years later John Ford made «The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance» and the old maestro opted for a more sober and didactic aesthetic, preferring monochromatism to Eastman, De Luxe or Ansco colours, as he told us a similar story with some irony and disbelief.

Tourneur put on the show with the same efficiency with which he showed us the cat people and Caribbean zombies, but without the punch of «Out of the Past». He was going through a bad patch, with films like «Anne of the Indies», «Way of a Gaucho» and «Appointment in Honduras», made before this one. Luckily, he did not spend more than 66 minutes on it.

Strangers Become Friends on Horseback

[daoldiges · 6/10 · 11 November 2023]

Short, tight, and mildly entertaining little western here with McCrea doing a fine job in the lead. I personally found John Carradine's performance unrelenting and frustratingly annoying. He a solid actor but the way he played his character was a bit over-the-top and served only as an unnecessary distraction amongst otherwise a cast of fine performances. I saw the colorized version and the quality really varies throughout, with some section being not-too-bad to others being quite bad.

While there is a very slight twist near the end of the film, Stranger on Horseback is fairly formulaic western that still manages to provide a bit of entertainment.

Justice Rides In

[boblipton · 6/10 · 19 December 2022]

Federal circuit judge Joel McCrea rides into town. Amiable and pompous John Carradine greets him, and sheriff Emile Meyer says there's no call for his service. It turns out that Kevin McCarthy, son of local land baron John McIntire has shot someone and the man died, but since it was self-defense, he isn't being held. McCrea sees things differently; that's for a jury to decide. So McCarthy is jugged, much to the displeasure of McIntire and cousin Miroslava. McCrea must investigate on his own, along with Carradine, who has gotten himself appointed prosecutor, despite turning up at McIntire's dinner table.

It's one of the standard western plots and starts out like the better remembered RIO BRAVO, but with less star power. Still, McCrea is, as always, very solid in his western roles, Carradine always watchable, and McIntire excellent in what turns out to be a very complicated character. I don't think the ending quite works, but getting there is a pleasure, especially in the third act, where they leave town and the open country around Sedona Arizona is revealed by Technicolor specialist Ray Rennahan --- who's shooting in Ansco Color.

"A law book, a horse and a gun"

[IlyaMauter · 8/10 · 8 May 2003]

Stranger on the Horseback is the first and less seen of the three westerns Jacques Tourneur directed in the 1950s, the other two being Wichita and The Great Day in the Morning. And in my opinion is the best of them.

This time the main character is not a sheriff, but a judge Rick Thorne (Joel McCrea) who comes to the small town in the west with the intent of establishing the thing that simply didn't exist there before - the law. Very soon he's joined by Colonel Streeter (John Carradine) who offers Rick his help.

The town is completely under control of a rich and powerful cattle baron Josiah Bannerman and his family gang. But Rick's determination is unshaken.

Soon Rick discovers that a little time before his arrival into town a man was killed by Josiah Bannerman's son - Tom. Tom claims that it was self defense, but Rick begins to conduct his own investigation with the intent to find witnesses and bring Tom to trial. Meanwhile he meets a beautiful Josiah Bannerman's daughter - Amy (Miroslava Stern) who falls in love with him.

Stranger on the Horseback is the best western Jacques Tourneur ever directed. Smoothly paced, with interesting characters, finely acted and with intelligent and witty dialogs it's a pleasure to watch from the beginning to the end. 8/10

Determined men who act by night.

[brogmiller · 8/10 · 15 November 2023]

Although arguably the weaker of the three Westerns directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Joel McCrea this still has merit as the director's trademark Gallic taste and style are again on display and has McCrea cast as a circuit judge with unimpeachable morals and testicular fortitude. A role that suits his persona to a tee and goes alongside his preacher in 'Stars in my Crown' and of course Wyatt Earp in 'Witchita'.

Other cast members include two of of Hollywood's most commanding character actors, namely John McIntire as an ornery cattle baron and a gloriously glib and oily John Carradine. The most seemingly off beat piece of casting is that of the fascinating but ill-fated Miroslava Stern whose chemistry with McCrea is palpable despite their being polar opposites.

Shot in the Ansco format that at times resembles a faded watercolour the Arizona scenery still shines through.

It is interesting that most of the actors strongly associated with the Western genre were staunchly conservative and genuinely believed in the values of right and wrong, good vs evil depicted in these films. McCrea was certainly no exception and famously turned down the leading role in 'The Postman always rings twice' because he disapproved of the character's morals. He was refreshingly modest about his acting but what one critic has referred to as his 'determined simplicity' served him well and sustained a career that lasted over forty years.

Good traditional McCrea Western

[zorg1952 · 8/10 · 25 October 2022]

Traditional Western done well. Good script with echos of High Noon. Good direction by Tourneur. Well rounded characters fleshed out by familiar 50's actors.

Early Kevin McCarthy, does well in a supporting role. Different type of role for John McEntire, who usually plays decent upstanding characters. As expected, role perfect for Western actor Joel McCrea. The ending sets up as a bit of a surprise but it turns out to be perfectly set up. This is good film for western film buffs.

Only drawback is print's color pallet bit washed out and red tinted. But most would give that a pass as movie stands out as a good 50's western.

Great!

[seanmarketingeasterns · 9/10 · 25 November 2021]

This is a fantastic movie one of louis L'Amour's and Joel McCrea's best movies It had a great director and cast . The fact that it is in colour is even better.

Great McCrea Western

[januszlvii · 10/10 · 4 December 2020]

I have always thought Joel McCrea's best work was in non-Western's like Foreign Correspondent ( Ride The High Gountry excluded), but Stranger On A Horseback is an exception. Here he plays Federal Judge Rick Thorne who is doing some routine paperwork in a town and finds out that the town is controlled by a family called the Bannerman's led by Josiah ( John McIntire). The worst is his son Tom ( Kevin McCarthy) who murders someone in cold blood but is not even investigated (it was called "Self Defense"). Even the town's US Marshal Col. Buck Streeter ( John Carradine) is in the employ of the Bannerman's. The only honest person is the sheriff Nat Bell ( Emile Meyer). Then there is the matter of Amy Lee Bannerman ( Miroslava): She very much reminds me of Barbara Stanwyck in The Furries: A very hard woman with a whip ( although beautiful ( unlike Stanwyck) in that movie). She is the cousin of Tom, who although she really likes Rick a lot ( and the feeling is mutual), is against him because Rick wants to bring Tom to trial for murder. Spoilers ahead: She changes sides when Tom admits to her that he is guilty. Does Rick succeed in bringing Tom to trial and end up with Amy? Of course. But what happens to Josiah and everyone else? That is a surprise I did not expect to happen. An unexpected ending, a great McCrea performance and seeing a very beautiful woman I never heard of in Miroslava ( a real tragic case because she committed suicide a year later), makes this a must see movie. I will note I never heard of it until tonight, let alone saw it on Encore Westerns or TCM. I found it online. Very easy 10/10 stars and a must for McCrea fans.

Stranger on Horseback review

[JoeytheBrit · 8/10 · 15 April 2020]

A circuit judge trying to bring a headstrong young killer to trial for murder must contend with his father, a powerful cattle baron determined to protect his son from the hangman's rope. A superior Western from Jacques Tourneur with an interesting cast led with quiet authority by veteran actor Joel McCrea, an actor who never really received the recognition he deserved. Czech beauty Miroslava, just one year away from committing suicide, provides feisty love interest for McCrea, even though their supposed passion for one another never really rings true. Overall, though, it's an intelligent and gripping examination of how justice prevails over violence and ignorance

Effective little western

[searchanddestroy-1 · 6 June 2023]

From director Jacques Tourneur, this western could not be missed, especially starring the likes of Joel Mc Crea, John Mc Intire, Kevin McCarthy.... Every one is at his place, everything is smooth but not that unpredictable, as other reviews say. A good little western surprisingly short, very short, under sixty five minutes !!!! Not my favourite from director Jacques Tourneur for whom western was maybe not the cup of tea. OK, I am a bit hard with him. The scheme, I repeat, is not new at all; a cattle baron, a wealthy land owner who possess a little town and whose young son is a criminal. Ten thousands of westerns like this, the most famous being LAST TRAIN FROM GUN HILL.