The reviewer who praises the cinematography for this film makes a great point. This film is beautifully photographed.
Ernest Lazlo's discriminating deep focus black and white cinematography is the glory of this film but much else deserves praise. For one thing, the narrative breaks cinematic icons in a way the foretells "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". These iconoclastic moments run throughout the film. One of the most central is the sympathetic view of the central outlaw Velvet Clark, who, though not quite the protagonist, almost serves as one. Joel McCrae plays against him with a quite almost bond that nearly gives the film a sense of depth.
A lovely iconoclastic sequence comes near the end of the film with the late Carolyn Craig playing a farm girl caught in the "romance" of the outlaw. She died much too young.
Robert Golden and Ellsworth Hoagland's editing is discerning. The music does not quite overwhelm viewers and I like that.
Director Francis Lyon's work is understated. He was a film editor and one has a sense he had the story well in control as he directed this film. He did some terrific television work and a Disney film set in North Georgia that I especially admire.
I think what one has here is a film full of promise with an almost witty script by Talbot and Elisabeth Jennings. I say almost because it never quite becomes entirely iconoclastic but it comes close. I very much enjoyed watching this movie.
Ernest Lazlo's discriminating deep focus black and white cinematography is the glory of this film but much else deserves praise. For one thing, the narrative breaks cinematic icons in a way the foretells "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". These iconoclastic moments run throughout the film. One of the most central is the sympathetic view of the central outlaw Velvet Clark, who, though not quite the protagonist, almost serves as one. Joel McCrae plays against him with a quite almost bond that nearly gives the film a sense of depth.
A lovely iconoclastic sequence comes near the end of the film with the late Carolyn Craig playing a farm girl caught in the "romance" of the outlaw. She died much too young.
Robert Golden and Ellsworth Hoagland's editing is discerning. The music does not quite overwhelm viewers and I like that.
Director Francis Lyon's work is understated. He was a film editor and one has a sense he had the story well in control as he directed this film. He did some terrific television work and a Disney film set in North Georgia that I especially admire.
I think what one has here is a film full of promise with an almost witty script by Talbot and Elisabeth Jennings. I say almost because it never quite becomes entirely iconoclastic but it comes close. I very much enjoyed watching this movie.