Anthony Mann directs a line-up of Henry Fonda, Anthony Perkins and Neville Brand in 1957's "The Thin Star", nominated for one Academy Award for Best Screenplay.
Perkins is Sheriff Owens, a young and meek Sheriff in a small town on the frontier, who is tested by mean men and finds himself often paralysed for a moral resolve to never kill a man, but take him alive. Henry Fonda is Morg Hickman, a bounty hunter who arrives in the small town with the dead body of a wanted man, looking to collect his award. While waiting for his money to come through, Hickman can't help but notice how the young Sheriff is vulnerable, especially in the presence of the gruff and sneering Borgadus (Neville Brand), who happens to be a cousin of the man Hickman brought in dead. It transpires that Hickman used to be sheriff himself, before he turned to bounty hunting, and he can't help but post-pone his travelling plans in order to stay around town a little while longer, and teach young Sheriff Owens a thing or two.
Anthony Mann makes this one of the best westerns of the era, with such strong directing, building every scene , and expertly choreographing the action that unfolds. Fonda is perfect, as always, and Perkins is superb as Sheriff Owens, predating his legendary performance as Norman Bates by about three years. Decorated World War Two veteran Neville Brand is always a favourite of mine to watch, and he delivers the necessary goods as the main villain, who is jealous of the badge.
Perkins is Sheriff Owens, a young and meek Sheriff in a small town on the frontier, who is tested by mean men and finds himself often paralysed for a moral resolve to never kill a man, but take him alive. Henry Fonda is Morg Hickman, a bounty hunter who arrives in the small town with the dead body of a wanted man, looking to collect his award. While waiting for his money to come through, Hickman can't help but notice how the young Sheriff is vulnerable, especially in the presence of the gruff and sneering Borgadus (Neville Brand), who happens to be a cousin of the man Hickman brought in dead. It transpires that Hickman used to be sheriff himself, before he turned to bounty hunting, and he can't help but post-pone his travelling plans in order to stay around town a little while longer, and teach young Sheriff Owens a thing or two.
Anthony Mann makes this one of the best westerns of the era, with such strong directing, building every scene , and expertly choreographing the action that unfolds. Fonda is perfect, as always, and Perkins is superb as Sheriff Owens, predating his legendary performance as Norman Bates by about three years. Decorated World War Two veteran Neville Brand is always a favourite of mine to watch, and he delivers the necessary goods as the main villain, who is jealous of the badge.