jpdoherty Reviews

The Turning Point (1952)

Above Average Crime Thriller.

[6/10 · 28 January 2014]

Paramount's THE TURNING POINT is unfortunately a forgotten movie. A reasonably good crime thriller the film has suffered probably because of its unavailability in any format. It cannot be found even on VHS and its TV screenings are few and far between. Why this should be is anybody's guess for it is nicely written by Warren Duff and has a sterling cast in William Holden, Edmond O'Brien, Alexis smith and Ed Begley. Produced for the studio in 1952 by Irving Asher it comes from a story "Storm In The City" by Horace McCoy. Crisply photographed in black and white by Lionel Linden it was given a nice noirish style by director William Dieterle. Like Robert Wise's "The Captive City", made the same year, the picture is heavily influenced by the Kefauver Crime Hearings in the U.S. senate in 1950 and 1951 set up to investigate organized crime and its cross border activities.

Newly appointed crime commissioner John Conroy (Edmond O'Brien) is determined to crack down on the crooked syndicate that is holding the city to ransom with its extortion racket and other illegal enterprises. With the help of his police detective father Matt Conroy (an excellent Tom Tully) he intends to eliminate the hoodlum element controlled by syndicate boss the ruthless Eichelberger (Ed Begley). But to his surprise he finds his father is reluctant to get involved. Investigative reporter and John Conroy's boyhood friend Jerry McKibbon (William Holden) is suspicious at Matt's reticence in helping out his son and follows him. He is shocked to discover he does business and has dealings with the syndicate. He is now undecided on just how to tell his friend that his father is no more than a crooked cop. To further complicate matters he begins having an affair with John's secretary and girlfriend the attractive Amanda Waycross (Alexis Smith). The picture comes to a nail-biting finish when an out of town hit man (Neville Brand) comes gunning for McKibbon (an exciting sequence at a boxing match) so as to prevent him from reporting anymore about the activities of the mob in his newspaper.

The acting is splendid from the entire cast. William Holden in the wake of his brilliant performances in the unforgettable "Sunset Boulevard" and his fine railroad cop in the excellent "Union Station" gives his usual well polished performance this time as a hard bitten newspaper reporter. Excellent too is Edmond O'Brien as the commissioner. O'Brien was an actor who was never known to give a bad performance and doesn't disappoint here. Supplying the romance is the attractive Alexis Smith an actress who for years was buried in nothing roles at Warner Brothers here comes out of her shell to give a nice portrayal of a woman torn between two men. The following year she would steal the acting honours from all around her in RKO's neat little thriller "Split Second".

There is no original music in the picture which is something of a disappointment. All that is heard are bits and pieces culled from unused music of Victor Young and Miklos Rozsa and conducted and supervised by Irvin Talbot. However the music score not withstanding the picture doesn't suffer because of it and it remains a good solid crime thriller. Now where is Olive Films to give us the DVD?

The Mark of Zorro (1940)

Ever Watchable Classic Swashbuckler.

[9/10 · 10 December 2013]

The best swashbuckler ever made is how many regard 20th Century Fox's THE MARK OF ZORRO. Produced in 1940 for the studio by the uncredited Raymond Griffith and Darryl Zanuck the picture was Fox's answer to Warner Bros. who up to that time had, more or less, cornered the market with their finest array of swashbuckling adventures. With the perfect hero in Errol Flynn, who swept across our screens in such classics as "Captain Blood", "The Adventures Of Robin Hood" and "The Sea Hawk" and all to the brilliant music of Erich Wolfgang Korngold, other studios found it difficult to equal Warner's expertise in creating such flagship adventures. But Fox's THE MARK OF ZORRO was one that did and in its star Tyrone Power they even had a comparable hero to Flynn. From a story "The Curse Of Capistrano" by Johnston McCully it was splendidly adapted for the screen by John Taintor Foote, crisply photographed in black and white by the great Arthur Miller and the whole thing was adroitly handled by Russian director Rouben Mamoulian.

It is 1820 and a nobleman's son Don Diago Vega (Tyrone Power) returns home to California after spending some years at a military school in Spain. But he finds the province has greatly changed and has fallen under the dictatorship of an autocratic governor Don Luis Quintero (J.Edward Bromberg) and his ruthless sword wielding army Captain Estaban Pasquale (Basil Rathbone). The people are heavily taxed and oppressed. Don Diago covertly takes up their cause and dons the guise of a masked avenger while maintaining a foppish and carefree persona to his family and friends. He raids the army coffers, returns to the peasants their meagre funds and avenges any harm that they incur. The picture ends with the people rising up against their oppressors, regaining their freedom from tyranny and Don Diago and Pasquale locked in an outstandingly staged sword fight to the death.

Performances are superb from the entire cast. The swashbuckling Don Diago Vega is one of Ty Power's most likable and best remembered roles. It also revealed his fine flair for comedy. As the fop he could be quite amusing (on being informed that the villainous Captain Pasquale was once a fencing instructor in Madrid Don Diago looks through his monocle at Pasquale, sighs wearily and quips "How exhausting"). It's a shame he didn't do more movies like this. Two years later he was a pirate on the high seas in the enjoyable "The Black Swan" and in 1947 he appeared in Fox's colourful epic on the Conquistadores "Captain From Castile" but that was all. Historical roles in "Prince of Foxes", "The Black Rose" and "Son Of Fury" were also enjoyable but none of these films ever gained any swashbuckling status. Excellent too was Basil Rathbone. His villain almost as sly and as cunning as his Guy of Gisbourne in "Robin Hood" two years earlier. And supplying the love interest was the lovely Linda Darnell who the following year would again star with Power in the Fox classic "Blood And Sand" again directed by Mamoulian. Also of interest is the casting of Eugene Palette as the church friar almost exactly the same role he played in "The Adventures of Robin Hood".

Of some note also is the brilliant score put together and conducted by Alfred Newman. The exciting main Zorro theme was written, not by Newman, but by the uncredited Hugo Friedhofer. It is an exhilarating heroic motif that the great Korngold himself would be proud to have written for Flynn. Great music is but one element that makes THE MARK OF ZORRO an unforgettable movie. Its popularity has endured since it was made almost 75 years ago and no doubt it will continue thrilling audiences for a long time to come.

The Vikings (1958)

Sweeping Fifties Epic.

[8/10 · 18 November 2013]

United Artists THE VIKINGS (1958) is one of the great epics of the fifties. Based on the book "The Vikings" by Edison Marshall it was produced by Jerry Brasler for Bryna Productions (Kirk Douglas' own company which he named after his mother).Beautifully photographed in Technirama and Technicolor by ace British cinematographer Jack Cardiff more than 4000 multinational performers and technicians worked on the giant production. Filmed on actual locations in the mountains and fjords of Norway the picture is well remembered for its scenic beauty and authentic sets. The splendid screenplay was put together by Dale Wasserman and Calder Willingham and Richard Fleischer directed with a deft hand an all star cast. The picture is also notable for the fine polished narration spoken by an uncredited Orson Welles.

Ragnar (Ernest Borgnine) is the savage Viking chieftain who with his Viking horde rape and pillage along the English coast. On one such raid he rapes an English Queen who later gives birth to a boy they call Eric (Tony Curtis). But his existing son Einar (Kirk Douglas) is unaware he has a half brother and grows to hate Eric especially after the Vikings attack an English ship and abduct the princess Morgana (Janet Leigh) whom both sons desire. Sometime later Eric rescues the princess from the Viking camp and in a small boat makes a dash for England with Ragnar and Einar in hot pursuit. During the chase Ragnar's ship goes aground in the fog but Eric saves him, pulls him aboard and takes him to England as well where the treacherous king Aella sentences Ragnar to die in the dog pit. Later Eric returns to Norway to muster Einer and his men to attack the English castle where Morgana is being held and to avenge Ragnar's death. The picture ends in a marvellous set piece as the Vikings take the castle after a blistering well staged battle and Eric and Einar battle it out to the death in a terrific sword duel atop the dizzying castle parapets.

Performances are superb from the entire cast. Douglas himself is a standout in his own production. His facility for knockabout action is a joy to behold. His prowess and unerring skill at stunts is well revealed in THE VIKINGS exemplified in the taking of the castle sequence. Here Douglas, under fire from rocks and arrows, charges and leaps across the open moat grabbing onto the axe handles which his men had already thrown and embedded in the underside of the raised drawbridge. Then using the axes to grip he clambers up and over to let the bridge down. It is a stunning and spectacular piece of stunt work! Again in an earlier scene Douglas can clearly be seen doing what is known as Dancing The Oars whereby he hops from oar to oar outside the ship for the amusement of the camp. Excellent too was Tony Curtis! Here was the emergence of Tony Curtis the ACTOR which manifested itself in Burt Lancaster's "Trapeze" (1956), with Lancaster again in "Sweet Smell of Success" (1957) and then in "The Defiant Ones"(1958). Gone were his pretty boy days at Universal International the studio he started with and where he would become their top pinup male star alongside a young Rock Hudson and Jeff Chandler. Also a standout in THE VIKINGS is Ernest Borgnine giving a powerful portrayal of the Viking leader Ragnar - a part he was born to play. Others in smaller roles are good too such as Alexander Knox as the Friar, Frank Thring as the sly and dubious Aella, James Donald as Egbert the English traitor and Janet Leigh (Mrs. Curtis at the time) as the princess.

My only problem with the movie is the staid and laboured music score by Italian composer Mario Nascimbene a composer who never really distinguished himself in anything he did. Despite the haunting and echoing motif that sings out the two words of the film's title on a giant elephant tusk the colourless tinny sounding score is quite insipid and uninspired. It is surprising that a composer the calibre of Miklos Rozsa or Dimitri Tiomkin - two men who could score such epics in their sleep - were not approached to work on Douglas' picture. Their involvement would have added immeasurably to the film giving it a greater buoyancy and density. However, the score not withstanding THE VIKINGS is still a great movie and remains one of cinema's finest blockbuster epics.

And Now Tomorrow (1944)

Almost Forgotten Romantic Drama.

[6/10 · 5 November 2013]

The best description that can be afforded the almost forgotten AND NOW TOMORROW is, I should think, a neat and enjoyable well written romantic drama. Produced in 1944 for Paramount Pictures by Fred Kohlmar it derived from the novel by Rachel Field and was beautifully directed by Irving Pichel. The movie is notable for its appealing screenplay which was put together by Frank Portos and surprisingly Raymond Chandler. Ace cinematographer Daniel Fapp gave it a superlative crisp black and white look and the great Victor Young gave it a gorgeous sound with his lovely score.

Emily Blair (Loretta Young) is the rich sophisticated industrial heiress who finds that after a bout with meningitis she is stone deaf. Searching throughout America and Europe for a specialist who could possibly cure her she finally gives up hope and now concentrates at home on her forthcoming marriage to wealthy Jeff Stoddard (Barry Sullivan). Emily's doctor and family friend Dr. Weeks (Cecil Kellaway) has a new associate in the young Dr. Marek Vance (Alan Ladd) who coincidently is working on a new serum to cure meningitis deafness. After he cures a rabbit of the deafness Dr. Weeks suggests to the young doctor to try and experiment on Emily. He Refuses at first but after Emily's entreaties he reluctantly agrees. In the meantime Emily's attractive sister the vivacious Janice (Susan Hayward) begins having an affair with her sister's intended and things really get complicated when Dr. Vance falls in love with Emily his patient. But the core of the story is Dr. Vance's experimental serum and will it work on Emily. Of course in the final reel, and like all good romantic dramas, everything works itself out to everyones satisfaction.

Performances are just about fine from the entire cast. The beautiful Loretta Young just lights up the screen as the pivotal character of the piece and Alan Ladd is excellent in a different kind of role to which he was usually assigned at the time. This is not the hard bitten two fisted tough guy we are so used to seeing him play. Here he is a subdued almost reticent gentleman of medicine. It is a likable and well balanced performance. This was a pleasing change of pace for the actor and his scenes with Young are engaging and appealing. The pair had starred together the previous year in Paramount's wartime adventure CHINA and were a hit with audiences. Good too is the lovely Susan Hayward in another step on her ladder to full stardom and Barry Sullivan as her weak willed and non-committal lover.

Also of note is the marvellous score by the brilliant tune-smith Victor Young. There is a lovely waltz theme for Emily which is heard in its broadest rendition under the titles and for the film's softer moments in scenes with Young and Ladd. And there's an equally lovely theme for the errant lovers Janice and Jeff which is played in one scene as an attractive waltz at a family get-together.

AND NOW TOMORROW is not and never was regarded as a brilliant motion picture but it is and will remain an engaging, enjoyable well produced and well played romance.

The Bridge at Remagen (1969)

Classic & Enduring War Movie

[8/10 · 19 October 2013]

Released in 1969 THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN is a gritty action packed war movie. Produced by David L. Wolpor and beautifully directed by John Guillermin the picture has, over the years, gained something of a cult status and besides being a great favourite with collectors is regarded as one of the more memorable war classics of cinema. Released through United Artists it was photographed in Panavision and colour to dazzling affect by Stanley Cortez and is underlined throughout with a super gutsy score by the always welcome Elmer Bernstein. Also of note is the location filming. It was filmed in 1968, not in Germany, but in Czechoslovakia which wonderfully doubled for Germany with the Remagen Bridge scenes shot at Davie on the Vitava River using the old bridge where fake towers were constructed.

It is the closing weeks of WW2 and the only escape route for Germany's 15th. Army is across the Obercassell Bridge over the Rhine at Remagen. But Berlin wants it destroyed in case the Americans can put it to their own use. Germany's General Von Brock (Peter Van Eyck) instructs Major Paul Kreuger (Robert Vaughan) to blow it up but to delay its destruction as long as possible so as to facilitate most of the 75,000 retreating German troops who will be crossing the bridge. Meanwhile the Americans under acting C.O. Lt. Phil Hartman (George Segal) head towards the bridge to destroy it. But later however Brig. Gen. Shinner (E. G. Marshall) changes his mind and decides not to destroy it but to secure it instead. The picture ends with the Americans storming the bridge and taking it.

Performances are superb from all concerned. Taking the lead is George Segal as the laid back cynical but dutiful C.O. Usually cast in romantic comedies this was a real departure for the actor and is the best thing he has ever done. Excellent too is Robert Vaughan as the ill fated German commander desperately trying first to save the bridge then failing to destroy it and Ben Gazzara as Angel the colourful brash and thieving Sergeant. Those in smaller roles are also outstanding like Bradford Dillman as the the self absorbed Major detested and distrusted by his company and the always impressive Peter van Eyck as the General of the German high command. This was to be Van Eyck's final screen appearance. He died the same year from Sepsis at the age of 54. And carrying the whole thing along is the rollicking score by the always pleasing Elmer Bernstein. Best known for his many scores for westerns the composer here turned in a powerful score of great depth and excitement. His main theme is a dramatic martial statement which segues into a reflective melancholy theme pointing up the plight of the many hapless refugees trying desperately to cross the bridge to safety and not forgetting the bold and engaging trumpet theme for the German Command. The score is Bernstein's best work for a war movie.

THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN is a gripping and exciting well produced war epic and hasn't dated at all since it was made in the sixties. It remains one of the best post war movies of its kind,

An ironic postscript on the final frame of the movie reads -

"Ten days after the Americans captured the Obercassell Bridge it collapsed and fell into the Rhine".

San Francisco (1936)

Splendid, Engaging Romantic Drama From The Thirties Endures.

[8/10 · 9 December 2012]

Alongside "Gone With The Wind" MGM's SAN FRANCISCO (1936) is without doubt the finest romantic drama to emanate from Hollywood in the thirties. A movie that had everything going for it - a splendid story and script, a superb star in Clark Gable, a beautiful actress with an arresting singing voice in Jeanette MacDonald, wonderful songs and an earthquake sequence that will not only knock your socks off but can stand up proudly beside anything that computer graphics can conjure up today. The picture also was the most sensational profit making movie of 1936 speeding past "The Great Ziegfeld" from the same year. Produced for the studio by John Emerson and Bernard Hyman it was directed with great punch and attention to detail by W.S.Van Duke. The Perfectly handled screenplay was written by Anita Loos from a story by Robert Hopkins and the crisp monochrome cinematography was by Oliver T. Marsh.

It is 1905 in San Fransico and Blackie Norton (Clark Gable) runs "The Paradise" a not too respectable night club on the rowdy Barbary Coast. A girl Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald) arrives in the city from the country looking for a job singing. She approaches Norton who interviews her and is very taken by both her beauty and her prowess as a singer. He hires her and in the following weeks they fall in love but Blackie comes up against some competition from Jack Burly (Jack Holt) the wealthy owner of the Tivoli opera house. Burly falls for Mary too and wants to buy out her contract from Norton to have her sing in the opera. But Norton refuses and is not for turning. However after an altercation with Blackie she walks out on him and goes to the Tivoli where she becomes a singing sensation. Still in love with Blackie she however sees no future with him and just as she becomes engaged to Burly a tremendous earthquake wreaks havoc on the great city. The picture ends with the death of thousands of citizens including Jack Burly and an injured Blackie searching through every bit of rubble for Mary before eventually finding her alive and well and leading the survivors singing the hymn "Nearer My God To Thee" in a makeshift camp outside the destroyed city.

Performances are top notch throughout the movie. Gable is terrific as the flamboyant Blackie Norton. His role looking every bit like a dry run for his Rhett Butler three years later. Excellent too is the inviting and quite lovely Jeanette MacDonald. The vivacious lady is simply electric! She just lights up the screen and delights us with her mellifluous singing voice in renditions of arias from Gounod's FAUST, Verdi's LA TRAVIATA, Nacio Herb Brown's lovely WOULD YOU and the rousing title song SAN FRANCISCO written by Polish composer Bronislau Kaper who was just starting out on his illustrious film music career at MGM. The song would become a hit and remains to this day the city's favoured anthem. Of course the real star of the picture is the special effects with the climactic earthquake sequence. Designed and implemented by Russian montage expert Slavko Vorkapach it remains an amazing achievement for thirties cinema which can still manage to excite and frighten today with just as much impact as anything in modern film.

It is almost inconceivable that a seventy five year old movie can remain such a firm favourite which it steadfastly has maintained over the years. The film was nominated for four Acadamy Awards (winning one for sound recording), has a beautiful screenplay, is wonderfully directed and besides the lovely songs from the attractive Miss MacDonald contains some moments of real charm especially the scenes with the two principles. SAN FRANCISCO is a great and fascinating film from vintage Hollywood and looks like it will continue to be one of the most fondly remembered movies of all time.

The Foxes of Harrow (1947)

Unappreciated Classic

[6/10 · 23 October 2012]

20th. Century Fox's THE FOXES OF HARROW is a period romance in the best tradition of "Gone With The Wind". Unfortunately however the picture has a chequered reputation. When it was first released in 1947 it was subjected to a mixed response from critics and public alike with the result it was not a great success and neither the two leads Rex Harison and Maureen O'Hara are remembered for it. As for myself I think it has been unfairly pilloried and misjudged for each time I see it I have to say I really enjoy it despite Harrison being no Clark Gable and the omission of Tecnicolor which no doubt would have helped the movie greatly. But as it stands the picture, based on the best selling novel by Frank Yearby, had a reasonably good screenplay by Wanda Tuchock, splendid monochrome cinematography by Joseph LaShelle and fine workmanlike direction by John M. Stahl.

It is 1820 in New Orleans and an Irish philanderer and gambler Stephen Fox (Rex Harrison) wins not only a vast sugar cane plantation in a card game but also the heart of Odalie "Lilli" D'Arceneaux (Maureen o'Hara) the cream of New Orleans female society. He builds her an opulent and lavish Mansion which he calls Harrow, they marry and begin their life together. But things begin to go wrong on their wedding night and she locks him out of the bedroom. He violently breaks down the door and forces himself on her. Resenting Stephen now she becomes pregnant and has a child. The child, a son they name Etienne is adored by Stephen. He smothers him with love and attention to the chagrin of Lilli who is now all but alienated by Stephen. He begins to drink heavily, gamble to excess and brazenly have affairs. Then tragedy strikes. During one of their many rows the boy overhears them and falls down the grand staircase of Harrow. The boy dies. Stephen is shattered. The son he had lived for is now gone. He storms from the house never to return. More misfortune occurs later when a financial depression hits the country closing the banks and wiping out businesses. The only way of saving Harrow now is the acres of sugar cane growing in the fields. Lilli goes to Stephen and pleads with him to come home and oversee the slaves bringing in the crop. At first he ignores her entreaties but surprisingly he capitulates and suddenly arrives back at Harrow to mobilise the slaves to reap the harvest of cane. The picture ends with Stephen and Lilli embracing at the graveside of little Etinne and vowing to start over and give their marriage another chance.

Performances are first rate from all concerned. Rex Harrison, who would not be everybody's first choice for the lead (Tyrone Power turned down the role), is quite good and gives an excellent portrayal of the philandering Stephen Fox and as the picture progresses you find yourself caring about this character a great deal. Good too is Maureen O'Hara. This was the actress's best period when she was a Fox contract star. At Fox she made some of her most memorable films - "How Green Was My Valley" (1946), "Sentimental Journey" (1946) and "Miracle On 34th Street"(1947). THE FOXES OF HARROW should be added to this list.

Of particular note in the film is the tremendous musical score by composer David Buttolph. This was a totally revealing and unexpected departure for this composer. The Main Title is a sensational swashbuckling variation of the principle theme pointing up the daring attitude and devil-may-care persona of the main protagonist. Then the gorgeous main theme itself - a thoroughly elegant harmonic melody coaxed gently into its fullest expression in the love scenes when, in a muted strings setting, becomes an exquisite and rapturous love theme. Also heard is the attractive waltz themes played in the picture's stunning set piece - The Masked Charity Ball. THE FOXES OF HARROW a positively captivating and engaging score conducted by the great Alfred Newman is David Buttolph's masterpiece!

THE FOXES OF HARROW is a splendid movie and does not deserve its unappreciated and seldom mentioned tag. And now that it has finally been released in a nice clean and sharp quality DVD by Screen Archives classic movie fans can at last reassess and re-evaluate it.

Hondo (1953)

Memorable John Wayne Western.

[6/10 · 25 September 2012]

Made in 1953 Warner Bros. HONDO is a good entertaining western. A Wayne/Fellows production it was originally filmed in the short lived process of 3D but here is thankfully without many of the gimmicks associated with that format. Nicely directed by John Farrow the picture has become well established over the years as one of John Wayne's better westerns.From a novel by Louis L'Amour it had a fine screenplay devised by James Edward Grant and was glowingly photographed in Warnercolor by Robert Burks and Archie Stout.

John Wayne is Hondo Lane a dispatch rider for the U.S. cavalry in 1874 who, after having his horse shot from under him by Indians stumbles across an isolated ranch occupied by a deserted woman (Geraldine Page) and her young son (Lee Aaker). At first the woman is suspicious of the stranger but she soon realizes he means no harm and later develops deep feelings for him. She gives him a horse (which he had broken) so he can get back to the fort where he learns that because of the Apache unrest the army is about to ride out and evacuate families from the outlying ranches and take to the field against the fearsome Apache leader Vittorio (Michael Pate). Hondo must now return to the ranch and help bring the woman and the boy to safety. But on his journey he tangles with and is forced to kill a would-be assassin (Leo Gordan) who he discovers is the woman's errant husband. Then in a brilliant chase sequence he is run down and captured by the Apaches but Vittorio, who is fond of the boy, releases him back to the ranch. The picture ends in a spectacular fashion with a full scale desert battle between the cavalry and the Apache horde.

Performances are splendid. Wayne is especially good as is Geraldine Page. Page, a New York stage actress in her first film is very impressive and her early scenes with Wayne are engaging and pleasing. However I have a couple of quibbles about the production of HONDO. Firstly, Wayne's stunt double is a very slight and much smaller man than the actor. His height and size is jarringly obvious in a few scenes such as the horse breaking sequence and the stunning chase scene. Then the second half of the movie - which is reputed to have been directed by John Ford - somehow doesn't really jell very well with the first half at all. It almost becomes a different movie - eschewing the fine dramatic power and character development inherent in the beginning and it even relegates the woman and the boy to mere bit players. The blame for this must be laid at Ford's door. It's like he never saw the first half and just proceeded to do his own thing. His section of the film is simply a cavalry versus Indian actioneer. But then perhaps Ford wasn't totally at fault since he had no involvement in the project from the outset and probably only did the thing as a favor to Wayne. Nevertheless there is still much to enjoy in HONDO which has arresting cinematography, excellent performances, a wonderfully written first half and a vibrant score by Emil Newman and Hugo Friedhofer.

Ride the High Country (1962)

Exceptional Late Western.

[8/10 · 5 August 2012]

Made in 1962 MGM's RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY is not only one of the last of the great classic westerns but is significant in the respect that it was the one and only time that two of Hollywood's most iconic western stars Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea would appear together in the same film. Also, unlike McCrea it turned out to be Scott's final movie. McCrea, on the other hand, went on to appear in three or four more movies all of little account and finishing with a thing called "Mustang Country" in 1970. Both actors were very wealthy men by the time they started filming RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY in 1961 especially McCrea who by 1950 had become a multi-millionaire through shrewd investments and business interests. He would say of himself "I'm a businessman - acting in motion pictures is my hobby". He also laid claim to having the longest marriage in Hollywood. He was married to the actress Francis Dee for 57 years until his death in 1990.

Also known as "Guns In The Afternoon" RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY is again significant for being the first movie that brought notice, from critics and public alike, on a young director called Sam Peckinpah. Produced by Richard E. Lions for Metro RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY was nicely written for the screen by N.B. Stone Jr. and stunningly photographed in Cinemascope and Metrocolor by the great Lucien Ballard. The story concerns two retired lawmen (Scott & McCrea) who take on the job of transporting gold from a mining camp to the bank in town some distance away but one of them isn't too keen on bringing it to the bank which causes great tension and enmity between them. Then at the mining camp, with the gold all packed and ready to go, trouble erupts when they save a young bride (the resistible Mariette Hartley) from her ne'er do well husband (James Drury) and take her with them. But with his four errant brothers the irate husband sets out after them to retrieve his wife by any and every means. The picture comes to an explosive finish when the two old timers reconcile with each other and take on the gang in a well staged traditional style shootout in which the brothers perish along with one of the protagonists.

RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY has become something of a cult western and has awoken in a new generation an interest in past classics that starred either Scott or McCrea. Beautifully directed by Peckinpah it is regarded by many to be his finest western. With wonderful characterisations throughout the picture is notable for some outstanding portrayals from an excellent supporting cast particularly Edgar Buchanan as the perpetually hammered preacher, R.G. Armstrong (a perennial Peckinpah favourite) as the irascible father of the girl and Warren Oates in one of his early roles as the leering and creepy brother of the groom. And complimenting the proceedings is the engaging score by the little known composer George Bassman featuring a lingering and beguiling main theme that adds greatly to the lovely outdoor locations.

With splendid performances, a creditable screenplay, excellent production values and a memorable score RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY remains an unforgettable classic western. And lest we forget it also bids a fond farewell to two of the screens mightiest western icons - Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea.

Classic exchange from RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY:

Towards the end and just before the final confrontation with the gang McCrea suggests to Scott "Let's meet them head on - just like always". To which Scott, with a wry smile, responds "My sentiments exactly".

Split Second (1953)

Neat Little, Almost Forgotten, Thriller.

[6/10 · 10 July 2012]

A reasonably good noir thriller is probably the best description that can be afforded SPLIT SECOND. An above average noir it was produced by Edmund Grainger in 1953 for the home of the great noirs RKO. Excitingly written by William Bowers and Irving Wallace it was crisply photographed in black & white by the great Nicholas Museraca and surprisingly directed in a good workmanlike fashion by Dick Powell. With no "A" list stars to speak of the picture is more than effectively played by a well chosen cast headed by Stephen McNally, Paul Kelly and Alexis Smith.

Two escaped convicts (McNally & Kelly) hijack a car with two occupants (Alexis Smith & Robert Paige), waylay another carrying two more people (Jan Sterling & Keith Andes) and along with an old prospector (Arthur Hunnicutt) hold them all hostage in a ghost town in the Nevada desert. The town has been earmarked and cleared by the military for the testing of an Atomic bomb in a few hours time. This the captors learn from the radio and are confident of leaving on time. In the meantime Kelly is badly wounded from a gunshot he received in his prison escape bid and must have a doctor. McNally finds out that Smith's estranged husband (Richard Egan) is a physician and inveigles him by phone to come to the hideout or his wife will be killed. Things for the hostages don't go too well with poor attempts at escape and the savagely violent and somewhat psychotic McNally beating Andes to a pulp and shooting dead Smith's lover (Paige). Suddenly the radio announces that the bomb test time has been moved up and will now go off an hour earlier. It becomes a race against time now to get off the site. Leaving the hostages to their fate in the town a scurrying McNally, his fellow fugitive and a fearful Smith, who pleads to go with them, take off in the car but drive onto the actual bomb site itself instead of going in the opposite direction. The picture ends with the massive A bomb explosion, McNally and company perishing in the car and the hostages all surviving after taking refuge in a cave.

The cast do an admirable job with a nicely written screenplay. McNally is particularly good applying himself assiduously to playing what he always played best that of the sneering, unscrupulous and mean spirited villain. Paul Kelly - who never gave a bad performance - is also good as McNally's softer hearted partner in crime. But something of a revelation is Alexis Smith! Smith an actress who for years was buried in inane glamour roles at Warner Brothers brings much to the table here in SPLIT SECOND. Her panic driven character, continuously on the verge of cracking up, is an incisive and inspired piece of acting. Who would have thought she had it in her? It is the best thing she ever did!

With brilliant cinematography, good performances, an exciting screenplay all wrapped in a fine dramatic and atmospheric score by RKO's resident composer Roy Webb SPLIT SECOND comes across as a fairly rewarding visual experience.

Key Largo (1948)

Enduring Warner Gangster Melodrama.

[8/10 · 5 June 2012]

One of the finest of the great gangster melodramas KEY LARGO is still a firm favourite with fans and cultists alike. Produced by Jerry Wald in 1948 for Warner Bros. it was based on the stage play by Maxwell Anderson and was beautifully written for the screen by Richard Brooks and John Huston. Stunningly photographed in low key black & white by Karl Freund it was expertly directed with his customary flair by Huston. The cast assembled couldn't be better with Humphrey Bogart delivering one of his very best subdued performances and arguably being almost eclipsed by a riveting Ed. G. Robinson. The rest of the small cast is fleshed out with Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore, Claire Trevor and Thomas Gomez. And complimenting the on screen proceedings is the splendid music by the tireless Max Steiner who provided one of his best forties scores.

It is 1946, the war in Europe is over and a returning GI (Humphrey Bogart) arrives at The Largo Hotel in Key Largo. Asked who he is Bogart coolly replies "McCloud, Frank by John out of Helen". He is here to meet with the hotel owner John Temple (Lionel Barrymore) to talk about the death of his son George Temple and how he lost his life in combat in Italy saving his unit. But McCloud notices that also staying in the hotel are a undesirable crowd of sinister looking characters. It's not long before he learns that they are a gang of mobsters led by an abrasive deported racketeer - the infamous Johnny Rocco (Robinson). When McCloud reveals who Rocco is and lists his many illegal and crooked enterprises the aging wheelchair bound John Temple gloweringly chides him "You Filth" which elicits little more than a snigger from Rocco. Then the gang declare themselves and display their violent ways (they murder the deputy sheriff) and make known their intention to force McCloud to sail them to Cuba. However after Rocco's moll (Claire Trevor) slips McCloud a gun he takes them on in a surprise move out at sea which makes for an intense and exciting sequence. The picture ends with McCloud's dispatch of the baddies and turning the boat around he heads back to Key Largo and The Largo Hotel where a new life awaits him.

With some remarkable ensemble playing performances are top notch. Bogart gives one of his best portrayals in a likable reserved manner. Here proving yet again that he remains one of the most enduring icons of the silver screen. But there's little doubt KEY LARGO is Robinson's picture! His snarling and totally mean spirited Rocco is the best thing he has ever done. Good too are those in support especially Lionel Barrymore as the irascible aging hotelier, Lauren Bacall as Nora his daughter in-law and Claire Trevor giving a great turn as Rocco's moll in her Acadamy Award winning best supporting actress performance.

And holding the whole thing together is Max Steiner's great score. His main theme is a lovely gentle anthem-like cue which points up the sadness of George Temple's death in the war and the loneliness now felt without him by his father and widow Nora. Also heard are some great action cues and an appropriate swirling piece for the Hurricane sequence. 1948 was a bumper year for the busy composer. In twelve months the man scored an unprecedented eleven films which included such amazing classics as "Treasure Of The Sierra Madre", "Johnny Belinda", "Silver River" the exceptional "The Adventures Of Don Juan" and of course KEY LARGO.

KEY LARGO remains a memorable and enduring classic from Hollywood's Golden Age. In the tradition of the great noirs it exudes an engaging dramatic thrust throughout and an all encompassing intensity rarely felt in movies today. John Huston demonstrated yet again his prowess as one of film's outstanding directors and with his inspired casting in KEY LARGO the movie will forever maintain its appeal as long as there are movies and a place to screen them..

Footnote: It is interesting to note that the boat used in the final sequence was Bogart's own boat "The Santana".

The Red Badge of Courage (1951)

Huston's Truncated Yet Realistic Civil War Epic.

[8/10 · 12 May 2012]

MGM's Civil War epic THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE is a minor masterpiece! Unfortunately however the picture has a chequered history and had little success when it was first released in 1951. Based on the best selling novel by Stephen Crane it was beautifully written for the screen by John Huston who also directed with considerable flair and expertise. But the finished film suffered greatly in the editing stages. In Huston's absence ( he was in South Africa filming "The African Queen" ) the studio cut some 25 minutes from the movie resulting in a very truncated 69 minute version being released. Louis B.Mayer disliked the picture intensely because it didn't have a female in the cast and it was without any marquee names. Top billed was a young Audie Murphy, a minor player at the time who was just finding his way in pictures over at Universal International in the B western genre. That said there is still much to admire in the finished film. Particularly noteworthy is the stunning Monochrome cinematography of Harold Rossen and the splendid atmospheric and rousing score by Polish composer Bronislau Kaper.

Stephen Crane referred to his novel as a 'psychological portrayal of fear' and that fear is clearly established almost immediately the film opens as we see the enlisted men of the Union army mustered in camp waiting for their marching orders to go into battle. One youthful private in particular Henry Fleming (Audie Murphy) is almost sick with fear and trepidation. Tears fill his eyes as he writes home what he thinks could be his last letter. Finally, the moment he dreaded arrives as the order comes for the division to move out up to the battlefield. Before long they are in the trenches holding back the advancing Confederate enemy. Then during one enemy charge Henry is so overcome with fear he throws down his rifle and runs in retreat. Alone in the woods he is beside himself with despair and shame. But later when he is knocked unconscious with a rifle butt from another retreating soldier he awakens with a whole different attitude to the war. His head wound becomes his 'Red Badge of Courage' and he returns to the trenches but this time with a new found gallantry. He suddenly finds himself leading his men against the enemy and even taking up the flag from a fallen comrade and carrying it to victory.

Performances are superb from all concerned even down to the smallest role. Murphy is surprisingly dynamic! His role as the fearful young soldier who finds redemption is totally believable and engaging. It is the actor's best performance. Good too is non-actor and cartoonist Bill Mauldin as Henry's friend and comrade and also the always likable Arthur Hunnicutt ("I got holes in my cap, I got holes in my pants but I ain't got any holes in me except those that were intended").

Huston's film is an arresting evocation of the American Civil War! He lavished great care and attention to the film's look and design which is evident throughout. Together with Rossen's deep focus and stark black and white cinematography the scenes on the battlefield and in the trenches become bracingly authentic with an all encompassing and extraordinary realism. We will probably never learn what was in the missing 25 minutes of lost footage but as it stands THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE remains a minor cinematic masterpiece.

Closing line from Stephen Crane's THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE as the troop, victorious, march from the battlefield and on the soundtrack the voice of James Whitmore is heard behind a close up tracking shot of Audie Murphy..........

"He turned now with a lover's thirst to images of tranquil skies, fresh meadows and cool brooks - an existence of soft and eternal peace".

Brute Force (1947)

Striking '40's Prison Drama.

[7/10 · 30 March 2012]

Universal International's BRUTE FORCE is without doubt one of the finest prison pictures ever made. Outstandingly directed by Jules Dassin this brutal brooding and dark drama, has never been, or is ever likely to be, equaled. Produced for the studio in 1947 by Mark Hellinger the stunning black & white cinematography by William Daniels, together with his amazing use of light and shade, perfectly highlighted the bleak grimness of being shut away on the "inside" where injury and death lurks from every crevice of the thick walls. Based on a story by Robert Patterson it was turned into a brilliant screenplay by Richard Brooks and composer Miklos Rozsa once again supplied one of his high octane tension filled scores.

Hardened convict Joe Collins (Burt Lancaster) is a "lifer" in the maximum security prison of Westgate Penitentiary. Together with his old boss Gallagher (Charles Bickford) - who is also doing time as the prison's newspaper editor - he plans an elaborate escape. But tyrannical head guard Captain Munsey (a brilliant Hume Cronyn) suspects a breakout is afoot and will go to any lengths to prevent it. In one intensely harrowing sequence in his office he interrogates inmate Louie Miller (Sam Levene) about the impending escape and savagely beats him with a hosepipe as Wagner's Tannhauser plays full volume on the phonograph. But Louie endures and tells him nothing. However through another informant Munsey learns the date and time of the escape and prepares his guards accordingly to thwart the breakout. With Collins getting even with the "stoolie" the picture ends in a bloody and vicious battle between the guards and convicts with many deaths on each side including Collins and Munsey who have it out in a climactic and spectacular fight atop the gate tower.

The acting is nothing short of superb! In only his second movie (after Hellinger's "The Killers" the previous year) Lancaster is especially good as the recalcitrant and difficult Collins ("You're not fit for civil life and you won't accept prison life" Munsey chides him.) Good too is Charles Bickford, Roman Bohnen as the weak and ineffectual Warden and really excellent is Art Smith as the kindly but perpetually hammered prison doctor ("Yes Capt. Munsey - I'm just a very ordinary man. I get drunk on whiskey but you sir - you get drunk on power".) But there's little doubt the picture belongs to Cronyn. In a powerful portrayal of the highest degree he simply chews up every bit of scenery there is as the sadistic and dictatorial Captain Munsey. Also of note is the score by the great Miklos Rozsa. Almost eclipsing his music for "The Killers" his brooding score here pinpoints the seediness and the ever present potential for danger and death within the prison. His sombre main theme, heard in its broadest rendition under the titles, is a slow dirge-like piece reflecting the despair and hopelessness of those incarcerated in a high security establishment. BRUTE FORCE is one of the composer's best noir scores.

The picture only has one drawback - the various and needless flashbacks depicting the women in some of the prisoner's lives. These scenes are merely padding and quiet unnecessary. They do nothing really for the movie except break the atmospheric continuity that already had been so well achieved and established. But thankfully they don't last very long and they make up what is only a minor quibble and does not prevent BRUTE FORCE remaining one of the finest gems from Hollywood's golden past.

The Horse Soldiers (1959)

Good Civil War Adventure From Ford.

[6/10 · 6 March 2012]

John Ford's THE HORSE SOLDIERS is something of an underrated cavalry epic from the great director. Produced in 1959 for a United Artists release by John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin it was nicely written for the screen by Mahin and Rackin and colourfully directed,if a little less auspicious, by Ford. Beautifully photographed in widescreen and colour by William Clothier the picture also benefited from an atmospheric score by David Buttolph which was made up from an array of rousing cavalry songs. Once again John Wayne was the star and making his one and only appearance in a Ford picture is the surprise casting of William Holden who, it has to be said, is much less flamboyant here than usual especially if you consider his marvellous Captain Roper in the excellent cavalry western six years earlier "Escape From Fort Bravo". His role in THE HORSE SOLDIERS, as the non-combatant regimental doctor, is almost totally overshadowed by the arrogant and irascible troop commander as solidly played by Wayne. Never reaching the lofty heights of Ford's memorable triptych of cavalry epics "Fort Apache", "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" and "Rio Grande" THE HORSE SOLDIERS is nevertheless an engaging Civil War adventure.

The story of THE HORSE SOLDIERS is based on a real incident during the Civil War in 1863. Under orders from General Grant a division of Union cavalry, under the command of Colonel John Marlowe (Wayne), are to cross over into Alabama and Mississippi in the South and destroy the railway line at Newton Station deep in enemy territory which is the main supply depot of the Confederacy. On completion of their mission they are to make their way to safety via Union held Baton Rouze. The mission starts out and proceeds with little difficulty until disagreements erupt between Col. Marlowe and the regiment's doctor Kendall (Holden) who has been sent with the division against the wishes of Marlowe who distrusts and dislikes the medical profession. And then there's the beautiful Southern Belle (Constance Towers) who, eavesdropping, overhears the Union's plans and must now be taken along with the regiment lest she informs the enemy. The picture ends with an exciting battle between the two sides - the Union army routing the Confederates and making their escape to Baton Rouze.

Performances are splendid from all concerned. Wayne is especially good bringing great authority to his role. His Colonel Marlowe is arguably his best cavalry portrayal. Wayne's presence gives the movie a certain sheen and actually makes the film better than it really is. Holden is good too if somewhat more tempered than in anything he did before (He never handles a weapon throughout the film). But the antipathy between the two men makes for some engaging confrontations (the usually reticent Holden throwing a drink in Wayne's face, squaring up to him and yelling "OK section hand - I've had it - strip your blouse"). Regretfully though, and despite appearances by Ken Curtis and Hank Worden, there is a noticeable absence of Ford players. Particularly missed are Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jn. But there is a nice bit of casting for General Grant at the beginning of the movie who is played by cavalry song writer Stan Jones. Jones composed the movie's featured song "I've Left My Love". And it was Jones also who, three years earlier, had written "The Song Of The Searchers" the stunning ballad sung by The Sons Of The Pioneers over the titles of the Ford/Wayne classic "The Searchers". Also of note is the casting of Althea Gibson in the role of Tower's coloured servant. Gibson was a champion tennis player. She was the first African American to win the Grand Slam in 1956 and was the first African American to play Wimbledon in 1951 and to win it in 1957.

Ford's picture is a handsomely mounted adventure with some blazing action from time to time. Not as good as some of the director's previous cavalry epics but thanks to Duke Wayne for being around and contrary to general opinion THE HORSE SOLDIERS is an enjoyable ride.

Come Fill the Cup (1951)

Remarkable Anti-Drink Melodrama.

[7/10 · 14 February 2012]

"THE WAGON IS NEVER AN EASY RIDE".

In the wake of Paramount's enduring classic "Lost Weekend" (1945) comes this equally absorbing tale of alcohol addiction from Warner Bros. entitled COME FILL THE CUP. It is one of the best pictures of its kind thanks in no small measure to the presence of James Cagney who delivers a powerful performance first as a down and out alcoholic on the skids and then later as a reformed victim trying to sway others away from the demon drink. Produced in 1951 for the studio by Henry Blanke it was nicely written for the screen by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was based on the novel by Harlan Ware. Beautifully photographed in crisp Black & White by Robert Burks it was directed with fine care and attention to detail by Gordan Douglas.

Cagney plays Lew Marsh a reporter with The Sun Herald. But Lew has a problem. He drinks too much and his career is in tatters. Because of drink he can't hold down his job and is fired when he is five days late with a story. He becomes a hopeless vagrant. A dishevelled drunken bum staggering along the streets of the city waiting for the bars to open. Collapsing on the roadway he is taken to a hospital's alcoholic ward. On his release ("I hope I never see you again Marsh" the doctor tells him) he becomes acquainted with an ex alcoholic Charlie Dolan (James Gleason) who takes him in and rehabilitates him. Without ever drinking again he manages to secure his job back on the newspaper and after some years he is promoted to chief story editor. But now his boss (Raymond Massey) sends for him and asks for his help to stop his nephew (Gig Young) drinking. Reluctantly Lew takes on the job but faces a mammoth task.

The acting is superb from the entire cast. Cagney in particular is simply brilliant and here gives one of his very best performances. The film's early scenes of him drunkenly making his way along the city streets are quite riveting and harrowing in the extreme. Excellent also is James Gleason and the always polished Raymond Massey but extraordinary is the performance from the ill-fated Gig Young here revealing a remarkable talent. The sequence where he goes "cold turkey" and madly rummages through his apartment desperately searching for an elusive bottle of booze is a stunningly profound and concentrated piece of acting. Gig Young quite rightly was nominated for an Acadamy Award for his efforts in the picture. Also of note is the music score which features an attractive piano concerto written by Warner's music supervisor Ray Heindorf and the eerie background score which was composed by the uncredited Max Steiner.

COME FILL THE CUP is a great movie that hasn't dated at all since it was made and is just as vital, pertinent and appropriate today as it was in 1951 or, sadly perhaps, even more so.

Pursued (1947)

Classic Noir Western.

[7/10 · 28 January 2012]

Warner Bros. PURSUED was the first real NOIR western to emerge from Hollywood. Beautifully written for the screen by Niven Busch from his own story it was produced in 1947 by Milton Sperling. This was the period when the great film noir thrillers were beginning to appear on cinema screens and particularly active at producing this kind of film was the RKO studios in which their biggest star Robert Mitchum was finding great success. Warners however intended to cast their own John Garfield as the star in PURSUED except the leading lady Teresa Wright, who at the time was married to screenwriter Busch, wanted Mitchum to play the lead opposite her. So to accommodate the lady's wishes Mitchum, borrowed from RKO, moved in and took up the assignment. Stunningly photographed in Black & White by genius cameraman James Wong Howe and brilliantly scored by Max Steiner PURSUED was stylishly directed with great flair by Raoul Walsh.

Mitchum plays Jeb Rand who is haunted by disturbing childhood memories of seeing his father being shot down by the avenging Grant Callum (Dean Jagger) because of his having an illicit affair with his brother's wife and now vows to kill young Jeb as well no matter how long it takes. When his father was killed Jeb was taken in and raised by Mrs. Callum (Judith Anderson) along with her children Thor (Teresa Wright) and Adam (John Rodney). In later years Jeb falls in love with Thor but an envious Adam, encouraged by Grant Callum, tries to kill Jeb in an ambush but instead Jeb manages to kill Adam to the chagrin of Mrs. Callum and Thor who both now disown him. The picture ends with Grant Callum and his horsemen riding Jeb down and as he attempts to Lynch Jeb a forgiving Mrs. Callum shoots and kills Grant leaving Jeb and Thor to reconcile with each other and ride off to begin a new life together.

Performances are excellent from all concerned. The laconic Mitchum is especially good bringing a sardonic and morose edge to his role. His first picture for Warners allows him the opportunity to soar. Judith Anderson as usual is superb as is Dean Jagger as the obsessive villain. But the camera of James Wong Howe is the real star of the picture with his amazing use of light and shadow, his stark skies and his bracing bleakness of the barren plains (particularly effective are scenes of a rider on the crest of a hill moving against the greying sky). Also brilliant is the music of Max Steiner. This is one of his very best scores. His driving theme propelling the movie forward with great urgency. A theme that no doubt must have had an influence on composer John Williams thirty years later with his music for "Jaws" for there is a remarkable similarity with Steiner's driving rhythms and those conceived by Williams for the predatory shark. Also notable in PURSUED is a surprising vocal rendition of the traditional Irish ballad "Londonderry Air" laudably sung by Mitchum and John Rodney.

Despite a sometimes confusing narrative (It's never made very clear why Grant Callum is so obsessed for years with killing Jeb) PURSUED remains a splendid example of the noir western and looks as fresh today as it did sixty five years ago.

Will Penny (1967)

Stylish Late Classic Western.

[7/10 · 10 January 2012]

An interesting, entertaining yet somewhat underrated little western WILL PENNY was one of the last worthwhile western efforts to emanate from Hollywood in the sixties. Produced by Fred Engel and Walter Seltzer for Paramount Pictures in 1968 it was beautifully written and directed by Tom Gries. This would be Gries finest movie and the picture for which he is best remembered. He died in 1977 of a heart attack while playing tennis at 55 years of age. It is a great shame really since with this one movie he revealed a remarkable flair for film. Stunningly photographed in widescreen and colour by the great Lucian Ballard the picture was also buoyed by a haunting score from veteran composer David Raksin ("Laura").

Aging and illiterate cowboy Will Penny (Charlton Heston) has just finished up helping to bring in the last herd of cattle before winter sets in. He signs an X to draw his pay and must now look for another job to see him through the winter months ahead. Luckily he gets a line camp job with a large and remote cattle spread watching out for any strangers or drifters who might interfere with the straying cattle. But he finds the isolated cabin he is allotted in the area to be occupied by a woman (Joan Hackett) and her young son (Jon Gries). Unable to turn them out to the mercy of the elements he allows them to stay little knowing that later a growing attachment will develop between all three. Later after a confrontation with the murderous and loony "Preacher" Quint (Donald Pleseance) and his equally murderous sons Will finds now that he must defend the woman and the boy against them. The picture ends in an exciting shootout and the welcome dispatch of the devious "preacher" and his cohorts.

Performances are excellent from all concerned. Heston gives one of his very best performances as the aging cowpuncher who just cannot commit himself to the woman and the boy. His Will Penny is an absorbing and compelling portrayal of a man who cannot accept the involvement of anyone else coming into his life. A life in which he had never experienced family ties or domesticity of any kind and now resigns himself to the fact that it's too late for him to try for it. The ill-fated Joan Hackett (she died in 1983 of ovarian cancer at 49 years of age) couldn't be better as the lonely woman desperately wanting that commitment and there's a nice performance too from the director's nine year old Jon Gries as the boy. Also notable are those in smaller roles like British actor Donald Pleseance as the formidable baddie and there are welcome appearances from Slim Pickins, Ben Johnson, Anthony Zerbe and Lee Majors in his first film. The music by David Raksin is memorable as well. There is a lovely and haunting main theme heard throughout the picture and is transformed into an arresting ballad sung by Don Cherry over the end titles and a tender love theme is heard during the film's softer moments.

WILL PENNY is by no means an explosive shoot-em -up western for it is essentially a love story. But besides having moments of real charm there is a modicum of exciting action here and there. Overall WILL PENNY is beautifully written and directed, beautiful to look at and beautifully played out by a wonderful cast.

Colorado Territory (1949)

Memorable Forties Western.

[6/10 · 23 November 2011]

Despite the misnomer of a title Warner Bros."Colorado Territory" remains a well liked and memorable forties western. Produced for Warners in 1949 by Anthony Villiers and tightly directed by Raoul Walsh this was the vintage director's reworking of his own classic 1941 Bogart gangster hit "High Sierra" as a western. The result turned out to be an exciting and top notch outdoor western adventure. However its somewhat hoary and clichéd title does tend to give the picture a cheap and dismissive B picture status which is totally unwarranted. They could just as easily have called it simply "Colorado" which not only would have been a title of greater dramatic impact but would also have made reference to the character in the story Calorado Carson as played by Virginia Mayo. Written for the screen by John Twist it was based on W.R. Burnett's novel "High Sierra" and crisply photographed in glorious Black & White by the great Sid Hickok.

Outlaw Wes McQueen (Joel McCrea) is broken out of prison by an old accomplice and mentor (Basil Ruysdael) to plan and execute one last job - the robbery of $100,000 from the southbound Denver & Rio Grande train. But Reno Blake and Duke Harris (John Archer/James Mitchel) the two others he has to work with are a couple of mistrustful and devious characters who resent McQueen arriving at the hideout and starting to give orders. Along with the two - for some female company - is an attractive half-breed dance hall girl Calorado Carson (Virginia Mayo) who immediately takes a fancy to McQueen because he treats her with some respect. Eventually thwarting a double cross by Reno and Duke during the actual robbery on the speeding train McQueen and Colorado escape with the money on horseback hotly pursued by the US Marshal (Morris Ankrum) and his posse. The picture ends tragically with a wounded McQueen being boldly defended by Colorado in a fierce gun battle as she tries in vain, with two six guns, to stop the advancing posse. Together, hand in hand, Wes and Colorado perish.

The acting is generally good from all concerned. In a rare instance of playing an outlaw McCrea gives his usual laconic and appealing performance. But better is Virginia Mayo who is very striking as the hard bitten half-breed who falls in love with the gentle fugitive. And not forgetting the powerful image she created for the blistering finale. Standing daringly and with trenchant resolve and determination she blasts away with two six guns in defense of her wounded man before being brought down in a hail of gunfire. It is a great cinematic moment!

Besides the marvellous monochrome cinematography of Sid Hickock, filmed in and around Gallup New Mexico, the picture is also buoyed by a terrific score by the ever underrated David Buttolph featuring a sweeping and arching main theme and some great action music especially for the train chase sequence.

A good western "Colorado Territory" was never available on DVD before but now thanks to the Warner Archives label it has just been released in a clean and sharp transfer.

San Antonio (1945)

Colourful But Ultimately Poor Flynn Western.

[3/10 · 1 November 2011]

Warner Bros. SAN ANTONIO just about passes muster as an entertaining western thanks, in no short measure, to the presence of its star Errol Flynn. Produced in 1945 by Robert Bruckner for the studio it was at least beautifully photographed in glowing Technicolor by the great Bert Glennon and stylishly enough written by Alan LeMay. Unremarkably directed by the pedestrian David Butler this was one of eight westerns to feature the great swashbuckler which began in 1939 with the hugely successful "Dodge City" and continued with even greater success later with "Virginia City" (1940), "They Died With Their Boots On"(1941) and finishing in 1950 with "Rocky Mountain". Flynn was one of the few non-American actors to be an acceptable western hero. A phenomenon that baffled Flynn himself no end and prompted him to refer to himself on one occasion as the 'rich man's Roy Rogers'.

SAN ANTONIO is a thinly plotted oater. The story has Flynn as cattleman Clay Hardin trying to bring down baddie Roy Sturt (Paul Kelly) who is heading a syndicate of cattle thieves who have been raiding from herds all over Texas. Sturt also owns the local saloon in San Antonio where the newly arrived bar-room entertainer Jeanne Starr (Alexis Smith) performs and who Hardin immediately has the hots for. There is also great jealousy and mistrust between Sturt and his partner in crime LeGarre (The sinister looking Victor Francen) culminating in them both gunning for each other and pursued by Hardin into the hallowed shrine of the historic Alamo ruins standing in the town.

SAN ANTONIO isn't a great movie at all and without Flynn would be totally forgotten. There is little or no action except for a well staged saloon brawl and a final chase sequence that ends with Flynn and Kelly slugging it out in a river. Here and there abysmal attempts at humour and comedy occur especially from the irritating S.Z.Sakall. And with the exception of the striking looking Victor Francen performances are routine. The characters are all cardboard cutouts who make it impossible for you to engage with them as with Paul Kelly and the teak-like Alexis Smith. Flynn, on the other hand, is the best in it. His boyish charm as appealing as ever. He also looks extremely handsome throughout the picture with his Stetson tilted to one side on his head, his well fitted figured-in three quarter length coat and his bone-handled sixgun slung across his left midriff just like a sword. Like few others in Hollywood the man could certainly present himself as a dapper elegant figure and that glint in his eye telling us he knew it. SAN ANTONIO is the kind of movie Flynn could do in his sleep but it remains one of his least liked pictures and alongside "Montana" (1950) is his weakest western. Best things about the film is the glorious colour cinematography by the master Bert Glennon and the wonderful score by the tireless Max Steiner. The great composer skillfully reused his title theme from "Dodge City" for the credits here and it worked perfectly well. And besides a sprightly Stagecoach theme there is also an Oscar nominated song "Some Sunday Morning" written by the studio's music director Ray Heindorf and sung in one scene by Miss Smith. Steiner interpolated the song into his score and used it for the film's softer moments.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Classic Sci - Fi Thriller

[8/10 · 14 October 2011]

Allied Artists stunning INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS is arguably the finest Sci-Fi movie ever made. Produced in 1956 by Walter Wanger it was perfectly written for the screen by Daniel Mainwaring (who also wrote "Out Of The Past") which derived originally from the Colliers magazine story and then a novel by Jack Finney. Beautifully photographed in black & white and in the short lived widescreen process Superscope by Ellsworth Fredericks the picture is a triumph on all fronts with bracing cinematic nous and expertise from all departments thanks to the committed and adroit direction by Don Siegel. This movie came from early in the great director's career. He had started off at Warner Bros. doing special effects on such things as "Casablanca"(1942) and "Edge of Darkness" (1943) before he started directing. His first feature to direct was the Sidney Greenstreet classic "The Verdict" in 1946 and then garnered great praise in 1954 when he directed Walter Wanger's tough and gritty prison drama "Riot In Cell Block 11". Latterly Siegel is better known for his association with Clint Eastwood for whom he directed some of the actor's most memorable films. In 1976 he directed John Wayne in his final film "The Shootist" and Siegel's own final film was the best forgotten Bette Midler vehicle "Jinxed" in 1983. Don Siegel died in 1991 but of all his films he will probably be best remembered for Wanger's two classics "Riot In Cell Block 11" and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS.

On his return home after attending a medical conference in the city a young small town doctor (Kevin McCarthy) finds some of his patients acting somewhat strangely. It is not too long before he discovers much to his horror that their very bodies have been taken over by an alien life form. Further investigation establishes the strange life form germinated in giant seed pods that were placed near their victims as they slept. Without any noticeable difference in their physical appearance the aliens perfectly replicated the human form with one exception the "new" beings have no human feelings or emotions. Soon everyone in the town is affected including the police and all of the doctor's friends. Now, together with his girlfriend (Dana Wynter), he must endeavour to escape from the town - get to the capital and warn the authorities. But in order to survive and make the journey they not only have to evade the now alien townspeople who are pursuing them en masse but ensure at all costs that they don't fall asleep.

Although the cast is made up mostly of minor players the performances throughout are uniformly excellent. Kevin McCarthy - he of the chiseled-jaw - a fine character actor in anything he did is good here as the main protagonist imbuing his role with just about the right degree of fear and trepidation. The lovely Dana Wynter - she of the cute little upturned nose - is as attractive as ever in what must be her most memorable role. Also interesting are well measured portrayals from such minor actors as King Donovan, Carolyn Jones (in one of her early films), Virginia Christine, Larry Gates and Ralph Dumke as the police chief. And watch out for the unknown Sam Peckinpah in a tiny part as a meter reading gas-man and later towards the end - when an exhausted McCarthy finally reaches the busy freeway - Pechinpah leading the pursuers shouts "Let him go......they'll never believe him".

There are also some lovely moments of pure film noir! Ellsworth Frederick's monochrome camera makes ingenious use of light and shadow, up and down narrow office corridors, McCarthy and Wynter hiding from the police in an office closet and particularly brilliant is the clip when the pair are silhouetted against the dimly lit wet streets and alleyways at night as they race hand in hand to escape their incredible nightmare. And holding the whole thing together is the splendid score - if perhaps a tad over emphatic - from composer conductor Carmen Dragon.

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS is not only a superb Sci-Fi adventure but more significantly it is an imaginative, intense and suspenseful thriller of a motion picture. The brilliance with which it steadfastly maintains to this day.

Man in the Shadow (I) (1957)

Fair Enough Thriller.

[5/10 · 20 September 2011]

Universal International's MAN IN THE SHADOW is a modestly entertaining thriller! Produced in 1957 by Albert Zugsmith it was adequately written for the screen by Gene L. Coon and was crisply photographed in black & white Cinemascope by Arthur E. Arling. Also known as "Pay The Devil" it was directed in a fine workmanlike fashion by the king of the B movies Jack Arnold. Now the picture has just recently been released on DVD in a splendid and sparkling widescreen transfer which in itself is something of a surprise since the movie isn't that well known or that well appreciated. But one could suspect that the reason for its DVD appearance is the presence in the cast of the great Orson Welles who takes second billing to the picture's star Jeff Chandler. Welles' part in the movie isn't very distinguished. In fact it isn't distinguished at all and could have been played by any one of a dozen Hollywood character actors such as Charles Bickford, Robert Middleton, George MacReady etc. One could further suspect that Welles took up the assignment simply to woo Universal so they would back him the following year when it came to producing his masterpiece "Touch Of Evil". Whatever the reason the great actor here just chews up every bit of scenery there is and acts the socks off everyone around him.

Spurline is a quiet little modern cow town in the south west were nothing really very much happens until one day the local sheriff Ben Sadler (Jeff Chandler) gets a complaint from an old Mexican farm hand (Martin Carralaga) that his young friend and co-worker, at The Golden Empire ranch where they both work, has been beaten to death by two of the ranch foremen (John Larch and Leo Gordan). The Golden Empire is a ranch of gargantuan proportions - "Why sheriff there are some countries in Europe not as big as this ranch" stoutly declares its owner the powerful Virgil Renchler (Orson Welles) who doesn't take too kindly to Sadler when he comes to see him about the young farm hand's death. He threatens and intimidates him and not only that but the town council also want Sadler to cease his investigation so as not to compromise Renchler's investments in the town. But Sadler is not for turning and continues to probe resulting in two attempts on his life. The picture ends when after been dragged through the streets of Spurline on the end of a rope a badly beaten Ben Sadler arms himself and with no one to help him goes to The Golden Empire to arrest Renchler and his cohorts. But Renchler's men overpower him and just as they make plans to kill him the town's leading citizens, with changed hearts and minds, arrive to help their sheriff arrest Renchler and his men.

Of course the acting honours goes to Welles. As the all powerful and brash land baron he just runs away with the movie whenever he's in it. Regrettably though Jeff Chandler is as wooden as ever complete with irritating facial expressions, that camera conscious manner and that affected gait when he walks. But there is some nice playing from a good supporting cast like Martin Carralaga as the old bracero, Paul Fix and William Schallert as members of the town council, John Larch and Leo Gordan as the killers, the attractive Coleen Miller as Renchler's daughter and there's a fine cameo from James Gleason as a guest of the county who sleeps it off every night in Sadler's jail cell. Also of note is the splendid score contributed by Hans Salter and Herman Stein both of whom shamefully go uncredited as was the norm for a Universal picture of the period.

MAN IN THE SHADOW is by no means a great movie but it's a handsomely mounted black & white Cinemascope offering which flows quite comfortably with Arnold keeping a tight rein on the proceedings. So to sum up there are worse ways one could spend 83 minutes.

Out of the Past (1947)

Is This NotThe Best Noir?

[9/10 · 4 September 2011]

There was Siodmax' "The Killers" in 1946! There was Huston's "The Asphalt Jungle" in 1950 and in between was RKO's OUT OF THE PAST in 1947. Together these three films represent the very best film noirs that ever was to come out of Hollywood or ever would again. Of the three however OUT OF THE PAST arguably stands a toe in front of the others as the all time favourite. Why is this? Perhaps it's because of its meatier narrative and story line with its palpable unrelenting dramatic thrust together with its extraordinary camera setups and its remarkable use of light and shadow or perhaps because of its faultless screenplay matched in interpretation by inspired casting. No matter what the reason OUT OF THE PAST simply manages to stand out as the most sublime and mesmerizing thriller ever made. Produced for RKO by Warren Duff it was splendidly written for the screen by Geoffrey Holmes which derived from his novel "Build My Gallows High" (the picture's title in England). Stunningly photographed in Black & White by Nicholas Musuraca it was arrestingly scored by Roy Webb (The best thing he ever did) and the picture was directed with a positive flair by Jacques Tourneur.

Jeff Markham, alias Jeff Bailey, (Robert Mitchum) a man with a past ekes out a living running a filling station outside Bakersfield. One day out of the blue - and out of Jeff's past - arrives Joe Stafanos (Paul Valentine) the strong-arm henchman of shady businessman Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas). He's here with a message for Jeff that Whit wants to see him again. Some time ago Jeff was a private eye and Whit had engaged him to go to Mexico and hunt down his girlfriend Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) who had absconded with $40,000. In flashback we see Jeff finding her but unwittingly the vulnerable Jeff falls in love with her and they go on the run together. But not for long, Whit sends Jeff's estranged detective partner Jack Fisher (Steve Brodie) to find them both but when he does Kathie shoots and kills him and disappears leaving Jeff to return to the states alone. He gives up the detective business and buries himself in Bakersfield running a gas station. Now Whit has located him and wants to see him. But it's only a ruse to have Jeff framed for Fisher's murder in retaliation for his disloyalty. Jeff goes anyhow to meet Whit at his mansion on Lake Tahoe and is astonished to find Kathie there ("Kathie's back in the fold again" declares a weaselly Whit). Later Kathie gets Stafanos to kill Jeff who fails in the attempt. Then she double crosses Whit and kills him. And the picture ends with Kathie making up to Jeff and wanting him to go away with her and start over again where they had left off in Mexico. Jeff pretends to agree but unbeknown to her he calls the police who set up a roadblock in which tragically they both perish. Jeff Bailey had finally gotten even with the woman who had lied, cheated, murdered and double crossed just about everyone for her own devious ends but in doing so he paid the ultimate price.

Performances are superb throughout. Here the dozy eyed Mitchum - in his first starring role - solidifies his playing of the private eye. But he also shows he could cut a wholly acceptable romantic lead helped along by his mellifluous and soft voiced atmospheric narration. One scene in particular is very effective where he is waiting for her on the beach at night and when she arrives Mitchum's voice is heard gently on the soundtrack ...."Then she'd come along.....just like school was out and everything else was just a stone by the sea". The wonderful Jane Greer is the quintessential femme fatale. Her gentle saintly beauty belying her treacherous, underhanded and calculating evil. And a young Kirk Douglas - here just feeling his way in movies - is fine as the courtly but odious villain. Adding greatly to the whole thing is the marvellous score by RKO resident composer Roy Webb which features a memorable and lingering main cue that becomes a tender love theme for the love scenes and is transformed into an exciting big band jazz number for the black nightclub sequence.

OUT OF THE PAST is the archetypal film noir! An outstanding document of what Hollywood could achieve in their golden past. Unfortunately they now seem to have taken a wrong turn off that road that so often led to greatness.

Classic Mitchum adage from OUT OF THE PAST............... "If anyone's gonna to die baby......I'm gonna die last".

North West Frontier (1959)

A Jolly Good Show

[7/10 · 16 August 2011]

J. Arthur Rank's NORTH WEST FRONTIER is a classy British adventure yarn that can stand proudly beside the best efforts that Hollywood could offer. Also known as "Flame Over India" it was produced in 1959 by Marcel Heilman for the Rank organization and was directed with great gusto by the underrated J. Lee Thomson. No expense was spared on this colourful production. Filmed on actual Indian locations it was photographed in Cinemascope and glowing colour by the late great Geoffrey Unsworth and was adapted from a screenplay by Frank Nugent by Robin Estridge which derived from a story by Patrick Ford. Curiously there is a marked similarity with the narrative of NORTH WEST FRONTIER to that of John Ford's classic 1939 western "Stagecoach".Since Patrick Ford was the son of the great director that similarity is hardly surprising. Both stories concern an assorted group of travellers trying to safely reach their respective destinations and running the gauntlet of attacks by hordes of fierce horsemen intent on stopping them. With mostly British players the cast in NORTH WEST FRONTIER had an international mix led by Kenneth More. From Hollywood there's Lauren Bacall, from India I.S. Johar and the rest of the personnel was fleshed out with the cream of British character actors such as the brilliant Herbert Lom as a shady newspaperman, the delightfully fussy Wilfrid Hyde White as a diplomat, Ian Hunter as the British Governor, the lovely Ursula Jeans as the Governor's wife and Eugene Deckers as an arms dealer who detests firearms ("I've never had one of those things in my hands in my life").

It is 1905 and the feud is raging in India's Northwest territories between Moslims and Hindus and their British masters. Six year old Hindu Prince Kishen's life is in grave danger. As heir to the Hindu throne the Moslims must annihilate him at all costs and it falls to the British to protect the little prince. After rescuing him from the palace British Captain Scott (Kenneth More) must now secretly sneak the boy, his governess (Lauren Bacall) plus a motley collection of escapees out of the British Embassy at Hasarbad and make a dash by train to Kolapur three hundred miles away in Delhi. Almost from the moment they begin their journey under the cover of darkness the action never lets up. From then on there are well executed action scenes throughout the picture particularly exciting is the siege of the British compound by Moslim forces with hundreds storming the ramparts. Such scenes are as good if not better than anything Hollywood could conjure up.

Performances are excellent from all concerned. Kenneth More - always an appealing actor - gives another personable portrayal just like he did playing legless pilot Douglas Bader in "Reach Fot Sky" three years earlier. Lauren Bacall though seems a little out of place in a British movie but was obviously cast to give some appeal to the American market (She has top billing on the American prints and the publicity). But the standout performance comes from the great Herbert Lom whose real name - you wont believe - happens to be ......wait for it... Herbert Angelo Kuchacevich Ze Schluderpacherm. Ouch! How about that? Thankfully his name in the picture is simply Van Layden. Also of interest is the splendid music score by Russian composer Mischa Spoliansky which boasts some great action cues, a nice love theme for the pictures softer moments and to point up the British presence in India good use is made of the rousing "Eton Boating Song" which is interpolated into the score and in one scene is vocalized by Mr. More.

NORTH WEST FRONTIER is the quintessential British adventure story. Its high production values puts it that bit above others of the genre. It's hard to go wrong when you have a well told story well directed beautifully photographed and well played out by a good cast.

Yes indeed NORTH WEST FRONTIER is a jolly good show!

Ambush (1950)

A Vanished Western Rekindled.

[6/10 · 26 July 2011]

MGM's "Ambush" - a forgotten above average fifties western - has finally turned up thanks to the Warner Bros. Archive label with their release of the picture in a fine DVD transfer that should now set it on the road to some sort of rediscovery. Produced for Metro in 1950 by Armand Deutsch it was directed with a modicum of flair by Sam Wood who himself was something of a stranger when it came to directing westerns. Forgetting his best forgotten 1940 B picture "Rangers Of Fortune" AMBUSH really would be the estimable director's first and, as it turned out, only venture into the genre. From a story by Luke Short it was nicely written for the screen by Marguerite Roberts and was superbly shot in Gallup, New Mexico in black & white by Harold Lipstein. And complimenting the film throughout is a rich score - featuring a spirited cavalry march - by Austrian composer Rudolph Kopp. AMBUSH also was the first "real" western the picture's star Robert Taylor would appear in, if you discount the lamentable and dull "Billy The Kid" which he ill-advisedly did in 1941. AMBUSH would now put the actor on the trail, so to speak, to make something of himself in westerns with the excellent "Devil's Doorway(1950), "Westward The Women" (1951), "Ride Vaquero" (1953) and "The Law & Jake Wade" (1958).

Mescalero Apache leader Diablito (Charles Stephens) is on the warpath. He is raiding and killing whites all along the border. He also captures and enslaves white women. One such woman is Mary Carlyle (Marta Mitrovich) and it falls to the U.S. cavalry at the Fort Gambel outpost to rescue her. With the help of army scout Ward Kinsman (Robert Taylor) officer in charge Capt. Ben Lorrisonn (John Hodiak) leads a large contingent of troops into the hills to engage with and wipe out Diablito once and for all and retrieve the woman. But things don't go too well with internal bickering and disputes between the strait-laced and uncompromising Captain and Kinsman and between the Captain and the young Lt. Linus Delaney (Don Taylor) who is having an affair with an enlisted man's wife (Jean Hagan) back at the fort. They eventually encounter the Apaches and after Kinsman stampedes their horses and they are trapped in a canyon a fierce struggle ensues. Finally with most of the Apaches and troops wiped out (including Lorrison and Diablito) Kinsman does manage to rescue the woman.

It is almost inconceivable that a western with the leading actor who was once named Spangler Arlington Brugh could for a moment be taken seriously. It must surely be a comedy you would ascertain. But you would be quite mistaken for this indeed was Robert Taylor's real name before he changed it and a blessing it is too that he did so. Watching him here in AMBUSH you would find it difficult to associate him with such a name since he turns in an excellent robust performance as the rough and tough army scout. Excellent too is the ill-fated John Hodiak, the likable Don Taylor and Charles Stephens as the fearsome Apache leader in a role he would play many times in westerns of the period. Interestingly Stephens in real life was the grandson of the famous Apache leader Geronimo.

AMBUSH is a neat little western that is well paced well written well played and well directed by Sam Wood who unfortunately never lived to see the release of his finished movie. He died of heart failure soon after the film wrapped.

Footnote: Sharp eyed western fans will notice Fort Gambel as the one and the same location as that for Fort Bravo in "Escape From Fort Bravo" three years later. Both were filmed at the Ray Corrigan Ranch in Simi Valley, California. Also in "Fort Bravo" Charles Stephens had a minor part as an Apache army scout.

Devil's Doorway (1950)

An Unappreciated Classic!

[8/10 · 6 July 2011]

A dark grim yet gritty movie is probably the best way to describe this fairly forgotten and under appreciated jewel of a western. Produced by Nicholas Nayfack for MGM in 1950 the picture - just like "Winchester 73" and "The Gunfighter" made the same year - marked the coming of age of the American western. DEVIL'S DOORWAY was the first movie which undertook to depict - in graphic terms - the plight of the native American in the west of the 1860s. It was also the first western to be directed by Anthony Mann who alongside John Ford would become the genre's most iconic director with his masterpiece "Winchester 73" and thereafter with his fruitful working relationship with actor James Stewart that would produce some of the finest westerns ever made like "Bend Of The River", "The Far Country" and the brilliant "Naked Spur". Nicely written for the screen by Guy Trosperm DEVIL'S DOORWAY was stunningly photographed in glorious Black & White in Aspen, Colorado by John Alton and was complimented with a splendid atmospheric score - featuring an exciting Indian motif - by Russian composer Daniele Amfitheathrof.

With the Congressional Medal of Honour pinned to his Union tunic distinguished Shoshone Indian Sergeant Major Lance Poole (Robert Taylor) returns home from the war between the States to his people in his beautiful valley of Sweet Meadow. He is greeted by his aged and ailing father (Fritz Leiber) ("You are home - you are again an Indian"). But prejudice against the tribe is beginning to take hold in the nearby town instigated and then exacerbated by a shady Indian hating lawyer Verne Coolin (Louis Calhern). Things really come to a head when sheep-men arrive and need to graze their herds on Sweet Meadow but Lance will not allow it and orders them off his property ("This is my land and you're trespassing"). However they are encouraged by Coolin to take the land since the Homestead Act of the period states that it is forbidden for an Indian to own any land. An enraged Lance takes up arms and leads his people against the interlopers (a well executed battle scene). Finally with many deaths on each side the army are sent for to quell the fighting which leads to a tragic finale. Lance settles his score with Coolin before the final shootout with the army which sees him and his braves being killed, his village destroyed and the tribe - what's left of them - being escorted to the reservation.

DEVIL'S DOORWAY is a superb western and deserves to be rediscovered. With Mann's earlier noir successes "T Men" (1947) and "Raw Deal" ('48) DEVIL'S DOORWAY contains wonderful noirish moments of outstanding quality such as in the bruising fist fight sequence in the Saloon between Taylor and gunman James Milican with its low angle camera and arresting use of light and shadow and again later for scenes inside the dimly lit Indian shacks. The acting throughout is splendid all round. Taylor arguably gives the performance of his long career in an unusual bit of casting. Eschewing his handsome MGM glamour-boy image (he was Gable's chief rival at the studio) he turns in a powerful and striking portrayal of great depth and substance. His performance as a man who sees his beloved valley being ripped out from under him and his people is heartfelt and sincere. Excellent too is Louis Calhern as the antagonistic racist lawyer. His part not being very far removed from his brilliant shady lawyer in the studio's "Asphalt Jungle" the same year.

So here is a powerfully evocative and accomplished movie that was strikingly bold for its time and today remains compelling in its stark presentation. Directed by a man who was on the verge of western movie greatness DEVIL'S DOORWAY is a movie that shouldn't be missed by anyone who cares about the American western. It is a movie that with some reassessment and a little more exposure could easily become one of Hollywood's greatest achievements and perhaps even Mann's real masterpiece. A movie that makes the final and prophetic line in the picture that bit more fitting..........

"IT WOULD BE TOO BAD IF WE SHOULD EVER FORGET".