Excellent Western which is uncharacteristic in its distinctly unglamorous viewpoint but elegiac in tone. Gries' own character-driven script is first-rate, and the entire cast - stalwarts in the genre and novices alike - responds with beautifully-judged performances; particularly effective is Donald Pleasence as the bible-thumping villain, with his no-good family in tow (perhaps inspired by the equally disreputable Clanton Gang from John Ford's MY DARLING CLEMENTINE [1946]). In addition, Lucien Ballard's cinematography and David Raksin's score complement the film nicely.
Charlton Heston was at perhaps the most satisfying phase of his acting career: other films of the period include THE WAR LORD (1965), KHARTOUM (1966), COUNTERPOINT (1967) and PLANET OF THE APES (1968); he made a number of Westerns, but three in particular stand out from the lot - William Wyler's THE BIG COUNTRY (1958), Sam Peckinpah's MAJOR DUNDEE (1965) and this one. Incidentally, the relationship depicted here between a cowboy and a lonely woman living with her young son (who comes to idolize him) was also at the centre of two other fine Westerns I've just watched - HONDO (1953) and THE TIN STAR (1957)!
Unfortunately, Gries died at a relatively young age; this was his most substantial feature film, though he later collaborated twice more with Heston on NUMBER ONE (1969) and THE HAWAIIANS (1970).
Charlton Heston was at perhaps the most satisfying phase of his acting career: other films of the period include THE WAR LORD (1965), KHARTOUM (1966), COUNTERPOINT (1967) and PLANET OF THE APES (1968); he made a number of Westerns, but three in particular stand out from the lot - William Wyler's THE BIG COUNTRY (1958), Sam Peckinpah's MAJOR DUNDEE (1965) and this one. Incidentally, the relationship depicted here between a cowboy and a lonely woman living with her young son (who comes to idolize him) was also at the centre of two other fine Westerns I've just watched - HONDO (1953) and THE TIN STAR (1957)!
Unfortunately, Gries died at a relatively young age; this was his most substantial feature film, though he later collaborated twice more with Heston on NUMBER ONE (1969) and THE HAWAIIANS (1970).