Associate producer: Randolph Scott. Producer: Harry Joe Brown. A Scott-Brown Production. Copyright 1955 by Producers-Actors Corporation. Released through Columbia Pictures Corp. No New York opening. U.S. release: 15 December 1955. U.K. release: 13 February 1956. Australian release: 27 July 1956. Sydney opening at the Victory. 78 minutes.
COMMENT: After a slow start, the plot settles down okay, working in sufficient action for the fans. The dialogue on the other hand remains stubbornly clichéd and pretentious, as well as more than a little verbose. Director Joseph H. Lewis does what he can with it, filming in long takes to get it over with as fast as possible, and even having the actors often turn their backs on it literally to the camera.
Typically, Lewis stages the action spots most vigorously, though a stand-in is obviously doing duty for Randy in his big saloon brawl with Megowan (who slugs it out most effectively without benefit of any cover). Scott is believable, as usual, and receives pleasant to middling support. Pate makes a charmingly chilling villain, whilst Miss Lansbury, who is inclined to ham it up a trifle (well, she is playing an actress after all), at least has a song, which turns out to be one of the film's highlights. Superbly staged, choreographed and directed with the camera starting in on the tacky orchestra and then tracking back slowly through the whole auditorium, this visual delight is an excellent recreation in music and sound.
COMMENT: After a slow start, the plot settles down okay, working in sufficient action for the fans. The dialogue on the other hand remains stubbornly clichéd and pretentious, as well as more than a little verbose. Director Joseph H. Lewis does what he can with it, filming in long takes to get it over with as fast as possible, and even having the actors often turn their backs on it literally to the camera.
Typically, Lewis stages the action spots most vigorously, though a stand-in is obviously doing duty for Randy in his big saloon brawl with Megowan (who slugs it out most effectively without benefit of any cover). Scott is believable, as usual, and receives pleasant to middling support. Pate makes a charmingly chilling villain, whilst Miss Lansbury, who is inclined to ham it up a trifle (well, she is playing an actress after all), at least has a song, which turns out to be one of the film's highlights. Superbly staged, choreographed and directed with the camera starting in on the tacky orchestra and then tracking back slowly through the whole auditorium, this visual delight is an excellent recreation in music and sound.