Directed by:
Allan DwanScreenplay:
Karen DeWolfCinematography:
John AltonCast:
John Payne, Lizabeth Scott, Dan Duryea, Harry Carey Jr., John Hudson, Alan Hale Jr., Stuart Whitman, Hugh Sanders, Dolores Moran, Gene Roth, Lane Chandler (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
Allan Dwan's anti-McCarthy parable, set in the Old West, stars John Payne as Dan Ballard, a man falsely accused of murder. On the day of his marriage to Lizabeth Scott (Rose Evans), Ned McCarthy (sic) (Dan Duryea)rides into town claiming to be a U.S. Marshall, accompanied by three unsavory looking 'deputies', to arrest Ballard for the murder of McCarthy's brother. Ballard's friends spring to his defense, but he refuses to allow violence. He realizes that McCarthy is a fake, but explains that he shot the man in self-defense, and asks for two hours to clear himself, and Duryea agrees. When Ballard goes to the telegraph office to check on Duryea, he finds that the wires have been cut. He then learns, from Johnson (Harry Carey Jr.), one of Duyea's men, that he's no marshall, and in fact, is wanted for murder. When Ballard returns to town, he finds that McCarthy has won over a few locals who already disliked him, due to the success of his ranch. Local sherrif (Emile Meyer) comes to Ballard's aid, but is killed by McCarthy. Standard western, lifted somewhat by camerawork of the gifted John Alton. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (1)
An excellent western that beautifully illustrates how real politics (McCarthy-era fear of communists) can be transposed into the western genre, functioning as a critique of society yet standing alone without needing background knowledge. It’s certainly one of the few underappreciated westerns that tell a great story, unfolding in real-time, and showcasing human folly and prejudices beautifully.
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