Runtime: 78 minutes
Directed by: Budd Boetticher
Starring: Randolph Scott, Richard Boone, Maureen O'Sullivan, Skip Homeier, Henry Silva
From: Columbia
Or: The Criterion Channel continues to curate to my tastes.
The past few months that channel has been killing it when it comes to adding some movies that I've either seen and wish more people would check out (Son of the White Mare and Nayakan are two examples), are the sort of thing I'd like to visit or revisit (Manhunter) or in this case, put up a series of cult favorites that I've seen part of and will watch at least a few more. In some cult circles, the Ranown Cycle is beloved; they are seven Westerns starring Randolph Scott that typically were written by Burt Kennedy and directed by Budd Boetticher. Seven Men From Now and Ride Lonesome I can attest are well worth seeing... so is The Tall T.
This was adapted from a story written by none other than Elmore Leonard; his influence could be felt. The plot was more complicated than just a tale of honorable stoic man Pat Brennan unwittingly becoming one of three kidnapped people. He ends up on a stagecoach which has a heiress and her new (slimeball) husband; suddenly a trio of bandits stop them and hubby actually reveals his father-in-law is filthy rich in an attempt to save his own skin. Lead bad guy Frank Usher (Richard Boone) was just one of the characters who had complex motivations-in this case he was not a brute like his two lackeys, one of whom was Henry Silva in an early film role playing a character named... well, I can't give the name as it can also be used as a racial slur! At times it was awkward hearing that word being yelled often.
It was fascinating watching those characters interact with each other, seeing heiress Maureen O'Sullivan (a meek Plain Jane) grow as a person, Usher vs. his two followers, and Frank keeping Pat around just because he has someone worthwhile to talk to. As the story was from Leonard, it was not a shock to me that this has dialogue which cracks like a whip along with some brutal moments. This was an easy 78 minute watch and whether or not you've seen anything else in the Ranown Cycle, I believe this is well worth a shot for the Western fans.
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