This should have been a much better western than it is. Bruce Dern turns in another great performance as a nasty bad guy, Jack Strawhorn, being pursued by Marshall Howard Nightingale, who plans to use his capture as a route to political office. It features good actors as Nightingale's posse and has some terrific gun play, a burning train and attractive if underused women.
The big problem for me was Kirk Douglas. Ever a interesting actor, Douglas fails to make Nightinggale so corrupt or devious that I really pulled for Strawhorn. Instead, he comes off more as a very competent lawman doing his job in bringing in a train robber, who just HAPPENS to want to go for political office rather than a dishonest man and incompetent lawman who will do anything to get higher office. If Douglas' character would be more bad as its root, the film would have worked much better. Instead, he comes off as merely ambitious. Too bad. There's a lot to be recommended in this western and the twist ending is quite good. I just wish it had been set up better with Douglas' character.
The big problem for me was Kirk Douglas. Ever a interesting actor, Douglas fails to make Nightinggale so corrupt or devious that I really pulled for Strawhorn. Instead, he comes off more as a very competent lawman doing his job in bringing in a train robber, who just HAPPENS to want to go for political office rather than a dishonest man and incompetent lawman who will do anything to get higher office. If Douglas' character would be more bad as its root, the film would have worked much better. Instead, he comes off as merely ambitious. Too bad. There's a lot to be recommended in this western and the twist ending is quite good. I just wish it had been set up better with Douglas' character.