The first 20-minutes had me panting for breath. It's non-stop action as Scott and his Confederate detachment waylay a Union gold shipment, and where else, but in the scenic Alabama Hills. Between the wagons rolling and all the shooting, there's enough action for an entire movie, even a western. After that 20-minutes, however, the action goes indoors in a waystation, where a gang of drifters have Scott and Co. trapped. There's still a lot of gunplay, but the focus now is on character and how people react to being thrown together in tight quarters.
All in all, it's a well-scripted western, as the gold takes on a certain amount of symbolism, becoming finally symbolic of Scott reconciling to the Civil War's end. It's a big cast of supporting players, generally well acted. But the real script triumph is inserting Jarman Jr. and Nolan as victims of the war on opposite sides. His family was killed by Sherman's march through Georgia, while her son was lost to the rebs. Jarman's youthfully innocent appearance is almost striking in contrast to all the rough-necks; at the same time, that fine actress Nolan is near mute, traumatized by her losses. That final scene between them and crusty old Clem Bevans is unusually poignant for a macho western.
Of course, Scott is Scott, rock solid throughout, while Marvin delivers his wild card with the kind of brutal clarity he was so good at. My only complaint is with the gunfight staging around the waystation. It's poorly done, especially when Scott rescues buddy Faylen from the hangman's knot. Director-scripter Huggins was an excellent idea man, but I can see why he directed only this one theatre feature. Anyway, it's a character-driven oater that should please the most demanding Scott fan.
(In passing—some shots of the burning roof plus the rain storm suggest the producers were considering a 3-D release. After all, 1953 was the big year for that short-lived process.)
All in all, it's a well-scripted western, as the gold takes on a certain amount of symbolism, becoming finally symbolic of Scott reconciling to the Civil War's end. It's a big cast of supporting players, generally well acted. But the real script triumph is inserting Jarman Jr. and Nolan as victims of the war on opposite sides. His family was killed by Sherman's march through Georgia, while her son was lost to the rebs. Jarman's youthfully innocent appearance is almost striking in contrast to all the rough-necks; at the same time, that fine actress Nolan is near mute, traumatized by her losses. That final scene between them and crusty old Clem Bevans is unusually poignant for a macho western.
Of course, Scott is Scott, rock solid throughout, while Marvin delivers his wild card with the kind of brutal clarity he was so good at. My only complaint is with the gunfight staging around the waystation. It's poorly done, especially when Scott rescues buddy Faylen from the hangman's knot. Director-scripter Huggins was an excellent idea man, but I can see why he directed only this one theatre feature. Anyway, it's a character-driven oater that should please the most demanding Scott fan.
(In passing—some shots of the burning roof plus the rain storm suggest the producers were considering a 3-D release. After all, 1953 was the big year for that short-lived process.)