One of my favorite westerns, dominated by the complicated relationships between Kirk Douglas, in his first western, crusty old Walter Brennan, as an accused cattle rustler and murder, and Brennan's wildcat, sharpshooting, daughter Ann, played by beautiful Virginia Mayo, in her tomboy mode, with close-cropped hair. However, as with so many westerns, the title seems to make no sense in the context of the screenplay. The latter plays much like several later Randolph Scott westerns of the '50s and '60s, with a small group of men and one beautiful woman forming an ad hoc group, on a sojourn to some rather distant destination. Within this group, there are either overt(as in the present film) or covert strong antagonisms, which provide the potential for shifting alliances and murder. In addition, there is an external danger or two. In the present film, there are two. A gang headed by cattle baron Ned Roden, having been thwarted by US Marshall Merrick(Douglas) and his 2 deputies in lynching Brennan, follows this group, intent on killing Brennan, as the presumed murderer of Ned's favorite son. Merrick is just as intent in insuring that they don't kill Brennan: that he will get a fair jury trial at the distant Texan town of Santa Loma. Both Brennan and Ann are grateful that Merrick saved Brennan from a lynching, but assume that a jury will still convict him of murder, based on circumstantial evidence, since there apparently were no witnesses to the murder. Hence, throughout the journey, they try to convince Merrick that Brennan is innocent, hence should be let go, to hopefully make it to the Mexican border before Roden gets him.
The second external danger is the desert Merrick chose to cross to get to Santa Loma. Unfortunately, during a gun battle with Roden's bunch, their horse with all their water was spooked and ran off. Thus, they are banking on a small water hole that Brennan claims exists. When this is found, when all are nearly dead from heat exhaustion and dehydration, they discover it's been poisoned(salt?), judging from the taste. They blame Roden, who has ridden ahead to be at the trial. To add insult to injury, a sandstorm shows up and their remaining horses run off, presumably looking for water. This part of the film is reminiscent of the trek by Wayne and companions across a waterless desert, in the prior "3 Godfathers". In that story, their water supply was also lost due to pursuit.
Can they somehow hold out until they reach the spring at Santa Loma? Their desperate situation heightens the antagonisms within the group, which now includes Roden's surviving son, Dan, who was captured during the battle with Roden's bunch. Dan is also being taken by Merrick to Santa Loma for the murder of his deputy Billy during that gun battle. Dan tries to work out a deal with surviving deputy Gray or an alliance with Brennan, when the survival of any looks bleak. A crisis occurs when grossly sleep-deprived Merrick is temporarily knocked out when his horse falls. There's a scramble for firearms and the various members have to quickly decide who, if anyone, to shoot. Merrick's surviving deputy turns out to be the unexpected victim of this crisis.
Well, the rest of the bunch somehow survive to reach Santa Loma, and a trial for Brennan is held immediately. I will not divulge the details of the complex suspenseful finale, except to say that, for the second time, Merrick removes a hangman's noose from Brennan's neck. Also, the simmering love/hate relationship between Merrick and Ann is resolved for the better.
So, why did Brennan steal a few cows from his neighbor, instigating all this trouble? This is never explored. However, while the group is resting up at his home, before the long journey, we learn that there has been bad blood between them and the Rodens ever since they showed up, a few years ago: they being homesteaders, instead of ranchers. The Rodens burned their crops the last 2 years. Hence they are very poor and probably hungry. ..At Brennan's trial, the matter of his rustling is forgotten, in favor of the charge of murder.. Roden did say that he wasn't that concerned about loosing a few cows.
John Agar: Shirley Temple's recently divorced husband, plays Deputy Billy. Ray Teal, who plays the older Deputy Gray, is a familiar-looking character actor, as is Norris Ankrum, who plays Ed Roden.
There isn't a lot of humor. That's OK. The complicated drama and personas of the 3 leads is enough to carry the film.
Merrick's extreme sense of duty is a primer for Burt Lancaster's equally persistent and costly pursuit of murder suspects, in "Lawman", released 20 years later. Merrick's unpopular decisions on the route to take, at two points, reminds us of "Red River".
The shootout between the Rodens and Merrick bunch was shot in the unique Alabama hills, at the foot of the High Sierras: perfect terrain for a hide and seek confrontation. The desert scenes were shot in the Mojave Desert.
Brennan accidentally discovers that singing "Down in the Valley", during the trip, causes notable anxiety in Merrick. It's somehow related to the lynching death of his father, who used to be Marshall here. Brennan hopes this will induce Merrick to release him.
Shot in B&W: probably a better choice than color, given the bleak nature of the terrains.
The second external danger is the desert Merrick chose to cross to get to Santa Loma. Unfortunately, during a gun battle with Roden's bunch, their horse with all their water was spooked and ran off. Thus, they are banking on a small water hole that Brennan claims exists. When this is found, when all are nearly dead from heat exhaustion and dehydration, they discover it's been poisoned(salt?), judging from the taste. They blame Roden, who has ridden ahead to be at the trial. To add insult to injury, a sandstorm shows up and their remaining horses run off, presumably looking for water. This part of the film is reminiscent of the trek by Wayne and companions across a waterless desert, in the prior "3 Godfathers". In that story, their water supply was also lost due to pursuit.
Can they somehow hold out until they reach the spring at Santa Loma? Their desperate situation heightens the antagonisms within the group, which now includes Roden's surviving son, Dan, who was captured during the battle with Roden's bunch. Dan is also being taken by Merrick to Santa Loma for the murder of his deputy Billy during that gun battle. Dan tries to work out a deal with surviving deputy Gray or an alliance with Brennan, when the survival of any looks bleak. A crisis occurs when grossly sleep-deprived Merrick is temporarily knocked out when his horse falls. There's a scramble for firearms and the various members have to quickly decide who, if anyone, to shoot. Merrick's surviving deputy turns out to be the unexpected victim of this crisis.
Well, the rest of the bunch somehow survive to reach Santa Loma, and a trial for Brennan is held immediately. I will not divulge the details of the complex suspenseful finale, except to say that, for the second time, Merrick removes a hangman's noose from Brennan's neck. Also, the simmering love/hate relationship between Merrick and Ann is resolved for the better.
So, why did Brennan steal a few cows from his neighbor, instigating all this trouble? This is never explored. However, while the group is resting up at his home, before the long journey, we learn that there has been bad blood between them and the Rodens ever since they showed up, a few years ago: they being homesteaders, instead of ranchers. The Rodens burned their crops the last 2 years. Hence they are very poor and probably hungry. ..At Brennan's trial, the matter of his rustling is forgotten, in favor of the charge of murder.. Roden did say that he wasn't that concerned about loosing a few cows.
John Agar: Shirley Temple's recently divorced husband, plays Deputy Billy. Ray Teal, who plays the older Deputy Gray, is a familiar-looking character actor, as is Norris Ankrum, who plays Ed Roden.
There isn't a lot of humor. That's OK. The complicated drama and personas of the 3 leads is enough to carry the film.
Merrick's extreme sense of duty is a primer for Burt Lancaster's equally persistent and costly pursuit of murder suspects, in "Lawman", released 20 years later. Merrick's unpopular decisions on the route to take, at two points, reminds us of "Red River".
The shootout between the Rodens and Merrick bunch was shot in the unique Alabama hills, at the foot of the High Sierras: perfect terrain for a hide and seek confrontation. The desert scenes were shot in the Mojave Desert.
Brennan accidentally discovers that singing "Down in the Valley", during the trip, causes notable anxiety in Merrick. It's somehow related to the lynching death of his father, who used to be Marshall here. Brennan hopes this will induce Merrick to release him.
Shot in B&W: probably a better choice than color, given the bleak nature of the terrains.