Drei Rivalen

Salty, surly star-driven western about a cattle drive from Texas to Montana. Would-be rancher Clark Gable vies for the hand of wisecrackin' Jane Russell with banker Robert Ryan, but Jane's lookin' for a tall man and plenty of rainbows! Good-looking if rather unexceptional time-passer from director Raoul Walsh. Screenwriters Frank Nugent and Sidney Boehm, working from the novel by Heck Allen (using the pen-name Clay Fisher), smoothly intermingle Indian clashes and Mexican stand-offs with jovial exchanges between the characters (also Russell singin' in the washtub). Enjoyable of its type, with attractive cinematography by Leo Tover and another solid performance from Gable. **1/2 from ****

...that's enough for me.That's what Jane Russel sings ,and this ditty comes back as a leitmotiv ,along with another one,a rather saucy song about her peaches ,and the tree the man who wants them has to climb up to.Russell has a big dream,and Gable a small one,there's the rub;wealthy Ryan can provide Russell with the luxury and easy life she longs for :in a long conversation with Gable,Russel tells him about her childhood,and her mother who died in the harness ,and however "daddy used to love her as much as it could be".The movie is nothing but an initiatory journey for Russel,who plays the only character whose psychology will mutate along the way.

This is a classic western,which recalls "red river" , a bit overlong because an action-packed story this is definitely not.The cinematography is splendid ,and enhances marvelous landscapes with a good use of scope ,but the movie lacks madness of earlier Walsh works such as "Colorado territory" or "pursued" or even later extravaganzas such as "band of angels".

and I liked this movie quite a bit. Jane Russel was great--she definitely was the reason I stayed on AMC while I was flipping through the channels on my TV set. This didn't strike me as the typical western--there were very few shoot outs and more character development and beautiful scenery than I had expected. The three major characters were well fleshed out and interesting, although the more minor ones were often one-dimensional and sometimes hackneyed. Jane Russel's character was a strong-spoken woman who at times is a bit putting off because of her appearance as a gold digger, but this simply adds to the multiple dimensions of her character. Although she may not be consistently likable, she is sympathetic nonetheless, and makes the movie worth watching. I do recommend this movie--perhaps not to fans of westerns, but to anyone who likes old fashioned love stories with interesting and believable characters.

The tall men in question are Clark Gable, Robert Ryan and Cameron Mitchell heading a cattle drive to Montana through some of the most spectacular scenery in any western and Jane Russell is the woman along for the ride in Raoul Walsh's handsome, large-scale and decidedly old-fashioned movie. There isn't a great deal of plot and the tensions between the central characters are never fully developed but it's well-played and director Walsh handles the action sequences with aplomb. Sad to think, though, that within five years Gable would be dead and a new breed of darker, more intense psychological westerns would have replaced Boys Own Adventure movies like this one. It was among the last of its kind.

Two brothers , old members of the guerrilla or irregular military forces called Bushwhakers from Quantrell, Anderson leaders and being recently discharged from Confederate Army lead a cattle drive from Texas to Montana . The brave brothers -played by Clark Gable and Cameron Mitchell- along with the boss Robert Ryan heading for Texas and they save the besieged Nella: Jane Russell from the Indians and she , then, decides ro ride with them . Across the rough territory they confront Jayhawkers , Indians Sioux commanded by Chief Red Cloud , savage stampede , angry rustlers , wild rivers , bad weather with snowy storms , assaults with the aim of attrition and many other things .The Tall Men stood tall...fought tall...loved tall...and one man towered above them all!. They don't come any bigger!

Nice western with plenty of action , attacks , stampedes , rich dialogue , a triangular romance and with a real feel for the wide open spaces of the west . An enjoyable picture as big and impressive and exciting as the Mighty West . It has spectacular scenes , breathtaking outdoors scenarios , and moving set pieces as the stampeding a herd of cattle . It stars three great stars giving meaty roles : Clark Gable , Robert Ryan and Jane Russell . This trio furnished decent interpretation . However , the three veteran stars were all considered too old for their peculiar roles ; furthermore , the great John Wayne withdrew and Charlton Heston was deemed for the main role but he turned it down . Features two frontier hands : Gable and Cameron Mitchell , along with a tough boss , Robert Ryan , on rough cattle drive . Along the way confronting Indian Sioux , cutthroats , and the wilderness while vying with each other for the love Russell . And fine support cast with notorious secondaries as Emile Meyer, Harry Shannon, Robert Adler , Juan Garcia and others uncredited as Mae Marsh , Chuck Roberson and Russell Simpson .

It displays a brilliant and rousing cinematography in Cinemascope, color De Luxe by cameraman Leo Tover . And an emotive and thrilling musical score by maestro composer Dimitri Tiomkin , including a sensitive leitmotif .The motion picture was well directed by Raoul Walsh who delivers an extreme feeling for the wide open spaces of the Far West for which this veteran filmmaker must take most of the credit .Walsh directed masterfully all kinds of genres and he made good westerns such as : ¨They died with their boots on¨, ¨Distant drums¨ , ¨Pursued¨ , ¨Gun fury¨, ¨Lawless breed¨, ¨Band of Angels¨ and ¨The king and four queens¨ also with Clark Gable . Rating : 6.5/10 . Charming and decently made Western . Better than average . Worthwhile watching . Essential and indispendable seeing for Clark Gable and Jane Russell fans .