The Showdown

I would have never thought that Walter Brennan would have played in a western - or any other movie - costarring Wild Bill Elliott. Very unlikely, but Marie Windsor's presence makes us forget this strange cast. The story, the scheme, is rather unusual for a western, because a mystery link is not what you expect to find out in such a film. And I say "Why not?" after all. This is not a brilliant movie, but worth the ride, made by a couple of directors whom I have never heard of before and who seem to have made some more films after this one, features destined to kids for Sunday matinees. Good stuff.

Wild Bill Elliott plays the mysterious loner out to solve the murder of his brother. The identity of his brother's killer was less mysterious to this viewer than to Wild Bill. It was fairly obvious before the film was half way over who did the dirty deed. But who cares when one is being treated to the acting of Wild Bill, Marie Windsor, and Walter Brennan. Elliot's serious, stoic stage presence was perfect for dark films like this. Too bad better directors failed to recognize his potential. Windsor and Brennan provide strong supporting characters.

Too bad budget-cutting Republic pictures spent all their money on the script and cast of this surprising little sleeper. It left them none for badly needed location shots, or failing that, at least to improve on some of the poorly done process shots. Note the number of times the horsemen stand statically in front of a backscreen projection instead of riding across a natural scene These cost-cutters count here, because otherwise this is an unnoticed little gem not usually expected from the likes of Saturday-matinée Republic. The script is excellent with a number of surprises, and holds interest throughout. The main cast (Elliot, Brennan, Windsor), along with supporting players (Morgan, Williams, Ching) are as good as could be expected from the major studios. Only Nacho Galindo's buffoonish comic-relief suggests Republic's usual fare. Actually, this is a noir Western produced at a time when film noir dominated many urban crime dramas. The atmosphere here, especially the stormy opening scene, reminds me of the fine Bob Mitchum Western, Blood on the Moon, which also made good use of brooding night-time sets. Then too, Elliot's revenge-obsessed "bad good-guy" strikingly anticipates Randolph Scott"s running character in Budd Boetticher's cult Westerns of the late 1950's. Anyway, this is a surprisingly good little drama, despite the shortcomings.

Like many of Republic's B Westerns of this period, this was shot on sound stages with back-projection and process-work standing in for the big blue yonder once so much a part of the western.

Nonetheless, like 'Hellfire' (1949), also scripted by the McGowans, this was a fitting end to Elliott's long stay with Republic. The interesting script has Elliott on the trail of the murderer of his brother and joining a wagon train knowing that one of the men is the guilty one. In an attempt to find out which one, he pushes men and cattle beyond their natural endurance. Brennan, cast against type as the quiet and friendly man who is finally gored to death, is the guilty one and Windsor is the saloon keeper who buys an interest in the herd and travels with it.

The direction is as eloquent as the screenplay and elliott plays his forceful role to the hilt.

Phil Hardy

This movie makes my top-ten list of greatest westerns. Great acting from the usually laughable Wild Bill Elliot, great direction and awesome character development along with a good mystery. The subtle dialog from Elliot brings a new light to his acting ability.