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William Wellman's succinct tale of mob justice is powerful not only in the story of the quick-rush-to-judgement lynching posse, but also in the way in which it's told. Wellman crowds many scenes with multiple faces. While one actor is speaking, you'll often see others on either side and in the background. In doing this, packing each frame with faces, Wellman creates a sense of unease in the viewer. I challenge you to watch this film and not feel claustrophobic. MEMORABLE MOVIE MOMENT: All through the movie, Major Tetley has been goading his conscience-stricken son to help participate in the lynching. The Major perceives the boy is a weakling and wants to "make a man" out of him. He forces his son to slap the rear of the horses after the suspects are strung up, but when the time arrives, the boy can't do it. Two others slap the horses. Then, as the bodies are swaying at the end of the ropes, the Major calmly walks over to his son and punches him. It is a chilling moment of violence -- perhaps even more so than the actual hanging.

I first watched this movie because of Gary Cooper (after seeing "The Pride of the Yankees," the man could do no wrong in my book). While Coop is great in "The Westerner," it is -- lock, stock and blazing barrels -- Walter Brennan's performance as Judge Roy Bean that steals the show. What a deeply nuanced character! Here's an example of an actor making a villain a likeable, endearing character. Brennan richly deserved his Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Otto Preminger's "Laura" is good example of film noir (for GREAT examples, see "Double Indemnity" and "Out of the Past"). The story of a murdered femme fatale and the detective's growing obsession with her image (as represented by a luminous portrait hanging in her living room) is intricate and stylish. Preminger keeps the pace moving right along, plunging the viewer into the complex plot from the first frame. In fact, we become so absorbed by "Laura" that we don't even notice that Laura herself (played by Gene Tierney) doesn't make her first appearance (in a flashback) until 20 minutes into this 85-minute picture. Tierney and Dana Andrews as the gumshoe investigating the murder give breath-taking performances, but it is Clifton Webb who steals the show as Waldo Lydecker, the stuffy, self-absorbed newspaper columnist. Lydecker is clearly obsessed with Laura, perhaps even more so than the detective. It is a witty, realistic performance that Webb pulls off with charm and elegance. Besides, can you think of any other character who's ever made such a memorable entrance on the screen as Waldo Lydecker sitting naked in his bathtub with a typewriter?