Ton heure a sonné

With his square-jawed determination, Scott (Danning) makes a riveting screen presence. So, by golly, he's going to get whoever is responsible for his fiancé's death and nothing's going to stand in his way. Not even the comely Chapman (Kate) or the Big Guy in the Sky. But he's got a tough bunch to deal with, especially blond bruiser Tucker (Ernie), who would rather grind hands than seeds. That fist-fight with Danning may be a stretch, but it's sure imaginative. Then there's that arch baddie Macready (Miles) and veteran sneer merchant Douglas Fowley (Stew). So Danning's got his work cut out for him.

You gotta love those red rock Sedona AZ locations. They turn up in so many horse operas of the time. Speaking of turning up and lending color—yes indeed, there he is, old gravel- voiced grouch Edgar Buchanan as the sheriff. No western of the day worth its salt was without his particular brand of character color. And, guys, there's not just the usual one good-looking woman in the movie. There're three, so which one will Scott end up with.

Can't help noticing that Harry Joe Brown produced this film along with Scott's later The Tall T (1957). Then too, the plot here is similar to many of the Scott-Buddy Boetticher classics of a decade later. But then, Scott was so good at grim determination, it's hard not to make him a revenge-seeker. Anyway, better than most six-gun directors, Enright knows where to put the camera, helping to make this one of Scott's more memorable westerns that even non-fans may enjoy.

Spectacular scenery highlights this Randolph Scott movie. Scott was 50 yers old when this was made and he never looked better. He is a man out to avenge his fiance's death caused by veteran bad guy, George MacReady. Lots of action and great fun watching Scott do his thing.

When I saw that British TV was screening an unfamiliar 1948 Randolph Scott Western, I assumed it would be one of his less exciting films in black and white - it's his later efforts that are usually shown. In the event, I was pleasantly surprised; it was shot in good quality colour that showed the outdoor scenery to advantage and the plot was better than in most contemporary Westerns (though not up to that of Red River, released the same year). Several of its features bring to mind later, better known, films.

Scott looks thinner than we are accustomed to see him, almost haggard, which suits him in the role of a driven man seeking vengeance for the death (and presumed rape) of his woman; this reminds one of Rancho Notorious and Scott's own Ride Lonesome. He has a very violent fist fight with Forrest Tucker (less weather-beaten than in later films), with the two men viciously stamping on each other's gun hands - a forerunner of James Stewart's fate in The Man from Laramie. And when Marguerite Chapman overcomes her religious scruples to come to the aid of her man, one thinks of Grace Kelly doing the same in High Noon.

George Macready makes a sinister villain and Edgar Buchanan is in his familiar role as a half-good, half-bad guy - and he doesn't growl as much as usual.

There are some unconvincing touches. When Scott rides into his enemy's town the citizens stare after him in a weak attempt to suggest that they sense that nemesis has arrived; this was better done by Burt Lancaster in Lawman and by Clint Eastwood in many of his films. Yet minutes later this supposedly sinister stranger is entrusted with driving a drunken, attractive woman home. And it's not giving anything away in a Western of this (or almost any) era to say that the villain gets what he deserves, but his precise way of dying is unrealistic.

On the other hand we are spared the sight common in Scott's later Westerns of an actor in his fifties (Scott was born in 1898) romancing someone half his age; indeed the love interest throughout is very low key, with the emphasis being on Macready's failed marriage.

All in all it's a good, enjoyable film to watch.

"Coroner Creek" is a Randolph Scott film that combines two typical western themes--revenge and the evil power-grabbing boss. It begins with a stage coach being attacked by Indians. However, these Indians are only working for the evil unknown white man. During this attack, the folks on the coach were murdered and one of them is Chris Danning's fiancé. Scott plays Chris Danning--a man determined to exact justice. After a montage showing Chris going town to town looking for a blond man with a scar, his trail leads to Coroner Creek---and to an evil boss-man named Younger Miles (George Macready). But, like a typical western baddie, Miles has hired a bunch of thugs (including Forrest Tucker and Joe Sawyer) and Chris is going to have to go through all this guys before his ultimate showdown with Younger. In the process, will Chris be able to hold on to his humanity? As I mentioned in the summary, this film, though reminiscent of other movies, handles it all very well. Scott managed to make it all seem very realistic and was at his best here. Well worth seeing.

Director Enright is an unknown to me but he does a competent directing job in CORONER CREEK. Photography is above average, dialogue sharp, action believable and well edited, and the cherry on the cake is Randy Scott's performance, possibly his finest after RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, SEVEN MEN FROM NOW and RIDE LONESOME.

First class performances too from slightly deranged, wholly evil, top villain George Macready, laughing heavy Forrest Tucker and doting daddy Edgar Buchanan.

Great punch-up between Scott and Tucker, with head butts and revenge thrown in all in the same bout. Unfortunately, Scott delivers the first heavy punch with the damaged hand and only feels the pain with the second punch, thereafter he uses the other hand. That goof aside, it is a credible and well staged sequence.

CORONER CREEK is one of the most unassuming yet gripping Westerns I have ever watched. 8/10.