Les cavaliers de l'enfer

I've long been a fan of Audie Murphy and event his lesser movies are better than most of the drivel that comes out of Hollywood today.

This is a good movie on its merits and not just as a vehicle for Murphy. It works well on all levels - story, acting, and directing. What I most enjoyed is the fact each actor is given screen time to rise above the stereotypes and create a memorable character - even if they only have a few lines.

The two I remember most are the young banker Seymour Kern (John Saxon) and the Mexican cowboy Johnny Caddo (Rudolph Acosta). Saxon in particular does well showing true, believable growth; he isn't just there as a foil/sidekick for Murphy to play off of but as a genuine character treated as equally important to the storyline. Acosta, usually a villain in the movies, plays an equally important role as a Spanish cowboy who joins simply because "it's the right thing to do".

Audie Murphy Over John Wayne Any Day. Real Life War Hero Audie Murphy was an Admired Man who was Brave, Courageous, and True. He Admitted that Acting was a Battle He Never Won. With a Likable Screen Persona He Soldered through a Career including many a Western. This was One of His Best.

A Solid Cast of B-Movie Actors, Striking Color Cinematography, more Violent than usual for the Time, some Truly Good vs Evil Characters, and Philosophical Musing make this an Above Average Entry in the Wagonload of Westerns in the Time Period (1950-Early 1960's).

It's a Grueling Task for the Make-Shift Posse on the Trail of some Hideous Bad-Guys lead by Vic Morrow and Lee Van Cleef. Audie and John Saxon reach Deep for some Soul Searching and the Ever Elusive, Nasty and Clever Outlaws show some Serious Signs of the Change about to Occur in Hollywood.

A Must See for Western Fans, especially Audie Murphy Cultists. The Story is well told and as Entertaining as All Get Out as these things go. This is one that the Most Decorated Military Hero in History can be Proud.

Very superior B-Western. It is well cast. The posse is made of heterogeneous, well fleshed-out characters --more so than the usual Western. I enjoyed everything about the film, even stolid, amiable star Audie Murphy, who seemed tolerable. Most of the time, in an understated way, he seemed to keep from laughing out loud or reprimanding his inept posse crew. It must amuse most fans that while Murphy was the most decorated American soldier in WW II (maybe US history) in real life, his movie presence is often milquetoast.

I want to mention three very unusual things about this movie, all commendable in my opinion: One, in most Westerns the bad guys hold up the bank, quickly race out of town, and an instant posse takes off after them. But here there was an amazing scene that I found believable and in tune with the movie. The bad guys killed the marshal and some others and DIDN'T rush out of town. Instead they took over the saloon, sat down at some tables and gave orders and threats and killed some as examples, for an extended period of time. It made some sense to me. The townsfolk were not soldiers or gunmen. They didn't want to die, so they didn't fight back.

Two, when the posse came across one fatally wounded outlaw (Van Cleef), he lie on the ground telling them that they had a duty to care for his wounds, but Murphy said they couldn't spare a man to take Van Cleef back to town or to tend to him on the spot, so they had to leave him to die there.

Three, most Westerns would end with the death of the last outlaw, but not this one. After the last outlaw is killed, Murphy carries John Saxon (good as a posse member) a few miles back to town in triumph to be congratulated. But the film refuses to end there. There is a lot of talk about the dead marshal who had recommended bad boy gunfighter Murphy for the job, about Murphy possibly becoming the new marshal and talk with the girl (Zohra Lampert, a favorite of everyone) about her future.

better than average Audie Murphy western with more sharply defined characters than usual - plus a good script that brings freshness - and even fun - to the heavily traveled chase 'em plot

the actors help a lot - Robert Keith as the grizzled ex Civil War soldier who keeps trying to take over the posse - Rudolph Acosta as an Indian trying to be accepted - John Saxon as a soft Easterner reluctantly shoved into posse duty - Paul Carr as an eager young man handy with pistols - to name a few - somehow the script makes this diverse group interesting without making them annoying - the one notable exception is the 1-dimensional quality of the kidnapped girl as written - fortunately - the role was given over to the way-too-talented Zohra Lampert - and she brings this small part to life

the represents the type of effort that makes genre enjoyable

Medium budget'd B-Western, starred by the all-american clean shaved Audie Murphy, one of the most condecorated combat soldiers of World War II which turned Hollywood star, mostly in Western films, with more than 40 credits in his resumé. Stoic, healthy, soft-spoken with a natural shyness, but projecting an on-screen likeability that earned him his loyal fanbase, Audie Murphy was (and still is) one of the most beloved American icons.

"Posse from Hell" directed by Herbert Coleman, making his debut in the director's chair after being an assistant director, and shot by Clifford Stine in the beautiful palette of Eastmancolor, is one of Audie's most underrated Westerns.

Written by Clair Huffaker, based on his own novel, tells the story of four fugitives from death row that rode to the pacific town of Paradise, and after killing the Town Marshal, they made hostage a beautiful girl and ran away with $11,200 from the Bank. Former gunfighter Banner Cole (Murphy) arrives to town the next day and makes a promise to the dying Marshal that will form a Posse and bring the four men to justice.

The story itself is nothing new to the genre and has been seen before in countless B-Westerns, but the way it was shot and paced, makes a joyful entertaining and exciting experience to the viewer. The movie looks good visually and the cinematography is above par, including nicely composed shots from Alabama Hills, Lone Pine and Olancha Dunes in California.

Audie Murphy plays himself effortlessly, with a good bunch of supporting players, including a young John Saxon; a sadly underused Vic Morrow as the leader of the fugitives pack; future Western icon, Lee Van Cleef; method actress Zohra Lampert and the character actors Robert Keith, Rodolfo Acosta, Frank Overton, Royal Dano and Ward Ramsey, among others.

"Posse from Hell" could have been more nastier (as the story suggests) and could have ended sooner, but with Audie aboard, he made sure that his moral valors and code of honor were there to the character's redemption, with the film ending in a positive note. Every Audie Murphy's is a happy end and that's what his fans want.

I give it a 7.5

Recommended !!