Fureur à l'ouest

Low-rent, cardboard horse opera from quickie producer Sam Katzman about a gang of crooked lawmen, a string of gold robberies, murders, Indians, and a bunch of other stuff, none of it even remotely interesting. James Philbrook is too old for his part and is almost visibly straining not to look like it, the exotic Nancy Kovack is way out of place in a rock-bottom cheapie like this and doesn't have much to do anyway, the script is tired, what passes for "action" scenes are limp and lifeless, the direction is leaden, and the whole thing looks cheap, rushed and incomplete--in other words, everything you've come to expect from Sam Katzman. To be honest, though, this little oater doesn't even come up to Sam's usual "standards"--for lack of a better word--and you can no doubt find much better ways to waste an hour or so than sitting through this. Don't bother.

I realise that the "10 then there's 10" review is an attempt at humour but its silliness goes too far. Worse than "Plan 9 ..."? Hardly. Sure, the acting is generally on the wooden side but Guy Mitchell's villain is good and a cut above the average for a B western. "Wild westerners" has other merits - for example. 1 - location: anyone tired of watching exteriors shot at Alabama Hills, Lone Pine is tired of life. All that granite! 2 - colour: OK, not Technicolor, but good Eastmancolor. 3 - Duane Eddy's guitar music: an influence on Ennio Morricone? 4 - Jerome Thoms' editing: an Oscar nominated editor, Thoms' work is exemplary and his cutting between medium shots of the stars and long shots of the stunt people is worthy of inclusion in a film editing course.

Another title for this mess could be "The Kindergarten Class Gets Drunk and Directs a Western". The major expense in this film was the laundry and cleaning bill. It is difficult to realize that someone seriously created this movie seriously. It is a laugh a minute, or even every 30 seconds. Ed Wood lives!!! PRC wouldn't have put this thing out! Supreme would have rejected it. Al (Fuzzy) St. John would refuse to act in this movie! Alabi Terhune (don't forget Elmer!) would run away screaming if asked to appear in this thing. That's why it is worth watching. "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is Oscar-worthy compared to this. This is a "I can't believe this s..." a minute movie. So, if Encore Westerns EVER brings it back, make it a MUST SEE on your list. You'll come away convinced that you're Anthony Mann or D. W. Griffith or some other great director. It is really fun to watch though as long as you possess the proper frame of mind!

Low budget film. Poor acting Poor script Slow story.

The Wild Westerners is directed by Oscar Rudolph and written by Gerald Drayson Adams. It stars James Philbrook, Nancy Kovack, Duane Eddy and Guy Mitchell. Music is by Ross DiMaggio and Eastman Color cinematography is by Gordon Avil.

It is what it is, a traditional Western made with a modest budget that tries to do the best it can. It's 1864 in the Montana Territory and some outlaw types are easily robbing gold shipments. How come it's so easy? This is something Marshal McDowell (Philbrook) and his trusty team must try to answer before it's too late - especially since the Marshal's newly "acquired" bride (Kovack) is becoming a key figure.

Oddly enough there is quite a bit going on here for a "C" grade production, though the core thematic drive involves outlaws who are made known to us from the off, rendering the shifty - cum - mysterious shenanigans around town as kind of redundant! There's also a thread that involves trying to keep the Cheyenne off of the war path, a burgeoning romance that has the most auspicious of beginnings, and some jealousies and macho posturings. The acting is a mixed bag of the average and the poor, the production value a blend of the nice (outdoor photography at Lone Pine) and the cheap (wonky and poorly designed sets), while there are no surprises in store off of the page. Yet there are far worse Westerns out there that had bigger budgets, it's brisk and has good action, a couple of good guy/bad guy characters to cheer and boo respectively, and Duane Eddy's title guitar music is quality.

Not one to rush out to see, but some charm and minor qualities stop it from being in stinker hell. 5/10