Virgil Renchler possède une exploitation qui fait vivre, à elle seule, une petite ville. Mais, après ses hommes vont trop loin et tuent l'un des ouvriers immigrés, le shérif décide d'affront... Tout lireVirgil Renchler possède une exploitation qui fait vivre, à elle seule, une petite ville. Mais, après ses hommes vont trop loin et tuent l'un des ouvriers immigrés, le shérif décide d'affronter Renchler, quel qu'en soit le prix.Virgil Renchler possède une exploitation qui fait vivre, à elle seule, une petite ville. Mais, après ses hommes vont trop loin et tuent l'un des ouvriers immigrés, le shérif décide d'affronter Renchler, quel qu'en soit le prix.
- Dr. Creighton
- (as Harry Harvey Sr.)
Avis à la une
The premise itself has been around the block more than a few times—a reluctant lawman stands up to local tyrant despite opposition from frightened townspeople. Still, the movie works pretty well up to two points where the screenplay buckles—the rope dragging and the town turn-around. Neither of these is very believable within context. But then, the film is on a budget and does have to motivate a wrap-up.
I gather producer Zugsmith helped finance Welles' next feature Touch of Evil (1957) in return for appearing here. The part is relatively small, and Welles underplays without the needed malevolence. Seems almost like he's walking through. Nonetheless, it's a solid cast of supporting players, familiar faces from thuggish Leo Gordon to Dragnet's Ben Alexander taking a break from the LAPD. The support works well to provide more color than usual.
Rather sad to see that earnest actor Jeff Chandler again, knowing he died unnecessarily at 42 as result of medical malpractice (a foreign object left inside following an operation, as I recall). He's quite good here as the conflicted sheriff struggling to do his duty.
All in all, it's a decent enough programmer, better than Zugsmith's usual quickie fare, thanks in large part (I expect) to under-rated director Jack Arnold.
Written by Gene L. Coon, and directed by Jack Arnold, this is overall a more routine and less interesting yarn than their previous Western, "No Name on the Bullet". Welles is awfully low-key as the antagonist; it seems as if his heart really wasn't in this one. But at least his role isn't purely one-dimensional; he's more tender around his young daughter "Skippy" (the stunning Colleen Miller). Really, it's the swaggering attitude of jerks like Yates and Huneker that helps to pick up the slack since Welles / Renchler gets relatively little screen time.
The filmmaking is generally very good, with top black & white cinematography by Arthur E. Arling. For a change, the action takes place in the present day, with people using phones and cars regularly. The atmosphere is strong, with a nearly wordless opening five minutes or so.
The main value of "Man in the Shadow" is the presence of a superior gathering of character actors: Ben Alexander, James Gleason, Royal Dano, Paul Fix, Mario Siletti, William Schallert, Forrest Lewis, and Mort Mills. Larch and Gordon are effective as the brutish thugs, but Barbara Lawrence gets a rather thankless role as the Sheriffs' concerned wife.
The theme is solid if hardly inspired: the good lawman surrounded by townspeople too afraid to back him up. At least Coon and Arnold make the proceedings reasonably entertaining.
Seven out of 10.
Very simple ,but very efficient too,and from the first sequence on ,a violent beat up which causes the death of a bracero ranch hand : an old man,who considers the young victim his son,saw the whole scene .But does the life of a bracero matter when you deal with a tycoon ,who rules the nearby town ,can ruin it,can starve it by not selling his crops to them?
Orson Welles is ideally cast as the tycoon ,but his character seems influenced by his hateful foreman ,his evil genius ,who also desires his daughter ( the key to the movie is "cherchez la femme" ); Jeff Chandler ,the marshall, is considered a pawn in their game (so you're the sheriff,you were elected and you can be fired if you do not follow the rules) ;but in spite of the danger ,he soldiers on ...
He's alone in the whole town , where the inhabitants are too afraid of the wealthy owner's power; even his wife does not really support him .His situation looks like Gary Cooper's in "high noon" (1952)
Le saviez-vous
- AnecdotesThe role of Virgil Renchler was originally supposed to be played by Robert Middleton. The William Morris Agency instead suggested Orson Welles, who badly needed money to pay income taxes he owned to the Internal Revenue Service.
- GaffesMany characters comment about the heat, saying the temperature must be well over 100 degrees, yet even though they are all wearing long sleeves, ties, even suits, no one is ever sweating. The only ones with even a bit moisture on them are the old man and one of the henchmen.
- Citations
Ben Sadler: There isn't a yard of guts in this whole town. This isn't a town, it's a trained dog act! I'm tired of gettin' pushed around! One way or another I'm gonna get myself a couple of murderers tonight.
- ConnexionsReferenced in The Veil: Summer Heat (1958)
Meilleurs choix
- How long is Man in the Shadow?Alimenté par Alexa
Détails
Box-office
- Budget
- 600 000 $US (estimé)
- Durée1 heure 20 minutes
- Couleur
- Rapport de forme
- 2.35 : 1