The Naked Spur

Acting legend Jimmy Stewart and filmmaker Anthony Mann made a handful of notable collaborations, but none quite as impactful as this. It's hailed as one of the finest Westerns ever made by fans and buffs, and this viewer isn't exactly inclined to disagree with them. It's a rather intimate story (there are only five main characters), but it's gorgeously filmed (by cinematographer William C. Mellor) in Technicolor on Rocky Mountain locations in Colorado, and it certainly would have looked even more grand had it been filmed in "scope". Its five characters are developed well, and we see how plain greed often motivates their actions.

Jimmy is cast as Howard Kemp, an intense bounty hunter determined to collect the reward for wanted man Ben Vandergroat (Robert Ryan). However, he didn't really count on Ben travelling with a companion (the lovely young Janet Leigh), or that he'd have to rely on two other solitary travellers: grizzled gold prospector Jesse Tate (Millard Mitchell) and young Roy Anderson (Ralph Meeker), who was drummed out of the Cavalry for his shaky morals. Tate, at the very least, comes off as more level-headed than the hot-tempered Anderson.

Without over-explaining things, we learn what motivates Kemp, and we see why he's so driven. A complicated, somewhat compromised character was not exactly known to be Jimmy's forte (he usually played symbols of human decency), but he handles it with style. His co-stars are just as good, though, with Ryan a standout as a smart cookie (this is one of his cheeriest performances, for sure) who knows how to drive a wedge in between the "partners", and otherwise manipulate them.

The good, straightforward story is by Sam Rolfe and Harold Jack Bloom, who were later nominated for the Screenplay Oscar. In addition to giving us an engaging set of personalities to clash with one another, they also make sure to include some riveting action sequences, well realized by the filmmakers. The final few minutes involve some river rapids, and they're as exciting as anything one will see in this genre.

Well worth seeing for Western devotees, it's also a good time for fans of any of the cast members present.

Eight out of 10.

Set in the post Civil War American West, The Naked Spur is more than a western. The director, Anthony Mann, took a script by two relatively unknown screenwriters (later nominated for an Oscar) and made a great picture about losers trying to survive in a tough postwar world. James Stewart, the star, plays a rancher who lost everything because before going off to the Civil War, he signed his ranch over to his girlfriend. In 1952, when this picture was filmed, World War II was no distant memory, the Korean War was going on and the idea that a soldier thought he wasn't going to return from a war was real enough. The writers and Anthony Mann placed the story almost a hundred years earlier, but the movie is about regular people on the skids. The cashiered Army officer, always looking out for number one, whatever the cost to others, had to ring true with war veterans in the audience in 1953. There is a villain, and Robert Ryan plays a great one, but James Stewart's character, Howard Kemp, is no hero. Ryan's character, Ben Vandergroat, complains that he knew Howard and he never did Howie any wrong, so there was no reason for Kemp to track him down, regardless of the reward money. Ryan has a point, a western hero doesn't hunt down someone just for money, knowing that if caught the person will be executed. But the scenic views of the Rocky Mountains, the great production values (including Technicolor) by MGM and the stars all are a façade for what could have been a film noir picture, Anthony Mann's earlier specialty. Stewart's character in The Naked Spur is trying to get back the ranch he lost after his world was turned upside down by war. The screaming nightmares he has, showing the psychological trauma the war was responsible for, would now go under the name post traumatic stress syndrome. War veterans trying to return to a normal life has always been a subject for movies, but rarely has the message been hidden as well as here. The Naked Spur is the type of class picture studios don't (or can't) make anymore, and that is the moviegoers' loss.

An awesome rugged Western masterfully directed by Anthony Mann including his ordinary star, James Stewart . A bounty hunter called Howard Kemp (James Stewart) trying to bring a murderer to justice is forced to accept the help of two less-than-trustworthy strangers (Millard Mitchell , Ralph Meeker) . As he tracks down a vicious and cunning outlaw called Ben Vandergroat (Robert Ryan) accompanied by his gorgeous sweetheart (Janet Leigh) . The ordinary dramatic framework about three men attempting to bring another back to justice is compellingly maintained . Entertainment and excitement increases until a surprising climax .

This exciting Western contains tension-filled , juicy atmosphere , thrills , suspense , gun-play and an impressive final on a high cliff which was one of filmmaker Mann's best moments . Magnificent western from the Anthony Mann/James Stewart team and their third collaboration and considered one of their best . Colour , music , scenarios , landscapes all marks well in this thrilling story about a compulsive bounty hunter who deals with four different roles . It describes a long journey in which there are extreme characters combined with psychological observations and enriched by eventual ambiguity and a tense picture about dishonesty and badness . This particular Western only starred by 5 characters contains an interesting screenplay by Sam Rolfe and being nominated for an Academy Award . By that time (1953) the picture was considered quite strong , tough , surprisingly violent and brutal ; today is deemed a classic film . And seems to be a great influence of wide range such as violence and scenarios . Filmed in Cinemascope in colorful cinematography by William Mellor ; Anthony Mann gets to take from nature the maximum impacts as rivers , valleys , mountains , being wonderfully photographed . Breathtaking background scenarios , dramatic close-up along with shining illuminations , all of them perfectly mingled with a tale full of violence , tension , intrigue and shoot'em up . When this film was released in Spain, its title was changed to "Colorado Jim" and the name of 'James Stewart's character was also changed from "Howard Kemp" to "Colorado Jim", for unknown reasons . The filming took place on location in Durango, Colorado , Rocky Mountains, Colorado, San Juan Mountains, Colorado, and Lone Pine, California . Nedless to say , the main and secondary cast is first-class . Top-of-the-range acting by the great James Stewart as a lone bounty hunter obsessed with hunting down the outlaw . There are top-notch acting from old-stagers as Millard Mitchell playing an aging prospector , as well as from Ralph Meeker as an ex-soldier and special mention to Robert Ryan as a leering killer . And delicate Janet Leigh , pretty much deglamourised here and sporting a new cropped haircut . Emotive as well as thrilling musical score performed by Bronislau Kaper .

This top-drawer Western was stunningly realized by the master Anthony Mann , infusing the traditional Western with psychological confusion , including his characteristic use of landscape with marvelous use of Rockies Mountains which is visually memorable . Mann established his forte with magnificent Western almost always with James Stewart . In his beginnings he made ambitious but short-lived quality low-budget surroundings of Eagle-Lion production as ¨T-men¨ , ¨They walked by night¨ , ¨Raw deal¨ , ¨Railroaded¨ and ¨Desperate¨ . Later on , he made various Western , remarkably good , masterpieces such as ¨The furies¨ , ¨Devil's doorway¨ and ¨Man of the West¨ and several with his habitual star , James Stewart, as ¨Winchester 73¨ , ¨Bend the river¨ , ¨The far country¨ , ¨Man of the West ¨. They are characterized by roles whose determination to stick to their guns would take them to the limits of their endurance . Others in this throughly enjoyable series include ¨Tin star ¨ that is probably one of the best Western in the fifties and sixties . After the mid-50 , Mann's successes came less frequently , though directed another good Western with Victor Mature titled ¨The last frontier¨. And of course ¨Naker spur ¨ that turns out to be stylish , fast paced , solid , meticulous , with enjoyable look , and most powerful and well-considered . This well acted movie is gripping every step of the way . It results to be a splendid western and remains consistently agreeable . Rating : Above average , the result is a magnificent Western . Well worth watching and it will appeal to James Stewart fans .

I never realized what a scene-stealer ROBERT RYAN could be until I saw THE NAKED SPUR. Although JAMES STEWART is the nominal big name star, it's Ryan's charming, snake-like villain who dominates this rugged western despite strong performances from the entire cast. He obviously relishes his role and is a joy to watch.

This is more a character study of a group of desperate losers than your average shoot 'em up western and Anthony Mann has directed it with the focus on the strong clashes between each one of them. RALPH MEEKER does an outstanding job as a war deserter who is both a help and a hindrance to the group as they seek to return outlaw Ryan to Kansas so justice can prevail. Stewart's character is given strong motivation for his deeds but Janet Leigh, as the outlaw's girlfriend, has a role that is not plausibly explained.

Photographed in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, it's a rugged kind of technicolor western that gives all of the performers physically demanding roles--and all of them are more than up to it.

Stewart, Leigh, Mitchell and Meeker are all superb--but it's Robert Ryan's devious villain that will linger longest in the memory.

I saw this for the first time recently.

The plot in short n without any spoilers - A man with a tragic past becomes a bounty hunter to catch a cunning murderer so that he can buy back his land via the bounty reward. Unwillingly he partners with two fellas, one an ex soldier who is discharged dishonorably n the other an old fella looking for gold mine. The trio manages to catch the murderer but on the trail the cunning wanted murderer wages a continous psychological game to turn his captors against each other by various means.

This is no doubt a very different western which started off very engrossing, specially the psychological duel n the journey but somehow towards the end it felt a bit odd.

The girl suddenly changes her mind, the soldiers' fate in the end was uncalled for n what was the need for digging a grave for a murderer n where will the couple live if the man is broke n without a house.

Still i am generous with a 7 cos of the performances n cinematography.