The Broken Star

An obvious western version of a story that was done twice in 1954 (as SHIELD FOR MURDER and PRIVATE HELL 36--with Howard Duff!) where a good lawman goes into business for himself.

This has all the elements: ruthless crime boss, two hired goons, a blackmailer, desperate escape and even a sultry chanteuse singing in a nightclub -er- saloon. Duff's playing is typically stoic, but this adds a bit to his bluff, duplicitous character (the kind Fred MacMurray used to play in DOUBLE INDEMNITY and PUSHOVER)and the rest of the cast does quite well under Selander's assured (well it certainly should be assured by this time!) direction. I particularly liked Douyglas Fowley as the crooked blackmailer. The scene where he and Duff negotiate -- each obviously planning a double-cross -- has a fine, greasy tension to it.

This film is interesting mainly because Howard Duff's character, for once a bad guy, and also the lead role. A rotten dirty "cop" sheriff character. I love this kind of lead roles, so unusual. You can easily compare with ONE FOOT IN HELL, where Alan Ladd was a sheriff seeking revenge on those who provoked the death of his wife. But in that western, 1960, he had more or less good reasons to do this. Here, Duff is only greedy, nasty, as I love - I repeat - from a lead character. From time to time, it's good isn't it? Or you can also compare it with Howard Koch's - the producer here - SHIELD FOR MURDER, a crime film where Ed O'Brien was also a cop using his shield to commit crimes, instead of a sheriff's star.

Under "Trivia" someone commented the bar room brawl was good. It was. Really well done with some original moves and action. My only criticism would be the fighters should have been a lot more exhausted and bloody after that tough a fight. Like in every Western, guns can be shot a lot without having to reloaded and apparently don't make very load bangs. In reality, with all that shooting in close quarters and in a mine shaft, these men would all end up with no hearing left, as there eardrums would be blown out. Look past a few obvious things like this and it's a good, enjoyable movie.

Every now and then TCM runs these obscure films that turn out to be real finds. The Broken Star, a black and white B western, certainly is a find with Howard Duff as a deputy sheriff gone bad.

Right up front we see Howard Duff shoot down an unarmed man and steal something from his house. It's $8000.00 in gold, but unfortunately Duff has left a witness, an old Apache who works for the deceased.

Under cover of the badge, Duff tells his story that he shot a suspected rustler who drew on him first. Neither believing or disbelieving him, Sheriff Addison Richards investigates, in much the same manner a shooting team from a modern police force does. It's then up to another deputy, Bill Williams to bring in his colleague who also is someone who saved his life once.

The film is set in the beginning of the 20th century when the old wild west was becoming somewhat tame. Early forensic science is what sets people's suspicions on Duff in the first place.

The Broken Star is a good B western with an adult plot befitting the Fifties, the era of the adult western. Make sure you catch it when next broadcast.