Relentless

Although Marguerite Chapman does fine yeoman work in her obligatory generic love interest role, the show is the pursuit of Young after horse thief MacLane. And, it is a fast-paced, cat-and-mouse entertaining game in which protagonist and antagonist take turns revealing their thoughts and feelings in a most involving way. This is certainly not a classic "B" western, but it is entertaining from beginning to end and very fast paced.

"Relentless" is an unusual western. It's not just the plot but the casting, as Robert Young plays the hero...something fans of classic films might be surprised by, as Young normally only played in contemporary pictures...and often as a society sort of guy.

When the story begins, Nick (Young) comes into town with his pregnant horse. He's mighty excited, as she's going to give birth to a baby sired by a racing champion. Unfortunately, shortly after the nag gives birth, a baddie comes along and steals the mother...leaving the baby horse to presumably die. But Nick isn't gonna put up with that and he tracks the guy down and shoots him in self defense....but the mother horse is killed and he's left with a baby horse and not much else. Fortunately, a lady traveling sales person (Marguerite Chapman) takes pity on him and helps Nick out by locating a surrogate mom. But what she can't do is convince the authorities that Nick is a killer--not for killing the horse thief but for a mass murder committed by a man (Barton MacLane) Nick saw shortly after...and Nick decides to devote himself to tracking down the real killer, otherwise the sheriff and his posse will hang him instead, as they're in a real hangin' mood!

The first thing you'll probably notice about this one is the lovely color cinematography. Plus, the Sonoran Desert locale looked great on film. This is not some run of the mill production or B-western but a quality picture...with excellent production values and acting. Well worth seeing...and with a rather unusual plot.

Relentless is directed by George Sherman and adapted to screenplay by Winston Miller from the story Three Were Thoroughbreds by Kenneth Perkins. It stars Robert Young, Marguerite Chapman, Willard Parker, Akim Tamiroff and Barton MacLane. Music is by Marlin Skiles and cinematography by Edward Cronjager.

Young plays cowboy Nick Buckley who after being wrongly accused of murder has to stay one step ahead of the law in order to prove his innocence.

On a narrative basis this can hold its head up as being a touch more realistic than other fare of the decade. For sure there be contrivances and itchy coincidences, but nothing that insults the intelligence. Aside form the most appealing technical aspects, where the vistas and colour photography sparkle, the cast are likeable beings who are easy to engage with. There's a bit of thought gone into not making Chapman's gal role a token one, while the plot strand involving the equines in Buckley's life is both interesting and poignant. Action is competently staged by the wily Sherman, who in turn steers the pic safely to the expected conclusion.

A pleasing Oater that while not pushing any sort of boundaries or psychological depth, is sure to entertain fans of 40s and 50s Westerns. 6.5/10

This is a well made western that star Robert Young also produced. It includes three solid performances by Young, Marguerite Chapman and Barton MacLane. There is also a fun and somewhat poignant subplot involving a burro and a colt that is most unique. The title comes from the fact that Young's character never gives up in his pursuit of finding a killer. Chapman is highly engaging and real as she stands by her man (Young)with evidence to the contrary. Highly recommended. (Oh, watch for the appearance by Willard Parker as the sheriff. In a scene, towards the end, his physique and attitude remind you that he would have made a pretty good Lone Ranger if the commanding Clayton Moore hadn't been around.)

Sizzling and exciting adventure Western with drama , frantic action and breathtaking ending shoot'em up. At the local saloon, prospectors Len Briggs and Bob Pliny brag about encountering gold at their mine . Badmen Tex Brandaw (Barton McLane) and Jim Rupple (Frank Fenton) decide to follow the two prospectors and rob their mine. Drifter Nick Buckley (Robert Young) who's passing through town seeking shelter for his pregnant mare is offered a drink by the two old prospectors . The prospectors return to their cabin and in an ambush two villians kill them and take the map revealing the gold mine's location. They divide the map in two sections , to prevent cheating , and split up agreeing each other and to meet after that . Then , the sheriff shows up and he charges Nick for the murders of the two gold prospectors . Framed for the killing and with a reward on his head , Nick flees and he runs into Luella Purdy (Marguerite Chapman) , a travelling seller . She agrees to help Nick care for his hungry foal and to transport him across the sunny desert . Throughout the dangerous paths the expedition carrying some clues about the gold mine , being chased by a posse , by cuthtroat bounty hunters and by two ambitious bad guys : Joe Faringo (Akim Tamiroff) and Jake (Mike Mazurki) . Violence ... love ... and sudden death ! The cry that rooked the world'd hottest strip the hell ¡.

A Western drama with dramatic moments , noisy action , shootouts , crosses, romance, luxurious photography and a highly commendable musical score . Bursting with attractive characters, interesting sub-plots , and with very decent filmmaking, as well as fine interpretation, and brief drops of humor in charge of a mare and a donkey . Robert Young gives a nice acting as an accused person for a murder he didn't commit, as the brave cowboy must stay one step ahead of the law as he hunts for the real killer. Robert Young did play in the Thirties and Forties as many as eleven films per year for a decade starting with Black Camel (1931). He was notable as the spy in Alfred Hitchcock's Secret agent (1936), but the '40s was the decade in which he was to have most of his best roles. These included Northwest passage (1940) with Spencer Tracy ; Fritz Lang's Western Union (1941) with Randolph Scott ; and H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941). Good roles followed, from the husband of Dorothy McGuire in Claudia, (1943) to the detective in Crossfire (1947) by Edward Dymitrick but they were becoming scarce. He starred notorious films as The big moment , And the baby makes three , The searching wind and The secret of Incas . In 1949, Robert started a radio show called "Father Knows Best" wherein he played Jim Anderson, an average father with average situations--a role which was tailor-made for him. Basically retiring from films, he starred in this program for five years on radio before it went to television in 1954. After a slight falter in the ratings and a switch from CBS to NBC, it became a mainstay of television until it was canceled in 1960. He continued making guest appearances on various television shows and working in television movies. In 1969, he starred as Dr. Marcus Welby in the TV movie Marcus Welby: A Matter of Humanities and another successful series : Doctor Kildare . Co-starring is Marguerite Chapman who plays very well as Luella Purdy, owner of a traveling general store, whom Nick met into town the day, subsequently both of them fall in love. They are well supported by a pretty good secondary cast , such as : Willard Parker as Jeff Moyer , Akim Tamiroff as Joe Faringo , Barton MacLane as Tex Brandow , Mike Mazurki , Robert Barrat , Frnk Fenton, Clem Bevans, among others .

It contains thrilling and moving musical score by Marlin Skiles . Colorful cinematography in Technicolor by Edward Cronjager . Being shot in multiple locations such as While Mountains , IronWoods ,Silver Bell Mountains, Arizona, Tucson Mountains, Sedona, Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California. This modest drama/action/Western picture was professionally and firmly directed by George Sherman , though slowly filmed, at times, I miss more action and shots, but it also has pursuits and impressive finale duel . The movie was a collaboration between Eugene B. Rodney Productions and Columbia Pictures , supported by the prestigious craftsman fimmaker Sherman . And screenplay by prestigious Winston Miller , based on a story titled "Three Were Thoroughbreds" by Kenneth Perkins . The motion picture was competently directed by George Sherman in B-style , though it has some flaws . Entertainment , atmosphere , action and excitement surge along with the tale under the hand of a good filmmaker George Sherman , who is clearly more at home with the thrilling scenes than with somewhat excessively talking storyline . Sherman made reliable low-budget fare for Columbia between 1945-48, then moved on to do the same at Universal for another eight years , where he directed ¨War Arrow¨ . Sherman specialized almost exclusively in "B" westerns there , including the "Three Musketeers" series, which featured a young John Wayne. George directed lots of Westerns as ¨The Last of the Fast Guns¨ , ¨The Lone Hand¨, ¨Santa Fe stampede¨ , ¨Red skin¨ , ¨Chief Crazy Horse¨ ¨Calamity Jane¨, ¨Relentless¨ , ¨Comanche Territory¨ , ¨Dawn at Socorro¨, ¨Border River¨ and many others . He also made occasional forays into action and horror themes, often achieving a sense of style over substance . The only "A"-grade films to his credit were two westerns starring John Wayne: ¨Comancheros¨ (1961) (as producer) and ¨The big Jack¨ (1971) . His last films were realized in Spain as "Find That Girl" , ¨The new Cinderella¨ and ¨Joaquin Murrieta¨. Rating : 6.5/10 . Acceptable and passable Western . Well worth watching.