Il complice segreto

The Lone Hand is a western with a twist to it. We've seen many films from a child's perspective but usually from a distance. In fact one of Joel McCrea's best films Stars In My Crown is narrated by Marshall Thompson as a grownup Dean Stockwell. But here we have Jimmy Hunt playing Joel McCrea's son narrating as well registering all the child's conflicting emotions about an idealized father who is not living up to his expectations. And Hunt registers those emotions well.

McCrea who's a widower and his son Jimmy Hunt arrive in a new place, one that's been at the mercy of an outlaw gang that no one can catch. On the day McCrea arrives in town and purchases land for a farm, the sheriff is killed by these outlaws.

Still McCrea goes ahead with his plans starts working his land and even takes a beautiful bride in Barbara Hale. But soon enough a very curious Hunt sees his father consorting with outlaws and participating in their crimes. It's all pretty traumatic.

I won't say more other than you know McCrea is a good guy. Joel McCrea was probably the noblest of all cowboy heroes and noble in other genres as well. He could never be a bad guy, in fact he wouldn't hear of being cast any other way in his career.

As for Jimmy Hunt this situation is also parallel to that classic science fiction film he starred in, Invaders From Mars where the young boy sees his parents betraying his ideals because they're under the control of the Martians. And these films probably represent Jimmy Hunt's career roles.

Good roles they are too.

I have not seen much of George Sherman's directorial work, but I liked his film, REPRISAL (1956), and now I have enjoyed THE LONE HAND (1953) with the ever humble and reliable Joel McCrea pulling quite a stunt, after misleading everyone for some three quarters of this flick.

Good to see Barbara Hale away from Raymond Burr's gay clutches in PERRY MASON - but then that famous TV series would start only in 1957. Hale certainly looks good and, above all, trustworthy and in love with Joel.

Jimmy Hunt plays McCrea's son and his is the voiceover, going from happy son who loves his father to disdainful of the same for joining the criminal gang operating in the area.

Strong cinematography by Maury Gertsman. Worth a watch 7/10.

A good Western movie. Excellent acting especially by Barbara Hale and Jimmy Hunt. No one knows that Joel McCrea is working undercover. His son (Jimmy Hunt) believes he is an outlaw and so does his bride (Barbara Hale). Lots of action and twists and turns.

A solid western with a twist told from a child's POV. James Aeneas from gun smoke fame and the dependable Joel Mccrae deliver sublime performances with Barbara hale a la Perry mason adds her appearance as Joel's love interest.

It may be a B-Western, but Universal popped for some of the best scenery (southwestern Colorado) found in any Western, A or B. I really liked the story's first part, dealing with topics seldom found in any oater—like raising money to buy a farm, horses, a wagon, plus making a home without a woman. In other words, elements of real frontier life too unexciting for most horse operas. But then the plot turns into more conventional cops and robbers, which is okay but hardly memorable.

Telling the story from the boy's point of view is a helpful touch—that way we understand the changes he and his dad are going through. Little Jimmy Hunt is excellent as young Joshua, looking like a real kid instead of a Hollywood charmer. And of course there's McCrea. No cowboy actor gave off an air of quiet nobility better than this underrated actor. Always low-key, he never swaggered like many of his peers or called undue attention to his character. Yet he could exert a quietly persuasive authority when necessary, made more effective by that low-key background. In my little book, he's one of the best of all cowboy actors.

Anyway, it's a good little Western distinguished by the stunning, well-photographed alpine scenery.