L'assedio di fuoco

This exciting picture tells the story of a upright stagecoach guard called Larry Delong (Randolph Scott) . Larry tries to warn a town of an imminent raid by a band of outlaws and the townsfolk mistake him for one of the band . But Delong has sworn revenge and detain to undercover the real outlaws . Delong is besieged by Sheriff Tub Murphy (Wayne Morris) , deputies and other villagers and no one in town is willing to help him . In the Old west there are always the men who live breathe violence and the women who hold their breath .

This undemanding western is plenty of suspense as the dreaded final showdown approaches and the protagonist realizes he must stand alone against impossible odds as his fellow town people for help , nobody is willing to help him but they pursue him , while he attempts to clear his name as wrongfully accused of robber and murder . This passable tale is almost rudimentary though full of clichés , a good guy come to narration is almost adjusted in real time from the starring arrives in the little town until the ending confrontation and is given a limited time to resolve the accusation as stealer and murderer . The highlights of the film are the facing off between Scott and his enemies and the climatic showdown on the final . Phenomenal and great role for Randolph Scott as tough guy , he's the whole show , he plays a stagecoach guard seeking to clear his reputation . He gives a perfect acting as stoic , craggy, and uncompromising figure . Good support cast , such as Wayne Morris , Joan Weldon , Joe Sawyer , Frank Ferguson , James Bell , uncredited Dub Taylor and Charles Bronson as Charles Buchinsky , many of them usual in Western . Although made in short budget by the producer Ted Sherdeman , it is a enough efficient film and very entertaining . The picture contains an excellent cinematography by Bert Glennon -John Ford's usual photographer- and appropriate musical score by David Buttolph .

This typical Western was professionally directed by Andre De Toth . At his beginnings he entered the Hungarian film industry, obtaining work as a writer, editor , second unit director and actor before finally becoming a director. He directed a few films just before the outbreak of WW II, when he fled to England . Alexander Korda gave him a job there, and when De Toth emigrated to the US in 1942 , Korda got him a job as a second unit director on Jungle Book (1942) . Andre De Toth was a classical director , Western usual (Indian fighter, Man in the saddle, Ramrod , Last of Comanches , The stranger wore a gun), but also made Peplum (Gold for the Caesar) and adventure (The Mongols , Morgan the pirate , Tanganyika) . Probably his best known film is House of wax (1953), a Vincent Price horror film shot in 3D .

"Riding Shotgun" is a very entertaining western, were only they all so good. It boasts an unusual story and pacing: 80 percent of the movie takes place between a bloody stagecoach robbery in the beginning of the movie and a violent casino robbery at the conclusion of the movie. During this 80 percent middle period, Scott is alone in town trying to convince the elders to recall the sheriff and posse which have gone after the stage robbers, who Scott knows robbed the stage to draw the sheriff-posse out of town so they could more easily rob the casino. And the townsfolk think Scott is part of the gang of stage robbers and wants the sheriff-posse recalled to protect the gang. So what we have is this intriguing story, rugged handsome Scott, good color photography, some humor supplied mainly by deputy sheriff Wayne Morris and cantina-owner Fritz Feld, an interesting/wacky group of townsfolk (in varied dress,looks and demeanor ), beautiful Joan Weldon, and Scott's narration. Unfortunately the ending doesn't live up to the delicious intro, but the ride was most enjoyable. And nice fade-out.

This well acted movie is better than many of the so-called "A" westerns of the period. It has humor, drama, good dialogue, and a good story. Unlike, "High Noon" to which it has been compared in a previous review, it is more believable and less melodramatic. Randolph Scott, as usual, is in peak form and Wayne Morris is very effective as the easy going deputy. He has always been a favorite of mine because of his pleasant personality and natural acting style.

The action is fast paced even though most of it take place within the town. Joe Sawyer and the other veteran stars are convincing and the story line is original. This a film that I can watch repeatedly because it really entertaining. I only wish that today's writers, and directors could or would turn out movies of this caliber with actors who act and look like real frontiersmen.

Seeing "Riding Shotgun" again after half a century is a welcome reminder of the peak that the western film of the fifties achieved.

Director De Toth, who actually had ranch experience despite his Hungarian origins,obviously took great satisfaction in finding such a variety of effective angles and pieces of western imagery to present what is a well constructed story. When our weathered hero has to shoot out the candle in Fritz Feld's "dirty little cantina" it not only provides a chance for master cameramen Bert Glennon ("Stagecoach") to do an effective light change but it also gives us a couple of reels of the disturbing image of the blackened door-way that no one in the town is game to enter, not sure if Randy is dead or not.

The film making is better than most of the bigger pictures could muster.

The Warner western street re-dressed. Interesting cast - Joe Sawer in a non comedy role, punching it out with Scott, Charlie Bronson getting started, Millican in his best part - are those Frank Ferguson, Cesare Gravina and Bob Steele in uncredited walk-ons?

Pretension free, work like the Scott-De Toth series made going to the movies a rewarding, addictive habit.

"Riding shotgun" begins interestingly enough with voiceover by Randolph Scott. That is fair enough and what I would expect from the lead, as he manages to free himself from being tied down by a very young Charles Bronson, who plays Pinto, a robber cum murderer who owes very little to intelligence and not only does a poor job of tying up the fearsome gunhand but actually leaves Scott's gun and horse nearby. That is not all, another dimwit in the group also drops the Derringer that is used as bait for the evil Marady (reliably played by James Millican) to entrap Scott.

Confusing enough? Not as confusing as comparing this modest Western with HIGH NOON, a masterpiece on many levels, including an incisive attack on HUAC and McCarthyism.

That said, I found it confusing, if not downright exasperating, to see Scott decide to stay in a barroom while the town's residents plan to lynch him, fire shots at him, goad the deputy sheriff Tub Murphy (the Christian name Tub fits, he spends most of the film eating) into doing something about Scott while Marady and Pinto proceed to rob the local bank. The barroom owner is understandably peeved that his prized mirror might be shattered by bullets, as Scott fires one to kill the flame of a candle giving away his position. All of that makes for a mid-section with many different faces, and not much of a connecting thread, but the ending is great with Scott suddenly taking the limelight again and making sure that the robbers will not be able to use their horses to flee. Even poor dumb Pinto gets his due while trying to mount, and Marady's good luck piece changes hands!

Good fun, decent direction by the ever predictable and steadfast André de Toth. OK photography and script... for a B Western.