Vagabondo a cavallo

An excellent Western. Joel McCrea delivers a fine performance as is usual for this gifted actor. The story moves well, and the supporting cast does a fine job. If you haven't seen it, and love Westerns, by all means don't let this one slide by.

A vagabond cowboy suddenly finds himself taking care of four orphaned boys. The Technicolor cinematography is pleasing and the film is entertaining enough, but is letdown by the routine script that contains a fair amount of corn. McCrea displays his usual easy-going charm in the title role. Hendrix is a runaway teenager who also ends up with the orphaned boys. Although they are not shown getting intimate, it is somewhat creepy seeing McCrea getting romantically involved with Hendrix, who was half his age at the time of the film. The good supporting cast features McIntyre as a grumpy rancher and Nolan as his understanding wife.

Joel McCrea is riding along, figuring he'll follow the wild geese to California. First though, he drops in on his brother, who promptly dies, leaving McCrea to deal with his four orphaned sons. He totes them along, hides them while he gets a job with kid-hating John McIntire, and gets caught in subplots involving McIntire's cattle-rustling neighbor, Antonio Moreno, and runaway Wanda Hendrix.

Hugo Fregonese directs this with a rather heavy hand, making sure that the audience is aware of the subtext, and this extends into the various questions and mysteries that the plot concerns itself with, and the heavy-handed musical stings to indicate the jokes. Still, there is some startling original landscape photography by Charles P. Boyle, and Russell Simpson, an inveterate marker of A westerns since he appeared in Demille's THE VIRGINIAN in 1914.

A cowboy , the drifter Saddle Tramp : Joel McCrea as a hobo on horseback , unexpectedly becomes a foster father to 4 children for whom he provides food by taking it from a rancho where he is working . The ranch owner , John McIntire married to Jeanette Nolan as fiction as in real life , is embroiled in a feud with another land baron , Antonio Moreno , and cattle rustlers.

Decent Western with a Family story , but also contains thrills , action , crossfire and cattle rustling. This well made Oater is competently directed , including appropriate settings , atmospheric exteriores and action enough . Joel McCrea provides a nice acting as the Saddle Tramp who reluctantly becomes involved with a large family , their problems and along the way becoming a foster parent . Veteran film cowboy McCrea played lots of Westerns , such as : The Young Rounders , Cry Blood Apache , Wichita town , Fort Massacre , Gunfight At Dodge City , Cattle Empire , The Tall Stranger , Trooper Hook , Oklahoman , The First Texan , Wichita , Black Horse Canyon , Border River , The Lone Hand , Cattle Drive , The Outriders , Colorado Territory. Being one of his last films , and cinematic testament, the notorious "Ride the High County" by Sam Peckinpah. But also Joel McCrea got hits in other genres as Adventures : The most dangerous Game , Comedy : Sullivan's Travels by Preston Sturges and Intrigue : Foreign Correspondent by Alfred Hitchcock . Support cast is full of attractive roles including Wanda Hendrix as his youngest love interest , John Russell , the always likeable Russell Simpson , John McIntire , his wife Jeannete Nolan , Ed Begley , Paul Picerni , Jimmy Hunt , John Ridgely , and previous silent ídol screen Antonio Moreno .

It packs a colorful and glimmer cinematography by Charles P. Boyle , shot on location in Placerita , Canyon Road , Newhall, Iverson Ranch , Los Angeles , California . Thrilling and evocative Musical Score by ordinary Musicians from Universal International Picture : Herman Stein , Henry Mancini , William Lava . Compellingly produced by Leonard Goldstein for Universal International Picture . And adequate screenplay by Harold Shumate based on his own story . The motion picture was well directed by Argentinean filmmaker Hugo Fregonese . He offers a professional direction adding cool characterisations . Hugo Fregonese similar to Saddle Tramp's starring was a drifter who worked in a lot of countries . His films shot in Argentina were Hardly a Criminal, De Hombre a Hombre , Where words fall, Pampa Barbara and its remake Pampa Salvaje . Eventually , he filmed in Hollywood : One Way Street with James Mason , Blowing Wild with Gary Cooper , Harry Black and the Tiger with Stewart Granger, The Mark of Renegade , My 6 Convicts , The King's Thief , The Raid , Man in the Attic , Apache Drums . Then he shot in Europe : Germany , Spain , Italy , various movies as Old Shatterland , Dracuka Vs Frankenstein , Doctor Mabuse , Más Allá Del Sol, Marco Polo , La Spada Imbattible . Eventally he went back Argentina and shot his last movies . Rating 6.5/10 . Well Worth Watching . The movie will apela to Joel McCrea fans

Fun for the whole family! One of my favorite Joel McCrae movies! Great western! Great family movie! I wish Hollywood made more family movies like Saddle Tramp today.