A Árvore dos Enforcados

Little known, this Western gem has not attracted the attention or appreciation it deserves. Gary Cooper's Doc Frail is to me the most interesting of his Western heroes, much more complex than the Will Kane of "High Noon." He is a man of sharp contrast, kind but domineering, compassionate but unyielding, a healer but a killer, strong but at the same time frail. He draws people towards him, only to keep them at a distance when they get too close because of a tragic incident in his past, one he can neither forget nor allow to ever happen again. He is a vagabond, moving from gold camp to gold camp to set up his services as a doctor, without hope of ever settling down. Into his life come two key figures bound to change it. One is Rune, a young thief whom he rescues from the hanging tree, and they are bonded together. The other is Elizabeth, a young woman from Switzerland who has come with her father to find a new life in the gold camps. After a stagecoach accident, Doc Frail must cure her, both body and spirit, and she loves him for it, a love he cannot accept. He would send her back to her country; she stubbornly refuses and eventually partners in a gold claim with Frenchy (played by the marvelous Karl Malden), a man with lust in his heart for both gold and women. The emphasis on character lifts this film above the realm of the ordinary. Add to that a memorable title song sung by Marty Robbins, an appealing music score by Max Steiner, a no-nonsense script based on a story by Dorothy Johnson and on location filming in the mountains outside of Yakima, Washington, and what you have is one really fine Western.

Hanging Tree, The (1959)

*** (out of 4)

Underrated Western about a doctor (Gary Cooper) with a mysterious past who saves a criminal (Karl Swenson) from being hanged. Later the doctor begins to care for a woman (Maria Schell) whose father was killed in a stagecoach robbery, which also left her badly burned and blind. As the doctor and the woman become closer there are a few in town who begin to think they're up to no good. There's a lot more going on in this Western and it's certainly unlike many that were being made around this period because if you're expecting some sort of shoot 'em up then you're going to be disappointed. I'd have no problem recommending this film to people but at the same time there's no question that it's not going to be for everyone. Those who do appreciate its laid back nature and the more plot-driven device should end up having a good time with it. You also have a terrific cast delivers some very good performances with Cooper leading the way. Around this time James Stewart was showing off his dark side with various Alfred Hitchcock films and it seems Cooper wanted to show off he could do the same thing. The funny thing is that the screenplay allows him to show a dark and good side, which might seem like a cop out but it really isn't. There's an early scene where a poor family brings their sick daughter and the only reason she's sick is because of a lack of food. The tenderness Cooper shows during this scene is why everyone loves him. Then, later in the film, the darkness he shows when his past comes back to him is perfectly handled by the actor. Schell and Swenson are both very good in their roles and play well against Cooper. The supporting cast features Karl Malden playing a pervert who begins to have certain sexual feelings towards the girl. George C. Scott appears in a few scenes playing a drunken Christian who believes Cooper is the devil due to his medicine. The film works on a lot of levels and there's no question a large portion of the film is dedicated to the love story but this works as well. I really enjoyed how the screenplay mixed everything together because we get the love story, the gold rush action and then the character development, which leads up to an action-packed ending and a rather nice finish to things. The film contains some very good cinematography and the color picks up every terrific location shot. THE HANGING TREE has gotten a good sized cult following over the past several years and it's easy to see why as it features the great performances as well as a story that isn't typical told in the genre from this period.

This movie should be right up there with "High Noon", "The Searchers", "The Magnificent Seven", and other classic westerns. The cinematography and fantastic outdoor location alone make it a must see. Gary Cooper plays a gun-toting frontier doctor, with a mysterious past, Maria Schell, a determined immigrant, who becomes his patient. Karl Malden, a ruthless miner, who becomes her partner. The supporting cast is excellent, including a very slender young actor by the name of George C. Scott, whose performance is compelling. This is one of Cooper's last movies, and one of his best. I'm not really sure why, but this movie has not been enjoyed as much as it should, or received the praise it deserves. If you're a fan of the genre, and you have not seen this movie, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Travelers pass by the Hanging Tree on the Gold Trail in Montana, 1873. Joseph Frail (Gary Cooper) arrives at the small gold mining town of Skull Creek, Montana. He buys a home from an old prospector eager to sell. He treats Rune for a suspicious bullet wound. Frenchy Plante (Karl Malden) is a slimy local. George Grubb (George C. Scott) is a bitter drunken faith healer. Frail is a card-playing, hard-hitting, gun-slinging doctor with a dark history and a heart of gold. A stagecoach is attacked. The posse finds passenger Elizabeth Mahler barely alive and blinded.

It's an interesting western for the most part. I'm conflicted with the third act. I like some of it. I like the idea of Frail and Elizabeth. I don't see how Elizabeth would partner up with Frenchy with his slimy nature. Going wild is highly ill-conceived which is exactly why no one should partner up with Frenchy. If I hit the jackpot in that place, I would try to hide it for as long as possible and arm up. Still, I like a lot of the premise with Frail and Elizabeth. It's a good western.

"High Noon", move over. "The Hanging Tree", in my estimation, is by far the better picture. The story, characterizations, acting, and musical score put this movie in the class of "Shane", "The Big Country", and "The Magnificent Seven". Cooper portrays Dr. Joe Frail as only he can. He is perfectly cast as a man with "frail hope" and, yet, has the strength and caring to help and protect others. As others have commented, this film is not even available new in vhs format, let alone dvd. The last time I checked The Western Channel and Turner Classic Movies it was not scheduled for viewing.

If you want to enjoy a realistic story and superb acting from a great cast I recommend the "Hanging Tree."