L'Ange et le Mauvais Garçon

John Wayne got to kiss a score of pretty ladies on screen, but his romance with Gail Russell as Penelope, the "Angel" in this story, shows the best screen chemistry I can recall. Wayne is the "Badman" Quirt Evans meaning that he settles a lot of arguments with guns a'blazin'.

He's used to fast draws, fast women, booze, bar fights, and so on. Penelope is a gentle Quaker woman living in the wilderness of the Old West. She and her parents model their lives on the teachings of scripture, especially the "Love your neighbor" ideal. Quirt gets shot in one of his many battles with gun wielding black hat bad guys; Penelope's family takes him in and nurses him back to health; during which time Quirt and Penelope get a look at each other with the obvious chemical reaction. Her sweet and vulnerable demeanor mixes splendidly with his gruff but awkwardly gentle persona.

When Wayne's nemesis Laredo (Bruce Cabot) shows up, Wayne is faced with the conflict of adapting the peaceful ways of Penelope, or reverting to his violent shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later lifestyle. Wayne's inner conflict to change his outlook on life is illustrated well, a great performance for the Duke. This all goes on under the watchful eye of the Marshall (Harry Carey), who serves as not only a foil for Wayne constantly threatening him, but almost like a self-appointed guardian who sees Quirt's potential for good, trying to steer him toward the light. Carey's humor, and good spirit plays off Wayne perfectly.

The film builds to a brilliant finish, with Quirt forced to choose between peace or violence once and for all. One of my favorite westerns. Great cast, great story.

Very different John Wayne film. A romantic western, if you will. Wayne plays notorious gunslinger Quirt Evans, who is wounded and nursed back to health by a Quaker family. The sweet and innocent daughter, Penelope (Gail Russell), falls in love with Quirt. But the gunfighter's got some bad guys to deal with, chiefly an hombre named Laredo (Bruce Cabot). Quirt will have to choose between his way and the Quaker way, which means choosing Penelope or the gun.

John Wayne is really good in this one. He's a very underrated actor that is often slighted by people that don't like the man, usually because they don't like his politics or something along those lines. But he was actually a very good actor who brought depth to most of the characters he played. Here he gets to show his softer side and it's one of his best performances from the '40s. Gail Russell is young and very pretty here. She does a great job in one of her two best-known films (the other being The Uninvited). Russell and Wayne have terrific chemistry. It's sad how her life turned out as she had the potential to be one of the greats. Harry Carey, Sr. plays a grizzled old marshal dubious of whether Quirt can change. As was often the case, he stands out above the pack. An excellent actor who could say more with a smile or a look than most could with a page of dialogue.

Amusingly there are characters in this movie named Hondo and McClintock, both names for future Wayne characters. It's a charming and enjoyable western that fans of the Duke will love but also I think people who don't normally like westerns can enjoy.

Angel and the Badman (1947) is a movie that I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a wounded outlaw that is picked up by a Quaker family and nursed to health. While in their care the outlaw falls in love with the daughter and hears their persistent message about non violence. When two outlaws arrive in town looking for him he will need to choose if he can follow the Quaker lifestyle or will need to revert to his old ways.

This movie is written and directed by James Edward Grant (Ring of Fear) and stars John Wayne (Hondo), Gail Russell (The Uninvited), Bruce Cabot (King Kong), Marshall Reed (Mysterious Island) and Harry Carey (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington).

The characters in this are very entertaining as is their evolution as the movie unfolds. Wayne and Russell deliver entertaining performances. The opening sped up horse riding scene gave me a chuckle and reminded me of this technique used at the time. The dialogue is very good and the religious content was fascinating, especially for when this movie was made. The settings and situations were fun. I will say the film had less action and was slower than I anticipated, but the twist shootout at the end was clever and entertaining.

Overall, this isn't the best western you'll ever see but it is unique and worth watching once. I'd score this a 7/10.

John Wayne's performance in this film is one of my favorites from his long (if not exceptionally versatile) career. As an embittered gunslinger groping his way toward love and redemption, he makes the character's inner growth apparent by not allowing it to come to the surface except in neatly timed glance, frowns and smiles. The cool detachment of his character reminds us that he is really more dangerous than the young Penny (Gail Russell) perceives, and more thoughtful than those who know him as a gunfighter understand.

As dramatic action film, the film is well paced, and glows with considerable polish throughout. The production team is that of John Ford's of the time, and they are in top form here. Writer-director Grant (another Ford insider) has given us an excellent script and able direction.

The film was produced by John Wayne himself, who knew a good story, and who here allows us an odd insight into his personal politics - which were far more complicated than his right-wing fans or left-wing detractors ever understood. In the wake of the Second World War (and we all remember Wayne's war films), Wayne here produced one of the best defenses of religion-based pacifism on film. It should be remembered that during the First World War, Woodrow Wilson had pacifists jailed; in a little known incident in Wyoming Army recruiters dragged several Amish into jail and beat them brutally - several died. If I had to choose between Woodrow Wilson and John Wayne for president, I'd vote for Wayne.

Angel and the Badman speaks well of Wayne's conscience, and reminds us that, in his own rough way, he could respect the honest consciences of others. Whatever else we think of him, let us remember that he was a man who deserved - and gave - respect. This is, over all, the most respectful film he ever made, giving us his most respectable performance.

A famous gunfighter (John Wayne) is wounded in crossfire and a quaker family cares him and heals . During recuperation the daughter named Penelope Worth (Gail Russell) has a romance and falls in love for him . She eventually humanizing the gunslinger . And he has to choose between his violent world or the pacifist existence in which Penelope Worth lives . Meanwhile , he'll have to confront a malicious ringleader (Bruce Cabot) and his henchmen .

This well-handled production is a thoughtful Western but with average budget . By time this western was popular with the public . The film has rider pursuits , stampedes , shootouts , struggles and an agreeable love story . John Wayne gives one of the best interpretations of his long career . Bruce Cabot as Wayne's friend has an important and well featured role , he's habitual in his films . Gail Russell shined in the role as Penelope and provided a great acting . Rare and enjoyable beauty , she was to be groomed one of Paramout's top stars , but the alcohol took her and she was found dead and it attributed to the drinking . Gail was only 36 years old . Had it not been for the alcohol , Gail's career could have been one of the biggest . Besides , there appears Harry Carey Sr. as a tough sheriff , Carey was a veteran actor who played numerous Western . The motion picture is finely directed by the Wayne's usual screenwriter named James Edward Grant . There's also a lousy version in computer-colored . The flick will appeal to John Wayne fans and Western moviegoers . Rating : Nice and well worth watching .