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L'appât

Original title: The Naked Spur
  • 1953
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
13K
YOUR RATING
L'appât (1953)
Theatrical Trailer from MGM
Play trailer2:44
1 Video
55 Photos
Classical WesternPsychological DramaPsychological ThrillerDramaThrillerWestern

A bounty hunter trying to bring a murderer to justice is forced to accept the help of two less-than-trustworthy strangers.A bounty hunter trying to bring a murderer to justice is forced to accept the help of two less-than-trustworthy strangers.A bounty hunter trying to bring a murderer to justice is forced to accept the help of two less-than-trustworthy strangers.

  • Director
    • Anthony Mann
  • Writers
    • Sam Rolfe
    • Harold Jack Bloom
  • Stars
    • James Stewart
    • Janet Leigh
    • Robert Ryan
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    13K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Anthony Mann
    • Writers
      • Sam Rolfe
      • Harold Jack Bloom
    • Stars
      • James Stewart
      • Janet Leigh
      • Robert Ryan
    • 113User reviews
    • 61Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    The Naked Spur
    Trailer 2:44
    The Naked Spur

    Photos55

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    Top cast5

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    James Stewart
    James Stewart
    • Howard Kemp
    Janet Leigh
    Janet Leigh
    • Lina Patch
    Robert Ryan
    Robert Ryan
    • Ben Vandergroat
    Ralph Meeker
    Ralph Meeker
    • Roy Anderson
    Millard Mitchell
    Millard Mitchell
    • Jesse Tate
    • Director
      • Anthony Mann
    • Writers
      • Sam Rolfe
      • Harold Jack Bloom
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews113

    7.313.4K
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    Featured reviews

    7ma-cortes

    Brilliant and taut Western with wonderful use of locations and top-of-the-range cast

    An awesome rugged Western masterfully directed by Anthony Mann including his ordinary star, James Stewart . A bounty hunter called Howard Kemp (James Stewart) trying to bring a murderer to justice is forced to accept the help of two less-than-trustworthy strangers (Millard Mitchell , Ralph Meeker) . As he tracks down a vicious and cunning outlaw called Ben Vandergroat (Robert Ryan) accompanied by his gorgeous sweetheart (Janet Leigh) . The ordinary dramatic framework about three men attempting to bring another back to justice is compellingly maintained . Entertainment and excitement increases until a surprising climax .

    This exciting Western contains tension-filled , juicy atmosphere , thrills , suspense , gun-play and an impressive final on a high cliff which was one of filmmaker Mann's best moments . Magnificent western from the Anthony Mann/James Stewart team and their third collaboration and considered one of their best . Colour , music , scenarios , landscapes all marks well in this thrilling story about a compulsive bounty hunter who deals with four different roles . It describes a long journey in which there are extreme characters combined with psychological observations and enriched by eventual ambiguity and a tense picture about dishonesty and badness . This particular Western only starred by 5 characters contains an interesting screenplay by Sam Rolfe and being nominated for an Academy Award . By that time (1953) the picture was considered quite strong , tough , surprisingly violent and brutal ; today is deemed a classic film . And seems to be a great influence of wide range such as violence and scenarios . Filmed in Cinemascope in colorful cinematography by William Mellor ; Anthony Mann gets to take from nature the maximum impacts as rivers , valleys , mountains , being wonderfully photographed . Breathtaking background scenarios , dramatic close-up along with shining illuminations , all of them perfectly mingled with a tale full of violence , tension , intrigue and shoot'em up . When this film was released in Spain, its title was changed to "Colorado Jim" and the name of 'James Stewart's character was also changed from "Howard Kemp" to "Colorado Jim", for unknown reasons . The filming took place on location in Durango, Colorado , Rocky Mountains, Colorado, San Juan Mountains, Colorado, and Lone Pine, California . Nedless to say , the main and secondary cast is first-class . Top-of-the-range acting by the great James Stewart as a lone bounty hunter obsessed with hunting down the outlaw . There are top-notch acting from old-stagers as Millard Mitchell playing an aging prospector , as well as from Ralph Meeker as an ex-soldier and special mention to Robert Ryan as a leering killer . And delicate Janet Leigh , pretty much deglamourised here and sporting a new cropped haircut . Emotive as well as thrilling musical score performed by Bronislau Kaper .

    This top-drawer Western was stunningly realized by the master Anthony Mann , infusing the traditional Western with psychological confusion , including his characteristic use of landscape with marvelous use of Rockies Mountains which is visually memorable . Mann established his forte with magnificent Western almost always with James Stewart . In his beginnings he made ambitious but short-lived quality low-budget surroundings of Eagle-Lion production as ¨T-men¨ , ¨They walked by night¨ , ¨Raw deal¨ , ¨Railroaded¨ and ¨Desperate¨ . Later on , he made various Western , remarkably good , masterpieces such as ¨The furies¨ , ¨Devil's doorway¨ and ¨Man of the West¨ and several with his habitual star , James Stewart, as ¨Winchester 73¨ , ¨Bend the river¨ , ¨The far country¨ , ¨Man of the West ¨. They are characterized by roles whose determination to stick to their guns would take them to the limits of their endurance . Others in this throughly enjoyable series include ¨Tin star ¨ that is probably one of the best Western in the fifties and sixties . After the mid-50 , Mann's successes came less frequently , though directed another good Western with Victor Mature titled ¨The last frontier¨. And of course ¨Naker spur ¨ that turns out to be stylish , fast paced , solid , meticulous , with enjoyable look , and most powerful and well-considered . This well acted movie is gripping every step of the way . It results to be a splendid western and remains consistently agreeable . Rating : Above average , the result is a magnificent Western . Well worth watching and it will appeal to James Stewart fans .
    8Doylenf

    Taut, rugged western...grinning Ryan steals the show...

    I never realized what a scene-stealer ROBERT RYAN could be until I saw THE NAKED SPUR. Although JAMES STEWART is the nominal big name star, it's Ryan's charming, snake-like villain who dominates this rugged western despite strong performances from the entire cast. He obviously relishes his role and is a joy to watch.

    This is more a character study of a group of desperate losers than your average shoot 'em up western and Anthony Mann has directed it with the focus on the strong clashes between each one of them. RALPH MEEKER does an outstanding job as a war deserter who is both a help and a hindrance to the group as they seek to return outlaw Ryan to Kansas so justice can prevail. Stewart's character is given strong motivation for his deeds but Janet Leigh, as the outlaw's girlfriend, has a role that is not plausibly explained.

    Photographed in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, it's a rugged kind of technicolor western that gives all of the performers physically demanding roles--and all of them are more than up to it.

    Stewart, Leigh, Mitchell and Meeker are all superb--but it's Robert Ryan's devious villain that will linger longest in the memory.
    8bkoganbing

    Four Men And A Girl on the Trail

    The Naked Spur is another fine western put together by the team of Director Anthony Mann and player James Stewart. Spectacular location photography in the Rocky Mountains lend a ring of authenticity to the story.

    That story being Stewart as a bounty hunter on the trail of outlaw/killer Robert Ryan who has a girl a long with him in the attractive form of Janet Leigh. Getting Ryan proves too much so he has to enlist the aid of prospector Millard Mitchell and army deserter Ralph Meeker.

    Getting Ryan and Leigh back to collect the reward makes up the bulk of the film. Ryan is one evil, but very sly rogue as he works to turn the men against each other. His is the best performance in a small cast of seasoned performers each of one is fine in his/her part.

    The final shoot out is a really well done climax of the story. Alliances shift and not everyone is among the living when the film is over. In fact the title of the picture gives a hint of how James Stewart uses a spur in a unique manner against Ryan.

    For fans of westerns and I think non-western fans will find the drama and interaction among the characters entertaining.
    7Fella_shibby

    A different western with a weak climax.

    I saw this for the first time recently.

    The plot in short n without any spoilers - A man with a tragic past becomes a bounty hunter to catch a cunning murderer so that he can buy back his land via the bounty reward. Unwillingly he partners with two fellas, one an ex soldier who is discharged dishonorably n the other an old fella looking for gold mine. The trio manages to catch the murderer but on the trail the cunning wanted murderer wages a continous psychological game to turn his captors against each other by various means.

    This is no doubt a very different western which started off very engrossing, specially the psychological duel n the journey but somehow towards the end it felt a bit odd.

    The girl suddenly changes her mind, the soldiers' fate in the end was uncalled for n what was the need for digging a grave for a murderer n where will the couple live if the man is broke n without a house.

    Still i am generous with a 7 cos of the performances n cinematography.
    8Mickey-2

    A western focusing on character development rather that simple bang, bang.

    James Stewart and Anthony Mann worked together on several films during the 1950's, and this film, "The Naked Spur", represents a very satisfying effort, pooling the collective talents of a great star with a renowned director and letting a story tell itself on film.

    There is very little action in the sense of a normal western, no shootouts in the streets, no bar-room brawls, no breakouts from the jail, or even a bank robbery. There is no town, period; the film was made outdoors in Colorado, and the scenery simply enhances and enriches the plot of the film.

    Basically, James Stewart plays a bounty hunter, Howard Kemp, who has a chance to catch a major outlaw, Ben Vandergroat portrayed by Robert Ryan. To Kemp, capturing the outlaw represents a chance to make something of himself, start over, with no ties to the former failures he has met. Along the way, he bumps into a weather-beaten prospector, Jesse, played by veteran Milliard Mitchell, and a deserter from the army, played by Ralph Meeker. Ryan has a traveling companion, Lina, (Janet Leigh), and when Ben is captured, she does make efforts to free him, thus causing Stewart's character all sorts of grief and anguish. Ryan, in a starkly brilliant performance, also attempts to create chances to escape.

    In watching the film develop, one has to wonder if Kemp will ultimately, due to his hardened nature, surrender Ben to the authorities, or will he simply let the outlaw go, and try to make a fresh start elsewhere. The answer comes at the side of a roaring river set between a rocky gorge. A very unique film, and one that deserves a watch by western fans.

    Related interests

    Gary Cooper in Le train sifflera trois fois (1952)
    Classical Western
    Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
    Psychological Drama
    Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl (2014)
    Psychological Thriller
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller
    John Wayne and Harry Carey Jr. in La Prisonnière du désert (1956)
    Western

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The last Millard Mitchell film released in the U.S. before his death from lung cancer at age 50 on October 13, 1953. His final film, Il y aura toujours des femmes (1953), was released in London on August 14, 1953; however, it wasn't released in the U.S. until nine days after his death.
    • Goofs
      When Howard and Jesse meet Lieutenant Roy Anderson for the first time, Howard asks for his discharge papers, which states he has a dishonorable discharge. Officers do not receive dishonorable discharges; an officer found guilty in a court martial receives a dismissal. Otherwise, they may retire or resign their commissions.
    • Quotes

      Ben Vandergroat: Choosin' a way to die? What's the difference? Choosin' a way to live - that's the hard part.

    • Connections
      Featured in Century of Cinema: Un voyage avec Martin Scorsese à travers le cinéma américain (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Beautiful Dreamer
      (uncredited)

      Composed by Stephen Foster (1864)

      Instrumental version integrated into soundtrack

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    FAQ18

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • October 2, 1953 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El precio de un hombre
    • Filming locations
      • Lone Pine, California, USA(Only Colorado is credited as a filming location!)
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $1,261,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 31m(91 min)
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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