Dix hommes à abattre

This is just pure mindless Western fun. It has some big stars, including the most fun Western actor of all time, Randoph Scott. You always had to like him, even when he plays a...well, a jerk, like in this film. His character is, frankly, something that rhymes with glass hole. But he manages to pull it off with the aplomb that very few could do (Cary Grant, Morgan Freeman, people like that). There are supposedly ten wanted men, but don't go looking for them. They're never explained, but the title insinuates that these are the thugs hired by bad guy Richard Boone, who plays more of a moneybags bad guy than his usual rough neck. Still, he has a lot of guts, even trying to face down the ten wanted men at one point. The action and gun play, along with some big name stars, make this an enjoyable movie. The plot is very thin and basic. So if you're looking for depth, this isn't the time to watch the movie. It's just plain old fashioned Western fun. Not Scott's best, but has quality action.

Exceptionally fine cast from top to bottom, from Boone and Gordon at the top to Pyle and Louis-Jean Heydt in support, and of course in the starring role, the great Randolph Scott. Then too, the color photography is unusually pleasing and picturesque. And the fact that Harry Joe Brown produced suggests that this is a 1955 warm-up for the classic Boetticher-Ranown Western cycle that was soon to follow.

So, with these kinds of ingredients, why isn't the movie better than I think it is. For one thing, the direction appears pretty slack. The scenes simply follow one another without building into the kind of intensities expected from the rivalries involved. It's like Humberstone shot each scene without considering its dramatic significance to the narrative as a whole. So, for example, when gunsel Gordon takes over the town from Boone, there's no real sense of displacement, no real dramatic impact. Similarly, the dynamite sticks that act like grenades simply appear and also produce little dramatic impact. Yet both episodes are clever plot wrinkles, and with the right development could have helped lift the movie beyond the merely routine.

Also, too many times-- especially in standing conversation-- the actors speak their lines with perfect enunciation, as if they're performing from center stage. I expect that's also Humberstone's doing, but it comes across as stagey and inappropriate for a Western. And, of course, there's poor Donna Martell who looks great but is rather painfully no actress.

Still and all, it's an interesting, if somewhat convoluted, story and a treat for the eyes. And seeing all those familiar faces from other films almost looks like a reunion of sorts. I expect some good-hearted soul in production decided on a payday for a number of veteran performers. Also, it's a good chance to catch Skip Homeier in a rare sympathetic role, and Dennis Weaver shortly before his slow-talking, slow thinking deputy on the classic series Gunsmoke. Anyway, disappointing or not, no Western starring the granite-jawed Scott can afford to be overlooked.

Try as he might, Randolph Scott never really could play a tough character convincingly. To me, he just always looked like too much of decent, honourable man. This film, though, is one of his better efforts as the rancher ("Stewart") who steps in to protect "Corrine" (Jocelyn Brando) from the clutches of her nasty guardian "Campbell" (Richard Boone). Irked by her defection, he hires "Scavo" (Leo Gordon) and a band of outlaws to terrorise the town - a plan not without it's own risks as he soon discovers to his cost. Director Bruce Humberstone keeps the pace of this action adventure moving along quite well, it has plenty of double crosses, shoot 'em ups; even some house demolition - dynamite style - and Gordon actually makes for quite a decent baddie. Snags? Well the love triangle thing gets a bit dull after a few minutes, and the script is all over the place - it even tries it's hand at some very feeble jokes! It's still quite a watchable western but I'm afraid that it won't leave much of an impression on you - it certainly didn't with me.

A so so western but some interesting support for Randolph Scott including Joycelyn Brando, Marlon's sister, a young Lee Van Cleef and Richard Boone who I best remember from TV series Have Gun Will Travel

Things go wrong when John Stewart (Randolph Scott) gives refuge to Wick Campbell's girlfriend ,Maria Segura (Donna Martell) . As his ward seeks protection with rival cattleman John Stewart , then land baron Campbell (Richard Boone)turns against him . As Stewart being forced to protect his family , property and cattle . Stewart is obligated to guard his woman (Jocelyn Brando) , brother (Lester Matthews ) , nephew (Skip Homeier) and friends . Then the jealous cattle baron hires a motley group of gunslingers to help him seize power in the territory. Later on , he and his men pin Stewart and a few others down in a house apparently killing them . But Stewart has escaped and returns alone to rid the town of Campbell and his men.The life and death of a reign of terror ! Ten times bigger than ever before ¡

This stirring fare deals with the classy confrontation between a successful cattle baron and a pistol-wielding landowner determined to ruin him . Standard tale with better than average interpretation from Randolph Scott and Richard Boone . Although the incidents move slowly , at times , it contains noisy action through well-trodden pastures , and there's plenty of fire-power and go-riding . Agreeable story in which Richard Boone gives the best acting as an embittered , jealous rancher called Wick Campbell who rustles Stewart's cattle, murders his brother and brings as hired guns to ten outlaws . In the character of Corinne shows up Jocelyn Brando , Marlon Brando's sister, she makes one of her rare screen interventions . And the bad guys and good guys include a whole crop of familar faces you love to see . As good guys appearing pre-McCloud Dennis Weaver , Skip Homeier , Clem Bevans , Kathleen Crowley ,Tom Powers , Minor Watson and bad guys intervine Lee Van Cleef pre-Leone , Leo Gordon , Denver Pyle , all of them bite the dust .

Including a brilliant cinematography by Wilfrid Cline , being well filmed in brilliant Technicolor . Shot on location in Sonora desert ,Tucson Mountains ,Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona , Sierrita Mountains , Silver Bell Mountains, Reymert, Cochran, Arizona and Lone Pine, California . It contains an atmospheric and thrilling musical score by Paul Sawtell . The motion picture was well produced by the notorious duo : Harry Joe Brown/Randolph Scott, both of whom produced various prestigious Westerns for Bud Boetticher . The flick was decent and professionally directed by Bruce Humberstone who worked on several silent movies and he was able to make all kinds of genres without problems . He is known for making a lot of Charlie Chan /Warner Oland films as Charlie Chan at the opera , Chan at the race track, Charlie Chan in Honolulu , Charlie Chan at the Olympics . He directed Westerns as Ten wanted men, Lucky Cisco Kid ; Musical : Iceland, Hello Frisco; Comedy :Wonder man , Tall dark and handsome ; Noir film as Hot Spot and Aventure : Tarzan and Lost safari, Tarzan and the trappers, Tarzan fights for his life , King of the jungle and The Purple Masked . Rating: 6/10 . Enjoyable and acceptable Western .