Graine de shérif

Burr is fantastic is this movie. Not a large role or does he have that many lines. But his acting abilities really shine as a person who really should not have been born. The young actor portraying Clap Gipson looks like he is trying to act.- really bad.

This was made about the time b westerns were in decline. I watched it just to see Hugh O'Brian (TVs Wyatt Earp)and Raymond Burr ( TVs Ironside). Not bad but but no where near being a classic. Hugh O'Brian plays the strong Sheriff and Raymond Burr as usual is very strong in the role of the bad guy Poor script and low budget show up throughout the movie. I must have been difficult at that time to put much money into a b western. Enjoyed watching for old times sake, alaways have a soft spot for the western.

Wanted outlaw Tris Hatten turns up in Apache Bend, looking for former sweetheart Millie Street, a saloon girl. Clay Gipson, the little brother of Sheriff Wade Addams' girlfriend, spots the fugitive and informs the sheriff, who knocks Hatten cold and takes him to jail.

Town opinion turns against the popular Wade, who is suspected by girlfriend Linda's father, rancher Tom Gipson, of being after a reward for Hatten that rightfully should go to the boy, Clay. In truth, Wade is trying to protect the child, particularly when the notorious Barlow gang rides into town to try to spring Hatten.

A reporter named Tatum helps damage the sheriff's reputation by revealing Clay to be the informant. Clay is wounded by a gunshot, bringing dad Tom to his senses. After shooting two of the Barlows, proving his courage, Wade must apprehend Hatten, who has had a gun smuggled to him in jail. Hatten shoots the reporter, but can he outdraw Wade?

There's an earthy and no-frills feel to this 1956 Western directed by Gerd Oswald and starring Hugh O' Brien as the sheriff who is trying to do the right thing by not revealing that his girl's brother informing about a killer named Tris Hatten who is played by Raymond Burr. Stark photography and harmonica soundtrack gels well with the overall serious tone. It's not the most exciting western, but it's very well made, compelling in a gradual way and more character based, though I felt the father was an idiot for wanting his son to be known as the informer for the sake of pride. It's well acted by all, especially by Hugh O' Brien who isn't only charismatic but comes across really fed up of being a sheriff. A couple of shootouts are well done.

I would have liked to have liked The Brass Legend more. I well remember watching Hugh O'Brian as a kid in Wyatt Earp on TV and quite liked him. He was much more effective I think playing villains as he did in a some westerns as his stone face look doesn't exactly give you a warm feeling here as a hero. He should have stuck to playing baddies, however he's very good in the gunfight scenes here, where he really brings some impact to an otherwise flat direction. The biggest flaw for me was the terrible acting by the child actor Donald McDonald and had a more accomplished child been chosen it would have been a big improvement as the other acting roles are generally quite good, particularly Raymond Burr and his girlfriend floozy Reba Tassell who both exude evil. Some of the dialogue is quite decently presented as well but the delightful Nancy Gates is wasted and there's zero chemistry between her and O'Brian. A clear rip off of High Noon but 4 stars out of 10 for trying and the gunfights.

Routine Western with not much to recommend it, which is rather surprising since director Gerd Oswald has something of a cult following. The problem lies with a stone-faced O'Brien and an undistinguished script whose high-point comes in a gun jousting showdown along a country road. In fact, only bar girl Millie (Rebecca Welles, aka Reba Tassell) manages to inject some life into the proceedings. Too bad Raymond Burr's villain Tris Hatten doesn't get more screen time. He has all the makings of a good florid baddie. It's odd to see Burr in such a leering role after his career years as the super-straight Perry Mason. Anyway, the European-born Oswald plays the unfamiliar material of a Western in pretty straightforward, unimaginative fashion, when what's needed is something to lift the movie above the ordinary.