L'inconnu du ranch

MacDonald Carey made several entertaining low budget western films in the 1950's, before gaining lasting fame as the lead on the soap opera "Days of our Lives". In this western with a message, Carey finds himself in a saga of good vs. evil, faith vs. worldliness. An escaping convict and a peaceful minister do battle for the salvation of the felons soul! Both men seem equally sure of their eventual victory.

I enjoyed this film and feel it was well suited to Mr. Carey's abilities. It was also fun to see the casting of Slim Pickens (What would westerns have done without him ?). Even though this storyline was recycled, this one is still very much worth viewing.

Never realized how bad an actor Skip Homeier was. Patricia Medina seems lost and miscast.

The opening scene, bank robbery, reminds LONG RIDERS or any western speaking of James' gang during the Northfield Minnesota raid. I love this scheme of professional hoodlums, like a ballet, change horses, get rid of their clothes, share the loot before split in different directions. No useless dialogues, as clockwork, as in a parade. Whow !!!! That remInded me another film, not a western, But a French crime from 1997, J'IRAI AU PARADIS CAR L'ENFER EST ICI. No one will ever see the other opponents after the post robbery split; the story will focus only on one character, whose fate will - maybe - forever change. This Witney's movie is a false western, but an excellent oater, in the line of RG Springsteen's COME NEXT SPRING or Jacques Tourneur's STARS IN MY CROWN; a pastoral western. But believe me, even if that's not your stuff - that's my case - this petty movie is very surprising from someone like Bill Witney, far from his serials, without any stunt, action sequences - except the opening ones and the TERRIFIC scene with the mustang, the mad horse, an outstanding jaw dropping sequence, which you would never expect to see in a small film, even a western- a feature focused mainly on character depiction.

Skip Homeier is fleeing.a posse after he robbed the local bank. His horse goes lame and he pulls up at the farm of MacDonald Carey. Carey is also a preacher, building a church. Patricia Medina is his second wife, and Stephen Wooten is his son. Carey knows who he is, but agrees to have Homeier stay, looking at it as a chance to redeem a sinner.

There are subplots that come together, like Homeier trying to seduce Miss Medina, and a horse that is impossible to break. Despite the usual good handling by director William Witney, this Republic 'Shaky A' western is too neat and obvious for my taste. The scenes of Carey and Homeier trying to break the horse are well done. With Louis Jean Heydt (looking his age for a change) and Slim Pickens.

"Stranger at My Door" is a pretty good movie, though I must warn you...the ending is really schmaltzy and could have been handled much better.

The story is set in the American west...during the cowboy era. It begins with a group of bank robbers running from the law. The group decides to split up and the remainder of the film is about the notorious outlaw, Clay (Skip Homeier). He happens upon the ranch of a nice family and he asks to stay while his hobbled horse recuperates. Being that the man of the house is a preacher who believes in the innate ability of anyone to reform, he allows Clay to stay...and Clay makes it clear if the family goes to the law, he'll make them pay! What's next? See the film and find out for yourself.

The acting is good, the story interesting, the horse escape sequence very well made...and the film is one I was ready to give a 7 or even 8 to until it came to the ending. The ending, sadly, was so heavy-handed and silly that it left me quite disappointed.