L'homme au bandeau noir

In a small western town, a one eyed marshal (George Montgomery) keeps the peace. When his old friend (Leo Gordon) runs into trouble he rides into town. They both once loved the same woman (Diane Brewster) and when the friend is found murdered, the marshal is suspected of being the murderer.

A somewhat offbeat western tightly directed by Allen H. Miner and from a script by Gordon who play's Montgomery's friend. A western that is quite dark in tone and mood and is worth a viewing.

An offbeat Western. Scripted by Gordon, who also takes the role of the friend turned bankrobber that marshal Montgomery is accused of murdering for the Money, Black Patch is directed with verve by Miner, a protégé of Robert Aldrich. Pittman contributes a distinctly modern interpretation of his role as the distraught teenager who faces up to Montgomery at the climax.

Phil Hardy

Well, maybe I am wrong, this little western is not totally a waste, just a predictable plot, already seen dozens of times before. Two former friends from the civil war, one sheriff and one outlaw, love the same woman.... But this is an Allan H Miner's western, a B production, and any B western - and I don't mean the Roy Rogers or Allan Rocky Lane flicks - is worth watching. This one is truly agreeable, but not a masterpiece, as also was THE RIDE BACK, also from the director. And it is written by Leo Gordon, who also plays in the film. If you have one hour and twenty minutes to waste, go for it.

George Montgomery starred in several interesting westerns in a career that spanned several decades. This film, scripted by co-star Leo Gordon, was a very interesting change of pace for both.

Montgomery plays a one-eyed lawman, who once loved the woman now married to the character played by Leo Gordon. Gordon and Montgomery interact with great chemistry, varying between friendship and jealousy.

Leo Gordon was one of the great western villains and a pretty decent writer of scripts. In this film, he steals the show ---- playing a more sympathetic and well-rounded sort of cowpoke.

Not a great film, but western fans will like this one.

Black Patch is a routine western notable for being the first film scored by Jerry Goldsmith, a composer who would go on to some very great things indeed: Planet Of The Apes, Papillon, Chinatown, The Omen, Alien, Total Recall, Basic Instinct, L.A. Confidential and hundreds more. Naturally, Black Patch doesn't sound anything like those works, but Goldsmith's characteristic voice is unmistakable, if not yet fully formed.

Despite only being in his late twenties, Goldsmith wrote music that indicated a fledgling dramatic sensitivity and intelligence that would blossom into the hallmarks of his career. So, for the composer at least, it was a good start musically even if the film itself was modest.