User reviews

In this western starring Joel McRea, the star goes undercover along the Arizona border to investigate several nasty border ruffians. Mark Stevens co-stars and as always turns in a fine performance. The script is good and holds the viewers interest throughout.

Joel McRea was at his best in this western detective yarn..... a story not unlike those from his radio series Tales of the Texas Rangers . A great cast of western character actors make the most of an interesting story.

Any western with this cast would be exciting and this film does not disappoint. Enjoy this one, they don't make 'em like this anymore ...

Gunsight Ridge is directed by Francis Lyon and written by Talbot and Elisabeth Jennings. It stars Joel McCrea, Mark Stevens, Joan Weldon, Addison Richards, Darlene Fields and Carolyn Craig. Music is by David Raksin (title tune sung by Dean Jones) and cinematography by Ernest Laszlo.

McCrea plays Mike Ryan, an undercover Stage Line agent who while investigating a series of robberies takes the job of a deputy Sheriff in a border Arizona town.

Gunsight Ridge is a neat little Western, better than most of its black and white type because it rises above its formulaic story to reveal interesting characters and good strands of plotting. In the mix is the detective work as Ryan hunts stagecoach robber Velvet Clark (Stevens) whilst also enforcing law in the town. There's a gang of ruffians on the outskirts of town known as The Lazy Heart Boys, who offer a side-bar of criminal activity, while Ryan and the Sheriff's daughter (Weldon) start to build an attraction. There's cold blooded murder on show, a rampaging stagecoach sequence through the rocky terrain and a finale up in them thar rocks that satisfies greatly. It is also a film that looks and sounds terrific. Raksin's score is full of thunder and sorrow, while Laszlo's moody photography is atmospherically noirish.

It's the characterisation of Velvet Clark that is the trump card though. He is shown to be a ruthless killer and thief, yet he also has a sympathetic edge. He is given some depth by the writers, shown to be a frustrated pianist, he's tortured by his artistic leanings and how he has ended up on the wrong side of the law. With McCrea doing another in his line of straight backed and stoic man of the people turns, the dual aspect of good and bad characters works beautifully. There's other little character moments of worth as well, such as Carolyn Craig playing a young farm girl romanticising herself with the outlaw Clark, and old Sheriff Jones (Richards) obsessed with catching the robber because he doesn't want his perfect record blemished.

Comfortably recommended to fans of 1950s "B" Westerns. 7/10

Better than average western. Lots of studio lot actors that you always recognize but rarely know their names. Nice scenes with Slim Pickens (stage coach driver) and Dan Blocker (bartender). I did not recognize L Q Jones though, he was one of the four ruffian ranch hands. Story line wanders a bit but not objectionably so, and actually helps to keep your interest as it is not a plain, bad guy gets caught by good guy, that Republic Pictures turned out during that era. There was one element that is a constant in westerns of that era and that is the single daughter living with her single dad, the sheriff and his daughter. I also enjoyed the filming locations. One was very obvious as being Old Tucson and the others I suspect were in the Northern San Fernando Valley or maybe close by Santa Clarity Valley or Simi Valley. Worth watching if you enjoy old black and white westerns, better than average actors, and a more complicated story line.

Francis Lyon always chose to have one (usually short and out of context) spot in his films that displayed some sort of tenderness, some sort of heart, in a figure that seemed to have neither. In this film, the guy in the black hat (Mark Stevens) happens up on an old abandoned shed in the middle of the desert. He goes in to find that there is nothing of use, but spies an old upright piano. It's long been neglected and is covered in dust. He blows the dust off and sits down to this abused keyboard. Suddenly, he is playing a very beautiful little piece that belies his present roughness and coldness and lets the audience know that it was not always this way with him.That he came from somewhere better, in another place, another time. David Raksin wrote this music. Its very quiet, simple and goes straight to the heart. It's been exactly fifty years since I have heard it last, but I remember every note as if it had been only yesterday.

Perhaps one day it will appear again, but for now, I must depend on my memory if ever to hear those quaint chords again.

Other posters are right to mention this film's formal qualities—strong acting, excellent b/w cinematography, and poignant touches like the villain's piano interludes and Carolyn Craig as the farm girl—along with the film's historical status as a late specimen of the B western film when television was chock-a-block with shoot-em-ups.

This transitional historical moment gives Heartbreak Ridge a hybrid quality, as it combines the movie western's intensity and depth of character with the TV western's bare staging. The script itself could hardly offer less to work with, with the back-stories for the hero and villain being provided only by Joel McCrea's Irish affectations and Mark Stevens's 2 or 3 lines about having the talent to play the piano but not the money or leisure. "Gunsight Ridge" is a good title, but if like me you wait in westerns for at least some allusion to explain a title, for this one you have to wait until someone casually mentions a border obstruction that will provide the setting for the final showdown.

The western in any medium is always fairly minimalist—the more I've watched, the more words seem only pauses in action, landscape, and music. Given such plain fare, skill matters more than brilliance: for instance, Joel McCrea could ride a horse, and the cinematographer knew how to capture his skill. Cameo bonus: the groom in the quirky border town marriage is the late Jody McCrea, who would play the comic Bonehead in early 60s surfing-beach movies with Annette and Frankie.

"Gunsight Ridge" is an adequate, likable B Western that finds its star, Joel McCrea, in fine form. For the most part, it's routine, but it does have some nice touches, especially in the way that it treats its villain, Velvet Clark (Mark Stevens). Clark is definitely the bad guy, but we are treated to scenes in which he reveals what his preferred line of work would have been, had the reality of his situation not interfered. There's a rich array of character actors, and some very beautiful ladies. Both the music (by David Raksin) and cinematography (by Ernest Laszlo) are well done. Francis D. Lyon directs quite capably, and does particularly well at staging a suspenseful "last stand" finale that plays out without any score.

McCrea stars as Mike Ryan, a stranger who comes to a small town for a purpose known only to him. He impresses the local sheriff (Addison Richards) enough to get himself deputized, and he handles things such as collecting taxes from locals, while also helping out to determine the identity of the bandit who's been robbing stages. Forming a subplot are the run-ins that Mike has with the ill-behaved boys who work at the nearby Lazy Heart ranch.

McCrea is quite engaging, playing a lead character who's every bit the good, honest, dependable hero. His supporting cast reads like a who's who of veteran talent. In addition to Richards, there's Robert Griffin, I. Stanford Jolley, George Chandler, Slim Pickens (who's quite amusing in his brief part), Herb Vigran, L.Q. Jones, Morgan Woodward, Dan Blocker, and Hank Patterson. Jones and Woodward are fun as two of the antagonistic Lazy Heart ruffians. McCrea's son Jody has a small part as a young man getting married. Joan Weldon, Darlene Fields, and Carolyn Craig are all quite pleasing to look at in the female roles. Best of all is Stevens, who's appropriately intense and not entirely unsympathetic.

"Gunsight Ridge" is not particularly memorable, but it is sufficiently entertaining for an agreeably paced 86 minutes.

Seven out of 10.

Joel McCrea stars in Gunsight Ridge as an undercover agent for Wells Fargo which has been getting regularly robbed on a certain stagecoach run through the territory of Addison Richard who is the sheriff. He's not getting the job done so McCrea's brought in.

The title refers to a particularly rough stretch of country where McCrea has his final showdown with the bad guy or at least the chief bad guy.

There are two sets of them, one is a group of four cowhands from George Chandler's ranch who do a little cattle rustling on the side, two of them western standbys L.Q. Jones and Morgan Woodward. The other is a man of mystery who plays an exquisite piano and goes by the unlikely western name of Velvet. This is a guy who clearly has some issues which in a better script would have been more explicitly dealt with. Mark Stevens may have had his career role in playing this man.

Addison Richard gives a nice performance as an aging sheriff who won't quit until the stagecoach bandit is taken dead or alive. McCrea does what he can to help and the sight of Richard's pretty daughter Joan Weldon gives him all that more interest.

Viewers might also note the presence of farm girl Carolyn Craig who helps both Stevens and then McCrea. She's one lonely girl with a budding libido and an itch to get off the farm. In a bit role as a bartender is Dan Blocker who with his frame and voice you can't miss.

Not one of Joel McCrea's best westerns, but his fans should like it.

Pretty fair Western. The script meanders some, but with characters coming in and out of the story line, it's not a conventional screenplay. McCrea plays a stagecoach agent on the trail of hold-up man Mark Stevens. They're not exactly routine good-guy bad-guy. As a deputy sheriff, McCrea enjoys collecting county taxes and getting a 10% cut-- and how many tax collectors have you seen in a Western? Also, bad guy Stevens plays the moody piano, not well, but enough to suggest a sensitive soul lurking somewhere inside-- and how many Western villains have you heard named "Velvet"!. Then there's teen-age Carolyn Craig alone on the prairie, doing a good frontier imitation of Debbie Reynolds, and ready to hook up with anything in pants. I like the four rowdy cowhands who take about 10 minutes to totally trash a cabin. The scene may be unnecessary, but it sure looks like someone's having a lot of fun. Also worth noting is the final shootout, which takes good advantage of the scenery and reminds me of the final shootout in the classic Winchester 76. All in all, there are some offbeat touches for a cowboy movie of the 1950's. And besides, any film with that great Western star Joel McCrea is worth watching.

Gunsight Ridge is a "B" western with an "A " cast. Excellent story line ,understated score and fine photography all combine to tell the story of an agent played by McCrea who is sent to solve a series of robberies.Mark Stevens pretends to be a washed out mine owner while really robbing banks and stages. McCrea hires on as a deputy sheriff while investigating the crimes. When the sheriff Addison Richards is killed,McCrea vows revenge.Unusually somber atmospheric tone makes Gunsight Ridge a classic western. Rating ....Seven stars out of ten.

This one is pretty simple, if you like McCrea you will like the movie. He plays the same character he plays in pretty much all his westerns and he does it well. Its a calm measured presentation with an undercurrent of the potential for action when needed. The story is good (not unique, but good), some fun scenes and some good action. Give it a go!

Surprisingly Rich Characters and Oddities Elevate this Hard-Edged Western with Joel McCrea as the Steady, Unwavering Fulcrum to Violent Outbursts and Interesting Interludes.

Marc Stevens is Against Type as the Villain "Velvet" who is a Closet Concert Pianist Wannabe.

His Frustrations are Ever-Present as He Robs and Kills Anything and Anyone in His Path.

Strange Things Happen.

Like a Meeting with a Pig-Tailed Teenager that can't Resist a Male "Stranger". Velvet Playing the Piano because He Can't Help Himself. Shot-Gun Violence with Both-Barrels

A Horse is Shot Down and another Horse is Blown to Pieces with Dynamite.

An Interrupted Wedding. A Rowdy Bunch that Demolishes the Bosses Home while Chugging Bottles of Whiskey because They didn't Get Paid.

Collecting Taxes. A Train Robbery, a Stage-Coach Robbery, a Bank-Robbery and that's Not All.

Overall the Oddities are Packed-In the 80 Min Script and the Personalities of the Characters are all a Bit Different for a Western of the Period.

The film begins with Mike Ryan (Joel McCrea) heading to a town by stage. They end up being robbed and when one of the robbers loses his mask, his partner blows him away...as he's a man who wants no one to know his identity. That's because in town he's a respectable guy...which is why the sheriff is having a hard time figuring out who's been robbing the stage coaches. Now that Mike's in town to help, perhaps they'll finally have some action.

I had to laugh when folks in the movie kept complaining how old the sheriff was and how they needed a young guy...like 52 year-old McCrea (who actually looks a bit older). Still, he was fine in westerns and this one won't disappoint...nor will it particularly impress because so much of the story seems ordinary and familiar.

I watched this film for the first time today. As mentioned by other comments, this is an excellent B-western, with a good cast led by Joel McCrea. There are a couple of things worth a comment--the villain seems to be a fairly accomplished piano player but presumably his frustration in not getting to Carnegie Hall has caused him to instead turn to murder and armed robbery. I don't know if I necessarily see the connection, but after all, this is a western and motivation need not be entirely believable. Also, there is a scene in this film (not graphic) in which a pack horse carrying dynamite is intentionally exploded. This casual animal cruelty is something I could have done without.

The latest of a series of stagecoach holdups in the Arizona Territory takes place on a stagecoach in which Mike Ryan, undercover agent for the stage line, and Molly Jones, daughter of the local sheriff, are passengers. The bandana masking one of the robbers slips and he is killed by the gang-leader Velvet Clark. The latter masquerades as a respectable piano-playing citizen of the community.

The townspeople are aroused enough over the continued robberies that they ask Sheriff Tom Jones to resign but they agree to give him more time when he takes on Ryan as a deputy. Circumstantial evidence leads the sheriff to Clark, but the latter kills him and escapes. Ryan tracks him to Gunsight Ridge where there is a showdown.

Gunsight Ridge is a sort of a detective western but there's no mystery as we know from beginning that the culprit behind the robberies is Mark Stevens who plays a miner- he is quite a tortured character, especially when he tinkles the ivories. He had great ambitions to be a great piano player but he couldn't afford lessons to reach an "Amadeus" level. Stevens is excellent in his role, balancing between cold-blooded killer and a sympathetic character. In contrast, McCrea is more breezy, good-humoured yet tough and determined. There's some good action intersected here and there but a tense atmosphere is at the centre. It's a well-paced and engaging western with good performances all round.

"Joel McCrae" -- almost all you need to say.

But here he is surrounded by extraordinarily talented actors, all working well together in a much better than average script.

Many of the characters get a chance to stand out, including one played by one of my favorites, the great Herb Vigran. I actually had a chance to meet him when he was playing in a stage version, in Los Angeles, of "Merton of the Movies."

A certain major TV series star played "Merton," but, to be honest, he was the least talented actor on stage.

Herb Vigran could have given him lessons -- as could a very young girl (maybe 7?) in the cast -- on how to project. But Herb Vigran had been around and started with some built-in talent that just grew and grew in his years as, for example, a villain in the "Superman" series, and in guest appearances in such other shows as "Adam 12."

He was also a charming and gracious person.

Leading lady Joan Weldon was outrageously padded and I wonder, again, why talented actresses allowed themselves to be so used. She was already beautiful, she did have talent, and being made to look almost grotesque simply made no sense.

There were three other important female characters, merely one more factor that prevents "Gunsight Ridge" from being properly called a "B movie."

As a character not named in the credits except "Farm Girl," young Carolyn Craig just plain stole every scene she was in. She was a really beautiful 23-year-old who looked younger, and had an amazingly expressive face. In short, she was a marvelous actress and I would bet she was stage trained.

"Rosa" was the girl-friend of the bad guy and, as played by Darlene Fields, about whom is nothing known, was a very sympathetic person. Darlene Fields also was beautiful, and I'm surprised so little is know about her. She too gave a superlative performance and should have been in dozens of movies and TV shows. What a shame we know so little about her.

Another great actor was Addison Richards who seemed the perfect career law enforcer.

All the other cast members deserve mention, too, but we're running out of electrons. Let me just say, again, nearly every one had a chance to stand out as characters and every one performed superbly.

There were two or three director flaws, but there is no reason to mention them. They did not detract much.

One major flaw, though, is that one character who is killed off early is not listed in the credits. And the actor who played him really deserves mention.

There is a very good version of "Gunsight Ridge" at YouTube, but for some reason whoever uploaded it allowed most of it to be added on again after "the end."

It doesn't hurt the viewer: You just stop when the movie stops. But do start! This is an excellent movie, and would have earned a "10" except for the director flaws and one sound flaw.

There is a romantic touch to this western mainly about ruffians going berserk or killing each in cold blood, but a curious element raises it above any B level and endows it with lasting interest - the fact that the main villain and murderer plays soft music on the piano. When he is interrupted by some dame who happens to overhear his music and draws nearer he is violently upset by the disturbance, which reveals a very sensitive mind. For some reason the pianos in these westerns are always perfectly well tuned, although they stand as lone monuments in a very harsh and desert country, which makes you wonder how they got there at all, but this quiet soft romantic music deserved no less than a well tuned piano - there are two of them here. Joel McCrea is the lead trying to do something about the local villainy in this remote part of a desert country, and he is always reliable, especially in westerns. Mark Stevens as the villain makes a peculiarly tragic character, as all he wanted was to become a pianist while his destiny brought him totally out in the wild, waywardly astray. It's an interesting and enjoyable film and better than most westerns, as it definitely deserves some closer attention.

Not Joel McCrea, who is here as he was for almost his entire career, except the awesome FORT MASSACRE, in which he gave his best performance ever, even better than in RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY. So, if you seek something unusual, far from cliches, focus instead on Mark Stevens character, the villain, but excellent two faces character: one face the ruthless outlaw, and the second face, the good law abiding citizen. Yes, definitely yes, Stevens is as good here as he was in the terrific JACK SLADE, a very ambivalent, ambiguous character, a piano player and a cold blooded killer in the same time; He is here the Nemesis of McCrea and I love this. Some lines in Stevens character remind me Robert Mitchum's role in FIVE CARDS STUD, some scenes too: good citizen who is some kind of Dr Jekyll...See what I mean?