User reviews

Rory Calhoun plays the title role in Utah Blaine a film based on a Louis L'Amour novel, a range war story with a different twist.

In this film it's the homesteaders who are the villains. But these homesteaders aren't yeoman farmers or small ranchers. No in Utah Blaine Ray Teal has organized a gang of thugs who call themselves vigilantes. They can do that because the area is unorganized, the town is not official, no mayor, no town council, most important no sheriff. Teal is making war on the ranches currently there.

The film opens with Calhoun coming upon the scene of an attempted lynching which he stops. Turns out to be Ken Christy one of the owners of one of the two big spreads. When Calhoun learns that an old enemy of his George Keymas is Teal's number one gun hand that's all the convincing he needs to throw in with Christy. Doesn't hurt that he has a pretty daughter in Angela Stevens either.

This is a nicely plotted western that moves at a good pace and the unusual plot twist is an added treat. Too bad it was not shot in color, but I'm hardly complaining. A good one for western fans.

The cinematography, music, storyline, sets & scenery, and plot remind me of the later episodes of Gunsmoke. Definitely 1950s "B", with television type lighting and a hidden trap door to the fake basement. However, the mostly familiar cast adds strength, and the depth of their characterization makes this western very interesting & watchable. I recommend it when there's no great "A" film available. The bad guys are not too evil, and the good guys are not saints. Snappy dialog may be in short supply, but the typical cowboy clichés are few and far between, and there's no lack of action here! Incidentally, this movie falls into the category of westerns made before John Wayne (or spaghetti), eccentric wiseacres, and every scene a colorful climax were box-office requirements. Follow the intelligent & well-written story and you realize that B&W is the perfect genre for Rory Calhoun with a 3-day beard and two six-guns blazing. My only complaint: too much gray and not enough black or white. I miss "High Noon".

Like I have with most of the Western movies I've seen, I watched the preview for this film on the Westerns Channel and decided that since it was on next and I had nothing else to do, I watched it. Rory Calhoun leads the screen and he did a fine job as Mike 'Utah' Blaine. This movie has the same kind of plot you'd expect from the old 50s B-grade Westerns, however, I say that this one is better than some of the others. The actors are a little bit better than some I've seen in other movies like this. And also, this movie has some pretty decent gunfights for its age. I found this movie to be a pretty enjoyable black-and-white Western.

When the story begins, Utah (Rory Calhoun) comes upon a lynching party hanging Joe Neal. Although Utah has no idea what's going on, such 'justice' disgusts him and he saves the dying man as soon as the would-be killers leave. That is when Neal informs Utah that local jerks are trying to force out the various ranchers by using a 'vigilante committee' to enforce the law....though there is no law...just greed.

Inexplicably, although Utah Blaine has a infamous reputation as a gunman, he's the guy trying to restore law and order to this town. And, this means he needs to face down the baddies...possibly all on his own...possibly with some help if he can make some friends in this awful town.

This plot is about the most common you'll find in old westerns, particularly B-westerns. I am not so much complaining as saying it is all very familiar. After all, although familiar, Calhoun is very good in the film and I think his westerns tend to be underrated. In other words, they took an ordinary sort of plot but made it just a bit better due to the acting. Worth seeing.

By the way, if you do watch, note the final big battle in the streets of the town. Somehow with 3824 shots fired at the men on horseback, not a single horse was shot...even by the guy firing a shotgun at the men on horseback! Also note that the during Blaine's shootout at the end with the big baddie, neither apparently need to re-load their revolvers!

The drab black & white photography looks more redolent of a couple of TV episodes pasted together than a cinema film in this harsh, strangely underpopulated Louis L'Amour adaptation starring Rory Calhoun with a robust female presence in the form of Susan Cummings and Angela Stevens (the former mainly a TV actress but with one striking big screen credit a couple of years later in the form of Sam Fuller's 'Verboten!').

I did not expect a so good script from a western produced by the greedy, stingy Sam Katzman, who offered us far far worst in the past, and even since this Fred S Sears' stuff. Good script, maybe xanks to western novelist Louis L'Amour which it is inspired from. Not a really new topic, but fairly well done, with a good characters symphony. Rory Calhoun excellent but maybe a most known villain would have been welcome, such as Leo Gordon, Robert Wilke or Neville Brand. So, try to watch this movie, it is a good time waster for western buffs, fast paced, with no length and not particularely diminished by the Sam Katzman's trademark, that I usually recognize at first sight. Here, Sam Katzman's name is only shown on the opening credits.

Rory calhoun is blaine, who takes up the cause of the ranchers who are getting run off or killed for their land. Since their land was never properly filed, murdering gangs are trying to grab the land that the owners have developed and worked. And of course, there's a mountain lion prowling around as well. Max baer senior (jethro's dad, the boxer! ) is gus. Co-stars susan cummings, ray teal. It's a pretty good western. Thieves, threats, shooting, horse riding. All the ingredients. Calhoun was king of the westerns, but he was also betty grable's forest ranger in how to marry a millionaire. Directed by fred sears, who died young of a heart attack at age 44. He died the same year this was released. Baer also died young at 50, just two years after this film story by louis l'amour.

I love Rory Calhoun. Especially the guns he wears in this movie. I love Westerns. Especially when it comes to the Christian values that are long gone in this country today. Two of my favorites were The Rifleman and Bonanza where you would hear frequent and "liberal" (pun intended) mentions of "God", "prayer" and "the Bible".

And when it comes to the background music in Utah Blaine, isn't that the same as what was in a Glenn Ford movie? I can't remember the name.

Rory Calhoun proved himself an action hero, a two-gun action hero, in this fast-moving, and often exciting minor A Western. And he had to prove himself so with such an excellent cast of first-rate players.

His female lead was the beautiful -- although outrageously padded -- Susan Cummings, who also proved herself a first-rate actress who should have many more first-rate parts.

Her character was a strong and courageous woman, a type not seen often enough in any film but perhaps especially so in Westerns, where they mostly are present to be rescued or protected.

This Western heroine wields a shotgun and drives off the bad guys if they get too close.

Max Baer, the boxing champ, was another excellent actor and I had never seen him in a Western. He should have had his own series, playing the big and strong hero. He shows himself fully capable of it in this film.

Ray Teal is such a strong personality he almost steals "Utah Blaine" from its star -- and he plays the chief bad guy! This is a striking performance, and proof positive Mr. Teal could have played any kind of role.

Director Fred Sears leads his cast and crew admirably, and also proves himself a first-rate director, deserving of bigger-budget pictures and respect.

"Utah Blaine" was completely unknown to me before I accidentally found it at YouTube, and I am completely recommending it.

Decent programmer from the six-gun soaked 1950's. Utah Blaine's helping big ranchers keep their spreads from predatory small ranchers. What the big ranchers need is an organized town government to provide proper law enforcement. So Blaine's got his work cut out. Needless to say, the plot's an inversion of the usual big guy versus little. There's some pretty good expansive scenery even if it's limited to greater LA. The shootouts, however, are sloppily staged, but then that's par for most B-oaters where no one really aims yet the bodies always fall. And catch Calhoun decking ex-heavyweight champ Baer. Now we know why the movies are called "make believe". For guys, there's the fetching Susan Cummings with a pronounced bustline in solid, or should I say huggable, 50's fashion. Nothing special here, just a standard entry in the 50's oater sweepstakes.

This film begins with a cowboy by the name of "Joe Neal" (Ken Christy) being taken to an isolated part of the country and lynched by a group of men led by a man named "Russ Nevers" (Ray Teal). As it so happens, Joe owns a large portion of land which he has yet to file a legal claim for and the other men all want a piece of it. That being said, because they leave him to die a slow death by hanging, what they don't see is a nearby cowboy named "Utah Blaine" (Rory Calhoun) witnessing the whole thing nearby and rescuing Joe in the nick of time. Grateful for his efforts, Joe promises Utah Blaine a large number of cattle and offers to make him his ranch foreman. Having been a gunslinger all of his life, Utah gladly accepts Joe's generous offer. However, he is even more pleased when he is told that a man he's been tracking for a long time named "Rink Witter" (George Keymas) also participated in this illegal hanging-and he fully expects their paths to cross again once and for all. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a good, old-fashioned Western which had a couple of unexpected turns along the way that made it somewhat more compelling than many grade-B movies of this sort. Admittedly, I would have preferred a slightly lengthier run time but all things considered I enjoyed this film for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Good quality "B" grade oater! The black and white print I saw, was of more than an acceptable standard.

Simple story of a "nice" gunfighter, stumbling into a range war north of the Mexican border and siding with the outgunned minority, who include his future love interest. He gradually inspires others to join the cause.

The thing I like about Utah Blaine, is its total lack of pretence. It knows its limitations and budget, but fills its 75 minutes with a decent (albeit predictable) story, that's filled with heaps of action and some amusingly sardonic lines, like the one quoted above. There is little to find fault with the acting and production values.

If you come across it, it's certainly worthy of a look.

Good quality "B" grade oater! The black and white print I saw, was of more than an acceptable standard.

Simple story of a "nice" gunfighter, stumbling into a range war north of the Mexican border and siding with the outgunned minority, who include his future love interest. He gradually inspires others to join the cause.

The thing I like about Utah Blaine, is its total lack of pretence. It knows its limitations and budget, but fills its 75 minutes with a decent (albeit predictable) story, that's filled with heaps of action and some amusingly sardonic lines of dialogue. There is little to find fault with the acting and production values.

If you come across it, it's certainly worthy of a look.

This movie script stays pretty close to the Louis L'Amour book of the same title, both in name, story and the characters. Like the book it has plenty of action and a developing romantic interest. Rory Calhoun is a good choice for playing Blaine as a likeable rouge who is offered a opportunity of both money and stock enough to start his own ranch by Joe Neal who he saves from hanging in the movies opening scenes. Max Baer Sr as Gus Orteman gives a solid performance, as good as his role in Buckskin Frontier with Richard Dix. The story unfolds a steady pace with little lack for action along the way. My only gripe would be as the story builds up, the ending is a bit weak.

In the old American West, a man naps. Tall, dark and handsome Rory Calhoun (as Mike "Utah" Blaine) awakens to save an older man from hanging. A well-known gunslinger, Mr. Calhoun is immediately hired by the grateful rancher, who wants a tough guy to protect his property. Turns out, the hanging posse is a gang of crooks, led by dastardly Ray Teal (as Russ Nevers). They kill ranch owners and steal their land. Calhoun is looking to settle a score with George Keymas (as Rink Witter), who is coincidentally working with Mr. Teal. Wearing the tightest jeans and pointiest top in the west, local rancher's daughter Susan Cummings (as Angela "Angie" Kinyon) helps Calhoun and provides romantic interest...

This story was based on a Louis L'Amour book. It loses something in the translation to screen. A richness of plot and characters is evident, but they don't adapt well. We're left with a simple story, having too many characters. A singular villain, involved in the Mexican firing squad, would have helped. For whatever reasons, director Fred F. Sears is unable to stir much emotion in Calhoun. He's supposed to show an attraction for Ms. Cummings, and she for him. Her role is purely decorative; on that score, Cummings succeeds. Former boxer Max Baer (the father of "Beverly Hillbillies" Jethro) and Paul Langton (as Rip Coker) lend effective support, but the production is pedestrian and lacks passion.

**** Utah Blaine (2/1/1957) Fred F. Sears ~ Rory Calhoun, Susan Cummings, George Keymas, Ray Teal

Utah Blaine is an unpretentious briskly paced B western.

Utah Blaine (Rory Calhoun) is a gunslinger who has had trouble down in Mexico. Now crossing Texas, he saves a man from a lynching.

He is veteran landowner Joe Neal, a gang of vigilantes want to string him up on behest of a rival called Russ Nevers. He wants to steal his land and share it with the vigilantes.

Russ has been doing the same to other big landowners as the vigilante claim to serve up justice in a corrupt state.

Joe offers Utah a half share in the ranch to be the foreman and file ownership papers in the bank.

Utah is joined by Angie Kinyon, the daughter of a another major landowner who has recently been killed. With the help of a few others, they all take on the vigilantes.

Boxing champion Max Baer plays a bruiser who aids Utah with his fists.

The story is routine, there is enough action and Nevers has a henchman who has a past with Utah.

A Gunfighter helps a ranch owner in his attempt to prevent a renegade crew from taking over the territory. When the owner is murdered, he wills his ranch jointly to the gunfighter and daughter of an old friend. The range terror is stopped in a blaze of gunfire.

Based on a Louis L'amour novel, Utah Blaine is a routine affair bolstered by some good action scenes such as a fistfight and a plethora of shootouts - its fast moving and well-acted, however it doesn't rise above being a mere programmer. Yet it's still worth checking out, but it doesn't match the other L'amour adaptations such as Hondo, the Tall Stranger and Shalako in greatness.