L'Implacable Poursuite

The Saga of Hemp Brown is a satisfactory western with great characters, good visuals and the usual solid performance from Rory Calhoun.

But...

Rory has a mission to clear his name. Ok nothing wrong with that...unless the movie presents about 10 different ways that this could occur before reaching its conclusion?

It ends up giving you the feeling of 'what's the point'. The plot totally destroys what is otherwise a good presentation.

I can usually overlook plot holes but The Saga of Hemp Brown keeps smacking you over the head with them.

Its a real shame and this was allowed to happen and it feels like they pumped out a movie treating the audience with contempt :)

Rory Calhoun is a disgraced army officer trying to track down the only man who can clear his name in this bland western with all the standard elements. It does feature the World's most inept lynch mob. So that's something, I suppose. Poor: [4/

An army officer (Rory Calhoun) is blamed and is dishonourably discharged from the army wrongly after gold from a stagecoach is robbed. He goes after the man really responsible.

An indistinguishable low budget western that looks cheap, but fairly mature material.

I know Richard Carlson better as an actor than as a director, and I am afraid THE SAGA OF HEMP BROWN does not explain why the thespian of solid performances in BEHIND LOCKED DOORS and THE SOUND OF FURY, for instance, should turn his hand to directing - an occupation at which he seems less gifted.

THE SAGA begins well enough, though Hemp Brown - anything to do with hemp, the drug? Nah, back in the 1850s they had never heard of it yet - begins his long list of stupid mistakes that allow Jed Givens (well played by John Larch) to turn the situation to his favor some three times during the flick.

So, believability is not THE SAGA's strongest asset - far from it, in fact - which reflects a poor screenplay by Bob Williams and Bernard Girard.

Cinematography by Philip Lathrop rates pedestrian at best, though occasionally you see some nice mountains in the background. Editing by Martinelli looks amateurish in the fisticuff sequences, where actors clearly avoid hurting each other.

Acting never rises above standard, though Beverly Garland is gorgeous, with a terrific pair of legs to boot.

Passable time waster oater. 6/10.

U. S. cavalry officer, Hemp Brown (Rory Calhoun), runs into some serious trouble when the party of civilians and troops he's bringing to a nearby Army fort is ambushed. A woman is killed during the gunfight, and money is stolen by the bandits. The leader of the gang, Jed Givens (John Larch), is an acquaintance of Brown, who implicates the fugitive during the subsequent trial. But Brown is court-martialed and booted from the Army. Brown tracks down Givens to restore honor to his name.

From cavalry officer Rory Calhoun's character becomes an outcast, one who has been wronged, and searches for the key that will grant him readmission into society, and the only way he could do that is by capturing John Larch. Larch is excellent as the villain of the piece, coming across quite psychotic. Calhoun does equally well as the man desperately trying to clear his name of cowardice. Beverley Garland add some colour as well as offering advice to our hero: that revenge can be self-defeating nature of it all and how it ends up inflicting more harm on the seeker than anyone else.

This western does lack some action, but it's plot driven and you get absorbed into the story with enough things happening. When I first watched this I found it a tad boring in parts, but on second viewing I liked it more. The pace can be a bit lumbering and there's some lack of excitement - but it's still a decent western with strong themes and performances.