Violence à Jericho

Dean Martin plays the villain for the first time, but doesn't add any dimension to his role. George Peppard steals the movie as a gambler who doesn't want any trouble until situation becomes impossible. Jean Simmons is adorable as usual.

The plots are quite routine, the action scenes passable. It's a bit unreasonable that Simmons would let Peppard, a stranger who rides to town on her stagecoach, stay in her house. Although such arrangement is made by the writers, it's a shame that their relationship is not fully developed.

Fortunately we see some familiar supporting actors, including Don Galloway (of TV series IRONSIDE), John McIntire (of WAGON TRAIN), and it's interesting to watch comic actor Slim Pickens as mean, sadistic character again after his wonderful performance in ONE-EYED JACKS (1961).

Although the splendid title offers nocturnal action, for the most part 'Rough Night in Jericho' is all very routine, full of roughnecks, fatally lacking in humour, with much talk of hanging and punctuated by bursts of vicious violence (including an extremely nasty fight involving a whip-wielding Slim Pickens).

Although George Peppard is technically the hero, he and Dean Martin make a pretty charmless pair of leads; while rather out of place amidst all this toxic masculinity is the radiant Jean Simmons - rather mature for a leading lady (inevitably playing a widow) who gives this film what passes for a soul.

Martin and Peppard are not my idea of great actors, nor Englishwoman Jean Simmons of the Western female (true, she played opposite Greg Peck in BIG COUNTRY, but in that film she was a sophisticated outsider) but it is an interesting cast all the same, plus Slim Pickens in fine form. The plot has holes, direction, too, and yet something keeps you interested in watching this movie. Martin plays the villain, against type; he commands a troop of convincing heavies; Peppard comes into town, the silent fellow who ends up restoring order. ROUGH NIGHT is pleasant enough, with some quirky touches, like Martin telling Peppard to bury one of his henchmen, the poker game between the two, and a whipping of Peppard that brings to mind Marlon Brando's in ONE-EYED JACKS.

Dean Martin as producer offered wisely to George Peppard a good guy's role to catch him to the picture, still stay with Jean Simmons as romantic pair, but put all this on the table is quite clear that the whole thing survives for few good scenes only, like the whip fight between Peppard and Pickens was bloody and impressive, another is when they playing poker, it's seems that Martin was loosing on purpose to Peppard leaves the town and at last the final showdown at the desert when Dino tried to ambush him, with those shaped blondie hair on the front face as long trademark, Simmons didn't added too much, Mcintire was average appearance, l'd to watch it twice to reach a final conclusion over it, watch out when Dino was involved in something, he can try to sing during in kitsch way...avoid!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2011 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7

A stagecoach bound for Jericho is ambushed by Alex Flood (Dean Martin). He's a bad man and he takes over the town with his brutal gang. He hangs the stagecoach driver for shooting one of his men in self-defense. Stagecoach owner Molly Lang (Jean Simmons) tries to save the driver but fails. She happens to be Flood's ex and he still holds a flame for her. A wounded Ben Hickman (John McIntire) and his former deputy Dolan (George Peppard) arrive in town to take partial ownership of the stagecoach line with Molly. Molly had informed Ben of her dire situation but Dolan was unaware and is unconvinced of joining her. Flood is demanding 51% of everything including the stagecoach.

It's interesting to see Dean Martin play against type. He's actually pretty good at playing evil. It's an interesting tense stand-off for the first half of the movie but I kept wondering about Dolan's plan if he had any at all. I really like Flood losing the poker hand to Dolan. It would have been even more interesting if the losing was deliberate as a way of enticing him to leave. On the other hand, I don't like the inciting incident with the deputy tearing up the stagecoach. It's too haphazard and rescuing a damsel is too bland. A better inciting incident would be killing Ben. That would lead to Dolan going on a revenge war against Flood and that would be a better movie. Once Dolan killed a deputy, Flood would have hung him without a trial. That section do not make sense. It's not until the saloon shootout that the movie finds its violence. It's a long time coming and about thirty minutes late. The shooting is still a little old fashion but at least, there is plenty of it.