Les cinq hors-la-loi

First off, anyone calling this typical, cliché, or done-before wasn't really paying attention. I can't recall any other Western I have ever seen that is as personally intense. I believe if this was a Japanese movie involving samurai, the same reviewers saying as much would have been praising it and it would be hailed as an example of originality and how great many unappreciated Japanese films are.

To really get an idea of what you're going to watch when you watch this film, realize that it is closer to 12 Angry Men and The Crucible than it is to your typical shoot-em-up Western.

I believe that this is an excellent movie for student-actors to watch and study. Stewart and Fonda both deliver powerful, compelling performances. There roles are near perfect classic examples of protagonist and antagonist. Yet, while their respective roles as 'good guy' and 'bad guy' are familiar this is an ultra-intense dive into who their characters are, what has brought them to this point, and the gritty depths to which each is willing to plunge into themselves to win the day. Both characters are inextricably tied to their respective companions with both parallels and extreme contrasts as to why they are so heavily influenced by those around them. Yet each has a core integrity that *seems* unshakable despite constant challenges pushed upon them by the profound flaws that define their respective groups.

If you allow yourself to become immersed you'll discover an inglorious, unflattering, gritty hero versus villain tale unlike the vast majority of movies that exist in any genre, let alone Westerns. A dry, dusty, brutal struggle for survival in an isolated Western scenario. It gives you little hope for positive resolution throughout. You can feel the tension and you'll cringe at what seems inevitable tragedy. Unique, gritty, and intense, I claim without hesitation that this is one of the best Westerns of all time.

Must take issue with a previous reviewer who characterized Fonda's performance as all bad, all the time. In fact, while Fonda's men are evil incarnate, Fonda's character is more nuanced and complex, and he is as much a victim of his choices and the men he chooses to "lead" as the townspeople they terrorize. In fact, if the movie has a dominant theme, it would be about how people become trapped by their own fears and doubts, and can only break out of their personal prisons by finding the courage to face their fears and overcome them. The movie is dark, and borrows elements from many earlier westerns; especially High Noon. It is not relentlessly negative however, and ends on a positive and life affirming note. While the pace is slow and the plot is derivative, the performances, particularly Stewart's and Fonda's, are superb and make the movie worth watching. The supporting case is a who's who of wonderful character actors and actresses.

This is the story of the farmer/sheriff (James Stewart) who'd worn it -till he'd faced one gun too many...the novice young , a mentally-challenged stable boy (Robert Porter), he had to teach or watch to die . As a peace-loving, part-time sheriff in the small town of Firecreek must take a stand when a gang of nasty outlaws takes over his town. The $2 a month sheriff that's what they gave you for protecting people who ran like rabbits when the going got roguish ! . The villagers ask the unexperienced sheriff to rid the little town of bandits when a vicious gang of freebooters (Jack Elam , Gary Lockwood , James Best and Morgan Woodward) passes through, their leader Larkin (Henry Fonda), who is suffering from a minor wound healed by a spinster (Inger Stevens) , decides to spend that night .

This excellent , meaty Western contains interesting plot , intrigue , thrills , shootouts and results to be quite entertaining. Outstanding Western balances action , suspense and drama. It's a classical recounting about an unexperienced marshal in charge of a village full of cowards and frightening people ; being probably one of the best Westerns in the fifties and sixties. The highlights of the film are the climatic showdowns, the twisted surprise at the livery stable and, of course, the final gundown . The traditional story and exciting screenplay was well written by Calvin Clemens though clichés run through-out. The enjoyable tale is enhanced for interesting moments developed among main characters and especially on the relationship between Henry Fonda and Inger Stevens. Magnificently performed by heavywights : James Stewart and Henry Fonda , they are awesome experts in the art of conjuring sensational acting , here are reunited in this atypical but thought-provoking western with a lot of reflection, distinguished moments and dramatical attitudes , in addition a multitude of entertaining situations . Top-notch plethora of secondary actors playing vicious, sadistic sociopaths who take advantage of the frightened townspeople such as Gary Lockwood , James Best , Morgan Woodward and veteran Jack Elam as well as villagers perfectly performed by Barbara Luna , Ed Begley , J. C. Flippen, Louise Latham, Dean Jagger, Jacqueline Scott, Robert Porter, John Qualen, among others . Wonderful cinematography in Technicolor is superbly caught by cameraman William H. Clothier, John Ford/John Wayne films's usual. Sensitive as well as lively musical score by classic composer Alfred Newman .

This is another superbly powerful Western being compellingly directed by Vincent McEveety , son of director Bernard McEveety. Vincent was an expert craftsman filmmaking occasionally for cinema such as ¨Herbie, Torero¨ , ¨Amy¨ , ¨The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again¨ , ¨Gus¨, ¨The Strongest Man in the World¨ and usually directed several TV episodes such as ¨Diagnosis murder¨, ¨Colombo¨, ¨Pensacola¨ , ¨Perry Mason¨, ¨T. J. Hooker¨, ¨Airwolf¨ , ¨Dallas¨ , ¨Cimarron¨ , ¨Gunsmoke¨ and ¨Star Trek ¨ in which four of the actors have links to ¨Firecreek¨ as Gary Lockwood, Barbara Luna, Brooke Bundy and Morgan Woodward all starred in Star Trek episodes. Well worth watching and it will appeal to James Stewart and Henry Fonda fans .

Or may I say his masterpiece if you compare with what he will do later for Disney industry. This is a pretty good western though showing a scheme already told before ten million times; a sheriff alone against a bunch of outlaws. But Hank Fonda, supposed to be the leader of the "bad men" has very intersting character, ambivalent and touching in some points. It could be compared with the Richard Boone's character in THE TALL T, the leader of four outlaws, but a character for whom the audience can feel some kind of empathy. Not the ugliest guy in the world. A western that deserves to be seen over and over. Not so typical of the late sixties but rather the fifties. It could have been made ten years earlier.

Firecreek is a somber western indeed about a man who is a sheriff and in the end forced to act like one. And an outlaw who's also forced to act like one.

Five outlaws led by Henry Fonda are dodging a posse and go to this out of the way town called Firecreek. Fonda leads a real motley crew of killers in Morgan Woodward, Jack Elam, James Best, and Gary Lockwood. Though Fonda says stay out of trouble and don't start anything, their outlaw natures get the better of them.

James Stewart is the part-time sheriff here. The place is so small it doesn't usually need and can't afford a real professional lawman. It makes the town of Hadleyville in High Noon look like Chicago. Stewart is more of a constable who usually just has to jail those who get inebriated on Saturday night.

Stewart also has other problems like a wife who's about to give birth to their third child. That's the conflict he's undergoing.

Fonda in a performance similar at times to Gregory Peck in The Gunfighter is weary of the life and finds a little romance going with Inger Stevens. But Peck rode alone and Fonda is responsible for the leadership of this gang.

A whole gang of familiar players like Ed Begley, John Qualen, Dean Jagger, and Jay C. Flippen are some of the town citizens. But the most touching portrayal is that of J. Robert Porter who plays the tragic, slightly retarded stable boy. What happens to him sets the stage for the climax.

Other than separate appearances in How the West Was Won, the only joint screen effort for Princeton graduates and lifetime best friends, James Stewart and Henry Fonda was in On Our Merry Way. This second joint venture was not greeted with glowing reviews at the time. But Firecreek has definitely held up well over the years.

Though the climax is completely ripped off from High Noon it is still a well choreographed gun battle just as High Noon was.

The job of sheriff even in a hole in the wall like Firecreek is not one for amateurs.