GREAT DAY IN THE MORNING

US, 1955, 92 minutes, Colour.
Robert Stack, Virginia Mayo, Ruth Roman, Alex Nicol, Raymond Burr, Regis Toomey.
Directed by Jacques Tourneur.

Great Day In The Morning is an interesting and enjoyable Civil War western. It was directed by Jacques Tourneur, director of several of Val Lewton's horror films in the '40s and director of a range of action features in the '50s including Wichita with Joel Mc Crea.

The film re-creates the atmosphere of the Civil War, the frontiers, the clashes between North and South. It also has romantic tangles and sinister villains. While the material is familiar, it is done in an enjoyable way.

1. An interesting and enjoyable western? The background of the Civil War? Loyalty? Romance?

2. Wide screen colour, location photography, the atmosphere of the 1860s? The musical score?

3. The title and the focus of American hopes, ambitions, the resolution of the Civil War conflicts? The focus on the Civil War background, the place of northerners and southerners in Denver? The gambling saloons? The gun-running? The betrayals? The occupation of the towns, the troops? Action adventure?

4. Owen Pentecost and his background of the South, his arrival in Denver, his winning of the gambling hall? The alliance with Boston Grant? The outbreak of the war, his loyalties? The approach for him to transfer gold to the South? His undertaking the risk? His attachment towards Anne? The clash between the two after the gunfight? The occupation of the town by Steven Kirby? His attachment to Anne? The escape of the southerners from the town with their gold? The chase? Owen and his strategy? His being caught by Kirby? His renouncing Anne and Kirby letting him go?

5. Boston Grant and her place in Denver, the gambling casino? Her love for Owen Pentecost? The contrast with Anne and her attraction towards him? Her turning against him after his killing the man? Steven Kirby and his love for Anne? The two heroines as background to the western?

6. Steven Kirby, the northern troops, the occupation of the town, law and order? The escape of the southerners? The pursuit? The capture of Owen? The gentlemen's agreement that he would go?

8. Jumbo Means and the gambling, sinister, betrayal? Raymond Burr-style villain?

9. The southerners in the town, loyalties, the transport of the gold, the escape, the strategies for taking the gold after Owen decoyed the troops?

10. The characters in the town - colourful background? Father Murphy and the Irish priest?

11. Conventional Civil War material - action and romance enjoyably done?