BARRICADE

US, 1949, 75 minutes, Colour.
Raymond Massey, Dane Clark, Ruth Roman, Robert Douglas.
Directed by Peter Godfrey

Barricade is a tough Warner Bros western of the early '50s. It has the atmosphere of the remote mining centres of the west, ruled over by ruthless opportunists, a haven for those fleeing the law. Dane Clark is the hero, clashing with boss, Raymond Massey. Ruth Roman portrays a woman on the run from the law, caught up in this community. Robert Douglas has a good role as an undercover finance inspector.

The film is an adaptation of the Sea Wolf (filmed with Edward G. Robinson and John Garfield) - with an enclosed mining town as the equivalent of the ship. Direction is by Peter Godfrey, a regular director of standard Warner Bros films. Brief, tough, themes of law and order.

1.Interesting and entertaining western? The remote community, its tensions and clashes, ruthlessness, beyond the law?

2.The colour photography, the settings, action? The stars?

3.The title, the isolation, breaking through the barriers? The characters trapped?

4.Peters, the introduction, the pursuit, the town, tough stances? His going out to the mine? Meeting Kruger? Life in the settlement, work? Tough stances, the men, isolated? The encounter with Judith, clashing with her, relying on her? Kruger and his tyranny? The judge? Peters standing up to him? The work, the punishments? The build-up to the final confrontation and shootout? A taciturn hero?

5.Kruger, ruthless, owning the men, recruiting, dominating them? The judge? Taking on Peters? Fascination with Judith? The undercover agent? The life in the settlement, Kruger's dominance? Cruelty of word, action? Violence, death? The build-up to the confrontation? The clash with Peters, the fight, shootout?

6.Judith, her style? The stagecoach? The truth? Taking refuge in the settlement? Depending on Kruger? The agent and his assistance and covering for her? The judge? The reactions of the men? Peters and his friendship, clash? Helping in the illness? Caught up in the confrontation, the violence, the ending? A future with Peters?

7.The agent, the gentleman, covering for Judith? Unmasked as investigating ownership? His work as a cook? The injury and confined to the settlement? His stances, help, death?

8.The judge, dependence on Kruger, drink? His moral stances? Trying to escape? Death? The men in the settlement? Tough, the law, work, making money, clashes, violence?

9.A grim portrait of the west - the adaptation of the Sea Wolf, the using of the isolated settlement as the equivalent of the ship?