DAY OF THE OUTLAW

US, 1959, 92 minutes. Black and white,
Robert Ryan, Burl Ives, Tina Louise, Nehemiah Persoff, David Nelson.
Directed by Andre de Toth.

Day of the Outlaw was written by Philip Yordan, a prolific writer of screenplays, taking a strong anti-Senator Mc Carthy stance during the 50s.

The film shows an isolated Wyoming town, hemmed in by snow in a bleak winter. The film has striking black and white photography creating the atmosphere of winter in the Rockies. There is a confrontation between the farmers, who want to cut off their land with barbed wire, and a cattle king. As they confront each other, the day is interrupted by the arrival of a group of Confederate robbers, being pursued by the cavalry. They take over the town, are finally persuaded to be led out into the mountain snow by the cattle king.

Robert Ryan is a strong and sturdy figure as the cattle king, a man bitter against the farmers because he has, with his associate (Nehemiah Persoff) made the area safe for twenty years. His freedom is threatened. Burl Ives is the gentlemanly leader of the gang, wounded, yet keeping control over his men and keeping them away from drink and women. Tina Louise is the wife of the rancher who is in love with the cattle king.

The film is a strong critique of the absence of law and order in the Wyoming territories, the post-Civil War greed and brutality of some of the criminals. It also reminds audiences of how grim marauding men can be and their merciless attitude towards women and using them. Director is Andre de Toth (who had only one eye) who made a range of strong action films as well as House of Wax and Play Dirty.

1. An impressive western? The town, the issues of free range and farm, the issues of criminal, of masculine brutality and violence?

2. The black and white photography, the town itself, the snow, the mountain peaks? The action staged within the bleak snow and storms? The strong musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Bruhn and his men, their taking over the town, the response of the townspeople, the end of the day?

4. The focus on Blaise Starrett and Dan, the resentment against the barbed wire fences, coming to down, the confrontation with Crane? Neither giving way? Starrett and his having kept law and order? His wanting freedom of the range? His relationship with Helen Crane, the affair, her breaking it off? The confrontation in the bar, the townspeople and their support of Crane? Helen coming to his room, trying to persuade him to spare her husband? His coming down the next day, the build-up to the confrontation, rolling the bottle along the bar, the attempt at a shoot-out and its being interrupted by the arrival of Bruhn and his men?

5. The ranchers, Crane and his wife, the people in the store selling the barbed wire, wanting to put down their roots in Wyoming, the barbed wire and the fences? The long speech by Starrett explaining the history of the twenty years and his sense of belonging, the ranchers coming in and taking over?

6. Bruhn, his arrival and the men, the surprise? The cavalry pursuing them? Their robbery? Starrett knowing about the Mormon massacre? The character of Bruhn and his leadership, his ability to keep the men under control, his commands? His severe discipline? His forbidding of the liquor, of the men going near the women? The women going to the store? His taking the boy as a hostage? His allowing the fight between Starrett and Tex, sending two other men to brutalise Starrett? His injury, undergoing the operation for the bullet extraction, his courage, wanting to talk? His recovery, the morphine? The men and their behaviour, his keeping an eye on them? Being persuaded to allow the dance? His dancing with Helen? His being persuaded by Starrett to go out into the mountains? His knowing that there was no track, his wanting to die with dignity? Out on the mountain, his fall from the horse, his death?

7. The men and their brutality, Tex and Pace, their leering, wanting drinks, fighting Starrett? Tormenting the boy to find the key for the liquor? The approach to the women, the dance and the advances? Their agreeing to go into the mountains? In the mountains, the clashes, the shootings? Sending Gene back? The deaths, Pace and Tex remaining, the man frozen in the night, Tex and his wanting to shoot Starrett but unable to? The Cheyenne Indian, Shorty, the other men and their characters?

8. The townspeople, the owner of the store, the doctor and his performing the operation, the barber? The man who owned the hotel, providing food? The women, Helen Crane and her leadership, her relationship with Starrett? Ernina supporting her father in the store, concern about her brother? The other wives? Starrett attempting to get them out of the town, their being turned back?

9. Starrett and his change of heart, realising that he was no better than Bruhn and his men, leading them out where there was no track? Sending Gene back, Gene as different from the others, protecting the boy, Ernina attracted to him? Starrett's return, Gene working for him? A different town?