THE TALL STRANGER
US, 1957, 81 minutes, Colour.
Joel Mc Crea, Virginia Mayo, Barry Kelley, Michael Ansara, Michael Pate.
Directed by Thomas Carr.
The Tall Stranger is one of the numerous B-westerns that Joel Mc Crea appeared in during the mid and late '50s. This one is based on a story by Louis L'Amour and has strength from its plot. Virginia Mayo had appeared with Mc Crea in Colorado Territory. She is also at home in this kind of film. There is a villainous Michael Ansara.
The film was directed by Thomas Carr. It is one of many such of the time, filmed in colour and Cinemascope, but which, because of its basic plot and characterisation, does not date and is still enjoyable as a modest western.
1. B westerns and their style in the '50s? enjoyable at the time? Now? The work of Louis L'Amour and his basic western plots?
2. Colour and Cinemascope photography, the West, the valley? The staging of the battles? The score?
3. The introduction, the title, Joel Mc Crea as the western hero, Ned Bannen and his coming back from the war, seeing the cattle rustlers, his being wounded, the blurred vision of the man with the spurs, mystery?
4. The wagon trains and the people coming after the war? Harper and his smooth leadership, his ideas, deceiving the people? The groups, the families, teh hardships? Their hopes? California? Ellen and her son? Cap and his leadership? The hardships of?the journey? Going to Bishop's Valley?
5. Ned and the group helping him, the confrontation between Yankee and Southerners? His relationship with Bishop, his advice to the group? His going to see Bishop? The people's suspicion of him? The clash with the villain, the pretence that Ned was the villain, the encounter with Ellen and her son, his rescuing them and taking them to the homestead? The tension of the siege?
6. Bishop and his tough attitudes, owning the valley, the war, his son as no good, going with Quantrell, his death? Blaming Ned? Stark and his devoted 20 years and help?. Wanting to kill Ned, fighting him? Listening to him, doing a deal about the settlers? The violence and his wanting to attack? being persuaded not to because of Ellen's boy? The siege, the smoking hayrick, his dying and having had a good fight?
7. Ned and Ellen, their relationship, her telling the truth? The scene at the river, the bandit and his attack?
8. The battle, the wagon and the smoke, the deaths, the survivors? Ned allowing the settlers to stay?
9. Cap Judson and the young couple, a portrait of the group in the wagon train? Harper and his associate, the deception and the plan? His hiring the villains? The various shootouts?
10. Themes of the American West, the effects of the Civil War, the pioneers and the opening up of the land?
