THE OUTRIDERS
US, 1950, 93 minutes, Colour.
Joel Mc Rea, Arlene Dahl, Barry Sullivan, Claude Jarman Jr, James Whitmore, Ramon Novarro, Jeff Corey, Ted de Corsia.
Directed by Roy Rowland.
The Outriders is an MGM supporting feature of 1950, a standard western with a standard western cast, Joel Mc Rea at this stage of his career specialising in westerns, Arlene Dahl emerging as a glamorous star at MGM, Barry Sullivan as a sturdy presence in many of the different kinds of films at this time, James Whitmore also reliable at MGM, Claude Jarman Jr having appeared in The Yearling and Intruder in the Dust. Veteran star, Ramon Navarro, the 1925 Ben Hur, appears as a Spanish grandee.
The film opens in our Union prison, with escapes, the group teaming up with a representative of Quantrell’s Raiders, a mission to rob gold for the confederacy, an emotional sub-plot and the end of the war.
1. A 1950s Western? The end of the Civil War? Quantrell’s Raiders, ruthless and committing massacres?
2. The picture of the West, the Union prison, the terrain, Santa Fe, the trek to St Louis?
3. The cast, standard for this kind of film? The musical score?
4. The scenes in the prison, the Confederate’s, hard done by, the Union commander, rumours of smallpox, the prisoners to go to the river, to wash? The young guard? The three and their attack on him, Jesse brutally killing him, the escape?
5. Stealing the clothes, going to the homestead, Will making a mistake and using Confederate language rather than Union, the farmer going for Union help? Their escape, meeting Keeley, being welcomed, the set-up to rob the gold, Will’s knowledge of Santa Fe and the visual map and his leading them there?
6. The character of Will, the strong Joel Mc Rea type of character? Upright? Principled? Four years of war being enough? Jesse, the man from New Orleans, brutally killing the soldier, attracted to Jen, willing to break his friendship with Will, Will and the attraction to Jen and his dancing, warning her, saving her? Jesse being tied up, cut free, killing the man, going to the other side?
7. The wealthy man, transferring the gold, his taking the friar for his health? Jen and her son, her dead husband killed as a coward? Will and his men? The journey? The swollen river, the difficulties in crossing, Jen’s stepson dying?
8. Keeley, wanting the gold, allegedly for the Confederate cause, the control?
9. Jen, her story about her stepson, travelling, hopes, attracted to Will? The men, the drinking, the dancing, her coming out of the wagon and dancing? Will’s reaction?
10. Clint, old, sturdy, loyal to Will, accompanying him, antagonistic towards Jesse? Helping Will, at the end and the final confrontation?
11. The news of the end of the war, the different destination for the gold, Will and his decision to confront Keeley, Keeley being shot dead by the grandee? His being shot? The final fight, the strategy of going behind the men, Jesse hiding, his lies about having no bullets, Will shooting?
12. A different future after the Civil War?
