THE LAWLESS BREED
US, 1953, 83 minutes, Colour.
Rock Hudson, Julie Adams, Mary Castle, John Mc Intire, Hugh O’ Brian, Dennis Weaver, Lee Van Cleef.
Directed by Raoul Walsh.
The Lawless Breed purports to tell the true story of John Wesley Hardin, a convicted murderer who spent sixteen years in a Texas jail. However, commentators point out that Hardin was not the sympathetic western character portrayed in the film, but rather a sadistic mass-murderer.
The film shows Hardin being released and telling his story to. It then goes in flashback to his hard family life, the brutality of his religious father (John Mc Intire) and the sympathy of his cousin and uncle (the uncle also played by Mc Intire). Hardin revolts, leaves home, gambles, allegedly shoots a man in self-defence, accidentally killing a sheriff and goes on the run.
The girl he intends to marry is killed and he becomes a rebel. However, he is supported by a bargirl, Rosie (Julie Adams), who follows him and eventually marries him. The film culminates with his release, his confronting his son and stopping him using his father’s gun.
The film is an early star vehicle for Rock Hudson – who gets a bit of a sinister as well as mature look by being moustachioed. Julie Adams was a regular star at Universal in the early 50s. The film also has performances from the young Hugh O’ Brian, Dennis Weaver and Lee Van Cleef.
It was directed by Raoul Walsh, a veteran of films since 1912 with his Story of Pancho Villa, directing many action adventures during the 20s and 30s, coming into his own with a range of films at Warner Brothers in the 1940s. During the 1950s he made quite a number of colourful action films like this one, including Sea Devils, a pirate story with Rock Hudson.
1.A popular western of the 1950s? Universal Studios and their skill in presenting straightforward westerns?
2.Texas locations, the 1870s and 1880s? Farms, towns, saloons? Action and shoot-outs? The musical score?
3.The title, law and order in the American west, in Texas after the civil war? The Hardin family, the sadism of the religious father, the effect on the son, his own son admiring his father and having his gun? Building up to the final confrontation between father and son and the outlawing of guns?
4.Rock Hudson as John Wesley Hardin? Working at home, his skill in shooting, the period after the civil war? His harsh father? His sympathetic brother? His leaving, his father beating him? Gambling, the friendship with Rosie? The intention of having a farm with Jane? The confrontation, the killing in the saloon, the pursuit, the death of the sheriff? His being on the run, supported by Rosie? Travelling, eluding pursuit? The death of Jane? The farm, settling down, hard work, the wedding? His going to visit his father, arrest? The trial, the severe sentence? His coming out of jail, reuniting with Rosie, meeting his son, hitting him because of the gun, the confrontation at the bar, his saving his son, the taunts about his hiding a gun, his being shot? Recovering? The family going home? An ambiguous hero of the west?
5.Rosie, work in the saloon, love for Wes, going with him, helping him escape, settling down, exasperation, the wedding, pregnancy? In the court, waiting for him? The comparison with Jane, Wes expecting to marry Jane and have the cottage and farm? Her death?
6.The father, severe, quoting God, punishing? The contrast with his brother, genial, his son and their helping Wes?
7.The Texas Rangers, the authorities, the plans, the discussions, the pursuit? The final arrest at the railway station? The court case?
8.The band of brothers, their pursuit of Wes?
9.Popular western ingredients? The atmosphere of the civil war and the consequences? The lawless west?
