directed by: Fred Zinnemann
written by: Carl Foreman
starring: Gary Cooper, Lloyd Bridges, Katy Jurado, Grace Kelly, Lee Van Cleef
commented on 10th March, 2015
So, the first thing I absolutely must comment on is Katy Jurado. I kept wondering where I know that defiant and fascinating face from - and she is that vigorous gunslinger from "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" that weeps to the tune of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" that her husband's been shot. And the husband cries with her. I had a problem with that scene when I first watched the film, but it grew on me in time. And in connection with her performance in High Noon (when she says to Grace Kelly that if she had that kind of man, she would get a gun and go fight by his side!) she is now officially one of my favourite actresses/heroines.
But about the film itself. I can't do anything but admire that uncompromising straightforwardness on its way to the poignant finale. It tells the tale of cowardice deeply rooted inside comfort, but I also like the message that the path matters as much as the end goal, given how long the preparations for the confrontation last and how quick the fight itself is.
The camera work is rather classic, but still delightful as heck. I love the ominous scene of the two women riding past the sheriff and looking back at him getting smaller and smaller in the distance. I really, really love the way the score is incorporated in the film. That dark variation on the main theme playing just before the train arrives - chef's kiss. And even just the intro constitutes a great piece of cinema, thanks to a great song and thanks to the fact that Lee Van Cleef might be bad, but he certainly is beautiful.
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