The Lonely Man is a decent little tale about manhood highlighted by the presence of the orc-like Jack Palance as one of the most frightening looking heroes any Western's ever seen.
Jacob Wade (Jack Palance) is a gunfighter with a long and murderous reputation. 14 years after abandoning his wife and child, Wade returns home to teach his hateful son how to be a man. Riley (Anthony Perkins) has nothing but contempt for his father and since his mother's death has become a bum, living in a hovel and hanging around the local saloon. Things are further complicated by the fact that Wade's villainous past is well known in the area, making him and his son decidedly unwelcome in any law abiding town. When Riley falls ill, Wade is forced to return to the horse ranch and the woman he left on his quest to redeem his child. Aida (Elaine Aiken) is desperately in love with Wade and only wants him to stay with her. She's even willing to put up with his pain-in-the-butt son if it keeps Wade near her.
As Wade tries to make a man of Riley in the pursuit of a wild stallion, he's helped by one member of his old gang and menaced by another, while a threat grows in the unseen distance. A man named King was nearly killed by Wade in a fight over Aida, but they fished the bullet out of him and he's determined to end Wade's life with it. There's also another problem Wade has kept secret from everyone and it's the real reason he's so desperate to turn Riley from a whining child to a grown man.
At its heart, The Lonely Man is about the 1950s definition of masculinity, or at least the 1950s fantasy about the masculinity of the Old West. Jacob Wade may be a terrible killer, but he's a man because he takes control of his life and makes no excuses for the decisions he's made. His old friend Ben (Robert Middleton) is an intemperate loudmouth, but he's a man because he's true to his friend. Even Aida fits into the concept of manhood through a feminine lens, being willing to sacrifice everything she is to protect the people the man she loves. Riley, though showing some strength of character, isn't a man because of his wallowing in self-pity and adolescent sloth. Even King is the bad guy of the story not because he seeks to kill Wade, but because of the unmanly way he plans to do it.
Acting-wise, Anthony Perkins does a good job playing the emotionally wounded and callow Riley, though he seems a bit too old for the role. Elaine Aiken as Aida fits beautifully as a woman in this manly world and she looks right for the part, as well. Put most attractive women next to the terrifyingly striking Palance and they'll look like two different species, but Aiken has a tough, somewhat worn edge to her appearance. She's the sort of hard woman that could love a hard man. Palance almost perfectly embodies the pre-1960s image of American masculinity. He's stoic and taciturn and haunted and strong. He's the hero from a time when heroes weren't supposed to say funny one-liners after they killed someone. It was sidekicks, women, children and even villains who used to get the humorous or poignant dialog while the men were plain and without affectation.
The Lonely Man was one truly "EWWWWW!" producing moment and ends in a fairly clichéd gunfight after promising something more interesting, but it's a fast-paced and relatively adult story that only seems dated in contrast to modern standards of manhood (or the lack thereof). I'd definitely recommend watching it.
Jacob Wade (Jack Palance) is a gunfighter with a long and murderous reputation. 14 years after abandoning his wife and child, Wade returns home to teach his hateful son how to be a man. Riley (Anthony Perkins) has nothing but contempt for his father and since his mother's death has become a bum, living in a hovel and hanging around the local saloon. Things are further complicated by the fact that Wade's villainous past is well known in the area, making him and his son decidedly unwelcome in any law abiding town. When Riley falls ill, Wade is forced to return to the horse ranch and the woman he left on his quest to redeem his child. Aida (Elaine Aiken) is desperately in love with Wade and only wants him to stay with her. She's even willing to put up with his pain-in-the-butt son if it keeps Wade near her.
As Wade tries to make a man of Riley in the pursuit of a wild stallion, he's helped by one member of his old gang and menaced by another, while a threat grows in the unseen distance. A man named King was nearly killed by Wade in a fight over Aida, but they fished the bullet out of him and he's determined to end Wade's life with it. There's also another problem Wade has kept secret from everyone and it's the real reason he's so desperate to turn Riley from a whining child to a grown man.
At its heart, The Lonely Man is about the 1950s definition of masculinity, or at least the 1950s fantasy about the masculinity of the Old West. Jacob Wade may be a terrible killer, but he's a man because he takes control of his life and makes no excuses for the decisions he's made. His old friend Ben (Robert Middleton) is an intemperate loudmouth, but he's a man because he's true to his friend. Even Aida fits into the concept of manhood through a feminine lens, being willing to sacrifice everything she is to protect the people the man she loves. Riley, though showing some strength of character, isn't a man because of his wallowing in self-pity and adolescent sloth. Even King is the bad guy of the story not because he seeks to kill Wade, but because of the unmanly way he plans to do it.
Acting-wise, Anthony Perkins does a good job playing the emotionally wounded and callow Riley, though he seems a bit too old for the role. Elaine Aiken as Aida fits beautifully as a woman in this manly world and she looks right for the part, as well. Put most attractive women next to the terrifyingly striking Palance and they'll look like two different species, but Aiken has a tough, somewhat worn edge to her appearance. She's the sort of hard woman that could love a hard man. Palance almost perfectly embodies the pre-1960s image of American masculinity. He's stoic and taciturn and haunted and strong. He's the hero from a time when heroes weren't supposed to say funny one-liners after they killed someone. It was sidekicks, women, children and even villains who used to get the humorous or poignant dialog while the men were plain and without affectation.
The Lonely Man was one truly "EWWWWW!" producing moment and ends in a fairly clichéd gunfight after promising something more interesting, but it's a fast-paced and relatively adult story that only seems dated in contrast to modern standards of manhood (or the lack thereof). I'd definitely recommend watching it.