THE LAST POSSE 1953
This rather under-rated, and under seen western film from Columbia Pictures is a diamond in the rough. The film stars Broderick Crawford, Charles Bickford, Henry Hull, John Derek, Skip Homeier, Warner Anderson and Wanda Hendrix.
The film starts with a group of men riding out of the New Mexico desert into the town of Roswell. The men were all part of a posse out chasing three men who had stolen 105,000 in cash. Among the group is aging, has-been Sheriff, John Frazier. (Broderick Crawford) Crawford is gravely wounded and is not expected to live. The film now goes in to a series of flashbacks to explain what happened to the posse, and the reasons for its forming.
This one is full of double dealing, revenge, murder and good old fashioned greed. The whole thing is connected by the town Sheriff, Broderick Crawford, a drunk to some, a hero to others. The film is played out against the stark backdrop of the desert. Normally I would go into detail on the story, but not this time, the viewer really needs to see it unfold for himself.
The cast and crew are all excellent here delivering a top bit of western entertainment. The director, the always reliable Albert Werker lets the cast of old pros (Crawford, Hull, Bickford)do their stuff. The young actors (Derek, Homeier, Hendrix) seem to feed off the others and all deliver good performances. Cinematographer Burnett Guffey gives the whole production a nice sharp look.
Amazing how a film like this seems to have slipped through the cracks. Well worth a look.
This rather under-rated, and under seen western film from Columbia Pictures is a diamond in the rough. The film stars Broderick Crawford, Charles Bickford, Henry Hull, John Derek, Skip Homeier, Warner Anderson and Wanda Hendrix.
The film starts with a group of men riding out of the New Mexico desert into the town of Roswell. The men were all part of a posse out chasing three men who had stolen 105,000 in cash. Among the group is aging, has-been Sheriff, John Frazier. (Broderick Crawford) Crawford is gravely wounded and is not expected to live. The film now goes in to a series of flashbacks to explain what happened to the posse, and the reasons for its forming.
This one is full of double dealing, revenge, murder and good old fashioned greed. The whole thing is connected by the town Sheriff, Broderick Crawford, a drunk to some, a hero to others. The film is played out against the stark backdrop of the desert. Normally I would go into detail on the story, but not this time, the viewer really needs to see it unfold for himself.
The cast and crew are all excellent here delivering a top bit of western entertainment. The director, the always reliable Albert Werker lets the cast of old pros (Crawford, Hull, Bickford)do their stuff. The young actors (Derek, Homeier, Hendrix) seem to feed off the others and all deliver good performances. Cinematographer Burnett Guffey gives the whole production a nice sharp look.
Amazing how a film like this seems to have slipped through the cracks. Well worth a look.