In the midst of the usual frontier-feud between established cattleman Blaise Starrett (Robert Ryan) and newcomer sodbuster Hal Crane (Alan Marshal), an existential threat in the form of a gang of villainous cut-throats, led by courteously menacing Jack Bruhn (Burl Ives), rides into town. The story is interesting and 'adult' (the potential fates of the town's women-folk is heavily hinted at), but I could have done without the superfluous 'lovers triangle' and the implausible sub-plot about one of the villains being a 'nice guy at heart' (which just seemed tacked on to dilute the general bleakness of the film). Ryan is fine as the tough-guy rancher who gets to make the standard 'we tamed these parts before you came with your fences' speech, as is Ives (although I would have liked to have seen more to explain Bruhn's unquestioned authority in the gang). The townies are all fine but the various desperadoes (each of whom warrants a threatening introduction) frequently overdo the leering, sneering tough-guy sthick, and Tina Louise doesn't make a very convincing frontier wife. The B/W cinematography is outstanding and the 'third act', high in the snowy Wyoming mountains, is very well done. If you are looking forward to the scene on the provocative theatrical-release poster in which Tina Louise's cleavage and a stray Colt are prominently displayed, you'll be disappointed. All and all, a somewhat predictable but watchable 'adult' western.
Review of Day of the Outlaw
