A frontier marshal doubts his own courage when three gunmen threaten his town.A frontier marshal doubts his own courage when three gunmen threaten his town.A frontier marshal doubts his own courage when three gunmen threaten his town.
Edgar Buchanan
- Will 'Bill' Dowdy
- (as Edgar Buchanon)
Lon Chaney Jr.
- John W. Harmon
- (as Lon Chaney)
Barton MacLane
- Henry 'Tiny' Longtree
- (as Barton McLane)
Robert Karnes
- Ward Blythe
- (as Bob Karnes)
Tex Holden
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- SoundtracksThe Silver Star
Composed and Sung by Jimmy Wakely
Featured review
Good score for scared Western
THE SILVER STAR is a Western about fear. Lon Chaney Jr wants to be sheriff to run the town as he likes but Lyon, whose granddad and dad died in office as town sheriffs, steps up to the plate... until King Daniels (Bartlett) blows into town, accompanied by two murderous sidekicks, and that is when Lyon decides to go for a long ride around, meeting here and there with former sheriff Edgar Buchanon (as spelt in the credits).
Chaney is scared to show his hand. Bartlett is scared enough to come with henchmen. Lyon is obviously scared not just because of past family losses but because he feels the town should be involved, it should not be up to the sheriff alone.
Throw in the ultimate femme fatale in noir films, Marie Windsor, here playing the role of goody two shoes girlfriend who tells Lyon she will not have a coward for her mate, and will not leave town on the train with him.
Which is a reversal of the situation in HIGH NOON, done three years earlier, in which a train brings four bandits to town intent on killing Sheriff Will Kane.
Meanwhile, Lyon keeps going around on his horse while Jim Wakely sings a tune that is not so very different from "Please don't forsake me oh my darling" in HIGH NOON. And so the Hamlet-like young sheriff wanders about before finally deciding to turn in his badge to his predecessor, who is man enough to go out and start the vital showdown that makes Lyon realize that he has to do something, not just stand around.
And so some cosmetic complexity is added to a pointless story whose sole moral lesson is that the sheriff should never have to act alone. What is more, this sheriff portrayed by Lyon cannot shoot straight enough to hit an elephant, let alone moving human targets.
B cinematography, unconvincing direction, laughable script, and one decent performance from the ever reliable supporting actor Edgar Buchanon, better known as Buchanan, here in the leading role. Waste of 73 minutes.
Chaney is scared to show his hand. Bartlett is scared enough to come with henchmen. Lyon is obviously scared not just because of past family losses but because he feels the town should be involved, it should not be up to the sheriff alone.
Throw in the ultimate femme fatale in noir films, Marie Windsor, here playing the role of goody two shoes girlfriend who tells Lyon she will not have a coward for her mate, and will not leave town on the train with him.
Which is a reversal of the situation in HIGH NOON, done three years earlier, in which a train brings four bandits to town intent on killing Sheriff Will Kane.
Meanwhile, Lyon keeps going around on his horse while Jim Wakely sings a tune that is not so very different from "Please don't forsake me oh my darling" in HIGH NOON. And so the Hamlet-like young sheriff wanders about before finally deciding to turn in his badge to his predecessor, who is man enough to go out and start the vital showdown that makes Lyon realize that he has to do something, not just stand around.
And so some cosmetic complexity is added to a pointless story whose sole moral lesson is that the sheriff should never have to act alone. What is more, this sheriff portrayed by Lyon cannot shoot straight enough to hit an elephant, let alone moving human targets.
B cinematography, unconvincing direction, laughable script, and one decent performance from the ever reliable supporting actor Edgar Buchanon, better known as Buchanan, here in the leading role. Waste of 73 minutes.
helpful•00
- adrianovasconcelos
- May 2, 2023
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- The Sheriff
- Filming locations
- Paramount Ranch - 2813 Cornell Road, Agoura, California, USA(Western town, nearby buildings & other areas of ranch)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 13 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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