Ride Lonesome (1959, Budd Boetticher)

Another strong western by the always wonderful team of actor Randolph Scott and director Budd Boetticher. Scott plays a bounty hunter eager to see an outlaw pay for his crimes, but he first has to deal with the bad man’s brother, who is determined to rescue his sibling. Typical of the Scott-Boetticher team, the movie has plenty of action, suspense and many other surprises along the way. Scott is a tower of charisma. He plays a true badass who plays with the gray areas of the law. I liked how his character never cries for the viewer’s sympathy, which makes him a very interesting ‘hero.’ It is the kind of movie icon that has remained much-loved in modern times. Boetticher knows his material; he creates a conspicuously hermetic universe where only the strongest survives. The excellent supporting cast is composed of familiar faces: James Coburn, Lee Van Cleef, and Pernell Roberts. The multi-layered script was written by Burt Kennedy. Charles Lawton’s on location camera work is robust. It’s a minor classic.

~ by gelpi2008 on Saturday, June 27, 2009.