A top-notch western with Burt Lancaster expertly cast in the title role. He is supported by an excellent group of veteran character players (Robert Ryan, Lee J Cobb, Albert Salmi). The story is very simple, but there is great character study and an emotional (and suspenseful) buildup to the plot. We get superb performances especially by Burt as a quiet but forceful man dedicated to "playing by the rules". I enjoyed this movie very much. It has the feel of a classic, and indeed it should be considered one because the story and the performances are not easily forgettable. It is a movie that leaves one asking moral (philosophical) questions at the end, and that is as it should be. By my definition, when a movie or a play does that, then it is a classic.
