This is technically a pretty good John Wayne film. Unfortunately, for fans of Classic Hollywood like me, it also seems VERY familiar. So many of the story elements are re-used from other Westerns that the overall effort is very watchable but hardly anything seems new or exciting about it. Oddly, while I had never seen this film until today, I was able to predict where the film was going time and time again and I kept thinking "haven't I seen this film before?". Now for many, this won't be a problem, as a John Wayne film is like a familiar pair of shoes--you know what to expect and it's very comfortable. But if you are not a particular fan of The Duke, there are definitely better Westerns out there--and quite a few of them star Wayne. If you compare this film to the Cavalry Trilogy by John Ford (FORT APACHE, SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON and RIO GRANDE), THE SEARCHERS, THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE and many other Wayne films you'll see it just doesn't stack up all that well--looking like a B-movie version of a Wayne picture instead of his best.
By the way, after you do watch this film, let me know if you, too, think that the old lady in the film is just about the most awful old bat ever seen on film!! I really, really wanted to see Wayne punch her lights out, but this ISN'T something the hero was allowed to do in old-time Westerns!!!
By the way, after you do watch this film, let me know if you, too, think that the old lady in the film is just about the most awful old bat ever seen on film!! I really, really wanted to see Wayne punch her lights out, but this ISN'T something the hero was allowed to do in old-time Westerns!!!