Bounty hunter Howard Camp is on the trail of criminal Ben Vandergot, whose head is promised $5,000 in Kansas. To catch the criminal, he is helped by old gold digger Jesse Tate and expelled from the army for his poor character Roy Anderson. Together with Ben caught and his girlfriend Lena. the squad goes to Kansas, and the bandit meanwhile tries to bring discord into the group to escape.
The third in a series of so-called psychological westerns by Anthony Mann starring James Stewart. I don’t know why the script of this picture was nominated for the Oscars, the plot of the film seemed far-fetched to me. In addition, the characters behave quite illogically. Bandit Vandergot can easily quarrel with their escorts among themselves, although what prevents them simply gag him or simply shoot him (after all, they give the same money for his corpse). Camp's two soldiers and a gold digger are also good. The same old Tate takes care of the wounded Howard, and then easily betrays him. The romantic Lina is thrown between Vandergot and Camp, although it is clear that the first is just a notorious scoundrel. In general, the action develops long and tedious, there is no particular intrigue and how the film will end, in principle, quickly becomes clear. A little save the beautiful landscapes of the Rocky Mountains, against the background of which the events of the picture take place.
James Stewart portrays a tough and cynical bounty hunter, but he does not come out very well. Robert Ryan is just a scoundrel, and I have to say that. Millard Mitchell and Ralph Meeker don't shine either, nor does young Janet Lee in a single female role. But it's no longer the actors' fault, it's the script that makes their characters do illogical things.
The film is considered a classic of Westerns and almost the pinnacle of Anthony Mann’s work. But I didn't like him. Boring, with a clearly readable moralizing ending, average acting and a contrived script.
5.5 out of 10