Barbara Stanwyck and Fred McMurray in a western about Midnighters and other burglars. . . In the beginning of the 50s in Hollywood, was actively introduced when shooting films Technology 3D (1952-1954), which became the same 'cash bait' for the viewer, as well as color film in late 30s and early 40s. Few people today know what this technology was like in those years, but it is certainly different from the 3D we know today.
However, the use of new technology, unfortunately, did not always oblige producers to select better stories for such productions, which often led to failures. And Roy Rowland's western <'The Moonlighter' (1953) (in Russian it is more logical to translate as 'Midnight') is an example of just such a mistake.
The plot of the film looks like this: A furious group of cowboys storm a prison containing the "Midnightman" they want to lynch. However, not knowing what Wes looks like, they mistakenly hang another prisoner named Alex Prince (Morris Ancrum) and, freed, Anderson begins to avenge him.
One day, after being injured, Wes is forced to return home, where he has not been for many years. Wes soon learns that his former lover Rahl (Barbara Stanwyck) is engaged to his brother Tom (William Ching), who has always admired him. Wes himself, along with his old accomplice, Col Gardner ( Ward Bond), plans to rob a bank where Tom works as a cashier. . .
Well, the introductory titles of this western were very good. The plot of the film, associated with 'lynching by mistake', also seems very intriguing, but, the author of the script, Niven Bush, effectively twisting the intrigue, reduced everything, ultimately, to an ordinary " robbery" and the subsequent "payment for the crime" - in this respect especially pathetic and unnatural the last five minutes of the film seem to be.
But, the plot clumsiness smooth out the first half hour of the film and a very strong acting performance, both in the leading performers and in the secondary cast. Fred McMurray is very organic in the ambiguous role of a criminal driven by a thirst for revenge. A good impression is made by Barbara Stanwyck, who for the third time forms a screen pair with McMurray.
From the performers of the supporting roles stand out Ward Bond as an accomplice of the main character, William Ching as his brother and Morris Ancrum in the short but bright role of Alex Prince, who suffered by tragic accident.
Summing up, it was far from the best, but quite a good representative of his genre (thanks to the successful acting performance). Recommended to one-time viewing the film can be both fans of creativity of the main actors, and fans of westerns. Thank you very much.
6 out of 10