Director John Sturges’s rise from Columbia programmers to mid-list (and beyond) at M-G-M before picking up A-list projects all around town was about as methodical a progression as mainstream Hollywood careers get. Never visually fluid in style, he moved stories one foot in front of the other foot from his first film on. Sturges, who became particularly known for Westerns (O.K. CORRAL: MAGNIFICENT SEVEN) was still new to the genre when he made this ‘Modern Western,’ a morality play about Lew Ayres’ guilt-ridden oil foreman in Mexico who mistakenly kills an innocent suspect after a payroll robbery. Unable to get past the incident, or the unwanted acclaim, he pulls up stakes and winds up (purposefully) as the hired hand at the ranch of the late man’s wife (Teresa Wright) and young son. Turns out, she also hides conflicted emotions about her late husband and soon figures out the lethal connection yet is drawn to this stranger. And that’s before another accidental murder (this time of the real payroll robber) puts Ayres on the run. Fatalistic as hell, it’s almost entirely told in flashback to the local Mexican Priest (Victor Jory!) for extra penance. The main creative force on this one, not Sturges (who shoots it like a psychological noir Western), but ambitious/pretentious producer/writer Niven Busch who often bit off more than he could chew.* This one jumping between simplistic psychiatric analysis and the contrivances of a ‘well-made’ play. That said, it remains darn watchable and has believable Mexican flavor that lends a distinct tone to the film. Especially when Aryes is on the move or stopping at some local café or cantina.
DOUBLE-BILL/LINK: *Busch probably took his best shot at the psychological Western in PURSUED/’47. https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2016/11/pursued-1947.html
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