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Sunday, May 18, 2008

FIVE CARD STUD (1968)

Undervalued helmer megger Henry Hathaway made two of his best Westerns just before (NEVADA SMITH) & just after (TRUE GRIT) this shabby little misfire. The usable set-up has the brother of a lynched card sharp come to town disguised as the new preacher. He's going after their souls all right, he cooly kills off the other card players one by one. But it never feels like anyone cared much about this project. Dean Martin looks puffy and tired while the stock cast and tech credits are close to tv grade. Only wily Robert Mitchum, as the revenge minded preacher, deathly calm in a perf notably removed from his classic NIGHT OF THE HUNTER dynamism, retains his dignity.

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