YELLOW SKY (1949)

The last of three films made by favored 20th/Fox wrier/producer Lamar Trotti and tough guy megger William Wellman isn’t nearly as well known as their second collaboration, the much acclaimed OX-BOW INCIDENT/43, but, if no classic, is a far better work.  OX-BOW, with its mournful bearing (a Western Greek tragedy) and airless soundstage ‘exteriors,’ is usually deferred to for its downbeat content and taking a bold stand against lynching innocent suspects.  (An attitude known in Hollywood circles as Texas Liberal.)  This less arty item, loaded with on-location exteriors, follows a passel of Civil War vets who rob small town banks but are eventually chased by a military posse into taking a 70 mile crossing over ‘the sink,’ an ‘anvil flat’ that’ll kill you surer than a rope.  And since they shot in Death Valley, you believe it.  Miraculously, on their last legs, they come upon a town out there . . . a ghost town.  Two inhabitants and a hidden spring; it offers a chance, or could if Grandpa and Granddaughter don’t shoot them first.*  They’ve been prospecting for years and have a fortune in gold stashed away.  Info that perks up the revived gang almost as much as the good-lookin’ tomboy granddaughter.  Fill in the blanks; just don’t forget to add on a passing group of reasonably reasonable Indians, long time pals of G’pa.  It makes a fine set up, with plenty of suspense, horniness, venal backstabbing and possible redemption for robbers Gregory Peck, Richard Widmark (just his third pic), Harry Morgan & John Russell; alternately ogling the gold and curvy granddaughter Anne Baxter.  Trotti cops out at the climax (twice!), but at least Wellman doesn’t try for the artistic flourishes he’s rarely comfortable handling.

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID:  *James Barton, Anne Baxter’s prospecting G’pa, was a longtime B’way star, a sort of stage Irishman since 1919.  Most recently the original Hickey in Eugene O’Neill’s THE ICEMAN COMETH.  It’s the role Lee Marvin filmed in 1973.  Back on B’way, after some Hollywood work, Barton followed ICEMAN with Lerner & Loewe’s first hit musical PAINT YOUR WAGON, playing the same role Lee Marvin did (with many a change) in the 1969 film.  Even stranger, the relationship between Barton and Anne Baxter’s tomboy granddaughter suddenly thrust into womanhood, was replayed by Barton two years later, now with Olga San Juan as daughter, on B’way in PAINT YOUR WAGON.