This film resonates deeply, for a variety of reasons. Not the least of which is James Cagney's impressive central performance as the bad man. It is only because of how Cagney brings out the tender human side in the character does he even become worthy of a tribute.
At the heart of this western range drama is the relationship Cagney's character develops with two other people. One is a former dance hall girl (Irene Pappas). She had become sick of her old life and sought refuge at Cagney's ranch. She is here not as a wife but as a girlfriend and housekeeper.
The other key relationship is the one that occurs between Cagney and a newcomer (Don Dubbins) who has recently journeyed west from Pennsylvania. Dubbins seeks adventure and a job. Cagney hires him after a skirmish with rustlers leaves a bullet in his back that Dubbins kindly dislodges.
Dubbins' character is also the narrator, and we learn that this was just a certain period in his life. The script is based on a short story by writer Jack Schaefer that was part of a collection of short stories in an anthology called 'The Big Range.' The first four stories in this volume feature the Dubbins character describing experiences with several pioneers. Meaning Cagney is just one of the people that Dubbins meets during his western travels. MGM did not adapt any of the other stories in the book.
In addition to the sharply observed conflicts between a land baron (Cagney) and the thieves he goes after and hangs, the film benefits from Robert Wise's careful direction on location in scenic Colorado.
There are a lot of fantastic outdoor scenes, and it's a shame Wise did not helm more productions in this genre. Impressive visuals are accompanied by an appropriately grand yet eloquent score composed by Miklos Rozsa.
There are some fine supporting performances besides what Pappas and Dubbins offer. We have Stephen McNally as a former wrangler that tried to make a move on Pappas, so Cagney fired him. McNally teams up with some other no-good drifters and puts a revenge plan in motion. However, Cagney learns about their scheme thanks to some evidence that Dubbins finds.
Cagney wastes no time going after McNally's gang and with Dubbins' help, he catches up to them. The sequence where he shackles McNally and McNally's cohorts, then leads them across the desert to punish them for their crimes is remarkably brutal. We see McNally get his comeuppance the hard way. He ends up begging for mercy.
One of the members of McNally's bunch is a Scandinavian farmer's young son (Vic Morrow). The kid has a huge chip on his shoulder after his pa dies, and he nearly goes too far to prove his manhood. Morrow's ma is played by the always dependable Jeanette Nolan. She has turned a blind eye to her son's past activities, but now she just wants all the killings to stop.
The performances rendered by Morrow and Nolan match Cagney's performance step for step. But it is of course Cagney's film. He facilitates a complete metamorphosis on screen. His character evolves from ruthless and feared to fair and revered.
One gets the feeling that Cagney really cared about the story and what he could convey through the character he portrays. At times he is prone to emoting wildly, but he also practices restraint. He is entertaining us as a consummate showman, but he is also giving us something real to relate to and savor. His achievement in this film is worthy of its own tribute.
At the heart of this western range drama is the relationship Cagney's character develops with two other people. One is a former dance hall girl (Irene Pappas). She had become sick of her old life and sought refuge at Cagney's ranch. She is here not as a wife but as a girlfriend and housekeeper.
The other key relationship is the one that occurs between Cagney and a newcomer (Don Dubbins) who has recently journeyed west from Pennsylvania. Dubbins seeks adventure and a job. Cagney hires him after a skirmish with rustlers leaves a bullet in his back that Dubbins kindly dislodges.
Dubbins' character is also the narrator, and we learn that this was just a certain period in his life. The script is based on a short story by writer Jack Schaefer that was part of a collection of short stories in an anthology called 'The Big Range.' The first four stories in this volume feature the Dubbins character describing experiences with several pioneers. Meaning Cagney is just one of the people that Dubbins meets during his western travels. MGM did not adapt any of the other stories in the book.
In addition to the sharply observed conflicts between a land baron (Cagney) and the thieves he goes after and hangs, the film benefits from Robert Wise's careful direction on location in scenic Colorado.
There are a lot of fantastic outdoor scenes, and it's a shame Wise did not helm more productions in this genre. Impressive visuals are accompanied by an appropriately grand yet eloquent score composed by Miklos Rozsa.
There are some fine supporting performances besides what Pappas and Dubbins offer. We have Stephen McNally as a former wrangler that tried to make a move on Pappas, so Cagney fired him. McNally teams up with some other no-good drifters and puts a revenge plan in motion. However, Cagney learns about their scheme thanks to some evidence that Dubbins finds.
Cagney wastes no time going after McNally's gang and with Dubbins' help, he catches up to them. The sequence where he shackles McNally and McNally's cohorts, then leads them across the desert to punish them for their crimes is remarkably brutal. We see McNally get his comeuppance the hard way. He ends up begging for mercy.
One of the members of McNally's bunch is a Scandinavian farmer's young son (Vic Morrow). The kid has a huge chip on his shoulder after his pa dies, and he nearly goes too far to prove his manhood. Morrow's ma is played by the always dependable Jeanette Nolan. She has turned a blind eye to her son's past activities, but now she just wants all the killings to stop.
The performances rendered by Morrow and Nolan match Cagney's performance step for step. But it is of course Cagney's film. He facilitates a complete metamorphosis on screen. His character evolves from ruthless and feared to fair and revered.
One gets the feeling that Cagney really cared about the story and what he could convey through the character he portrays. At times he is prone to emoting wildly, but he also practices restraint. He is entertaining us as a consummate showman, but he is also giving us something real to relate to and savor. His achievement in this film is worthy of its own tribute.