Scarecrow-88 Review of Best of the Badmen

Best of the Badmen (1951)

The Scarecrow reviews "Best of the Bad Men"

[7/10 · 8 August 2006]

Robert Ryan is Jeff Clanton, a newly released Yankee Calvary hero, who is falsely imprisoned by carpetbagger Matthew Fowler(Robert Preston who always had the skill to play a mean sonofabitch)who has manipulated and bought his way into territories left dry by war. Fowler runs a "detective agency" which pretty much is an organization of hoodlums always ready for more power and prestige. Clanton had round up a renegade group of confederate refugees lead by Cole Younger(Bruce Cabot, a fine western character actor often appearing in John Wayne films)and was about to swear them into civilian life when Fowler smelled millions when his right hand man, Joad(Barton MacLane who has always played characters you'd like to punch in the face with a brick), saw Clanton ride those soldiers in. Several members of these refugees included the notorious James brothers and horse thief Doc Butcher(Walter Brennan, who is always a blast to watch)..plenty have nice, fat price tags for retrieval. When Clanton refuses to hand them over to Fowler, the carpetbagger enlists a large sum of men to swarm up trouble. One man tries to pull a gun and is killed by Clanton. Fowler finds out that Clanton had been released by the Army and therefore could be tried for "murder", though clearly Jeff was right in pulling his gun. Thanks to the disgruntled wife of Fowler(a quite dependable Claire Trevor), Clanton escapes, but is shot in the leg and could pass out any minute. Being found by Doc and Cole's younger brother Bob(Jack Beutel), Clanton is rescued from certain grim fate. In a little town called Kint, Clanton prepares revenge on Fowler..his obsession is the meat of the true drama of the story. This film might have been routine if it wasn't for a stellar cast who seem inspired. The film is wonderfully shot in Technicolor and Ryan's hero against Preston's villain is fun. The added storyline of John Archer's treacherous Curly Ringo, Trevor's Lily trying to keep her identity as Mrs. Fowler secret(only Clanton and Ringo know;Ringo's knowing provides some added suspense..how long would he conceal her identity from Cole and the gang?), & Clanton's growing bond with Lily provide much needed help to a rather unsatisfyingly weak(and actually a bit far-fetched)ending. Something happens between Cole and Clanton and this doesn't get a follow through one might desire. The audience get what they want though..a final showdown between Clanton and Fowler.I guess why I'm a bit disappointed is because I feel this could've been great for we had all the makings of a solid conclusion, but instead we're left with not knowing what truly came of Cole and his remaining gang.