Saddle the Wind (1958)

Director:

Robert Parrish
(more)

Writers:

Rod Serling (screenplay)
Thomas Thompson (screen story)
(more)

Release Date:

22 April 1958 (Japan)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Steve Sinclair is a world a world-weary former gunslinger, now living as a peaceful farmer. Things go wrong when his wild younger brother Tony arrives on the scene with his new bride Joan Blake. |

Plot Keywords:

Gunfighter

Cast

Robert Taylor	...	Steve Sinclair
Julie London	...	Joan Blake
John Cassavetes	...	Tony Sinclair
Donald Crisp	...	Dennis Deneen
Charles McGraw	...	Larry Venables
Royal Dano	...	Clay Ellison
Richard Erdman	...	Dallas Hanson
Douglas Spencer	...	Hemp Scribner
Ray Teal	...	Brick Larson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stanley Adams	...	Joe - Bartender (uncredited)
Jay Adler	...	Hank - Saloon Cleanup Man (uncredited)
William Challee	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Wes Fuller	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Nacho Galindo	...	Manuelo (uncredited)
Kelo Henderson	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Lars Henderson	...	Jamie (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Irene Tedrow	...	Mary Ellison (uncredited)
Henry Wills	...	Cowboy (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Parrish
John Sturges		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Rod Serling		(screenplay)
Thomas Thompson		(screen story)
Daniel Fuchs		uncredited

Produced by
Armand Deutsch	....	producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein		(music scored by)

Cinematography by
George J. Folsey		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John McSweeney Jr.

Art Direction by
Malcolm Brown
William A. Horning

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace		(set decorations)
Otto Siegel		(set decorations)

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Al Shenberg	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Saunders	....	assistant director
Mickey McCardle	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller	....	recording supervisor (as Dr. Wesley C. Miller)
Harold Humbrock	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Milo B. Lory	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Henry Wills	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack N. Young	....	stunts (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Helen Rose	....	costume designer: Julie London

Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant

Music Department
Fred Steiner	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Albert Woodbury	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
E. Darrell Hallenbeck	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (USA) (theatrical) (as Metro Goldwyn Mayer)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (network premiere) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Perspecta Stereo (Perspecta Sound®) (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #18719) | West Germany:12 | Australia:G | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts)

Filming Locations:

Rosita, Colorado, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Tony Sinclair and his sidekicks confront Clay Ellison and burn the wagon, the shot alternated between a facing shot of Clay, and a rear view. In each shot Clay is holding the shotgun. In the facing shots he holds it across his body with the barrel held high, yet in each of the rear shots it is held horizontally at arms length. There is no apparent movement of the gun, however.

Quotes:

Dennis Dineen:I know all about the brother and the sickness inside him. He didn't get that from Steve, he was born with it.
Brick Larson:I don't think that Tony ever did get born. I think that somebody just found him wedged into a gun cylinder and shot him out into the world by pressing the trigger.

Soundtrack:

Saddle the Wind

Loose cannon gets the method treatment.

Steve Sinclair is an ex gunfighter now contented with his lot as a peaceful farmer. Peace that is disrupted when his young brother Tony turns up with his intended new bride in tow. Tony has a thirst for gun play, and when he guns down a fellow gunman in the bar, things start to rapidly spiral out of control for the Sinclair family.

Saddle The Wind has some top credentials coming with it. Written by one Rod Serling, and starring Robert Taylor and John Cassavetes as the Sinclair brothers, it's a film not short on quality. Into the mix is the splendid outdoor location work at Rosita, Colorado {courtesy of the prolific George J. Folsey} and the genre compliant score from Elmer Bernstein. But what of the film itself? Well the story is an over familiar one, gunfighter trying to leave his bad past behind, loose cannon youngster out to make a name for himself, and yes we get a female love interest causing conflict and confusion {Julie London in a stock and undemanding role}. Yet familiarity definitely does not breed contempt in this instance.

If new comers to this film are aware of John Cassavetes and his style of acting, then, in spite of the oddity of seeing him in Western surroundings, one can reasonably know what to expect. Cassavetes brings the method to young Tony Sinclair, instilling intensity, even borderline mania in the upstart hot shot, so much so that Robert Taylor's fine world weary turn as Steve gets lost until the finale. To non Cassavetes fans it may be just too much to handle, but speaking personally I found it a terrific performance that lifted the picture way above average. Support comes in the solid form of Donald Crisp and Royal Dano and the running time of under 90 minutes is just about right. Finally, it's with the ending that Saddle The Wind breaks away from its standard story and plotting. Played out on a lush blue flowered hillside, the makers deviate from the expected and give us something memorable and totally fitting to this method driven Western. 7/10