Buchanan Rides Alone (1958)

Director:

Budd Boetticher

Writers:

Charles Lang (screenplay)
Jonas Ward (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

1 August 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Tagline:

DOUBLE HANGING -- DOUBLE THRILLS! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Texan Tom Buchanan is heading back home with enough money to start his own ranch, but when he stops in the crooked town of Agry, he's robbed and framed for murder.

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Texan | Framed For Murder | Mexican | Murder Trial

Cast

Randolph Scott	...	Tom Buchanan
Craig Stevens	...	Abe Carbo
Barry Kelley	...	Lew Agry
Tol Avery	...	Judge Simon Agry
Peter Whitney	...	Amos Agry
Manuel Rojas	...	Juan de la Vega
L.Q. Jones	...	Pecos Hill
Robert Anderson	...	Waldo Peck
Joe De Santis	...	Esteban Gomez
William Leslie	...	Roy Agry
Jennifer Holden	...	K.T.
Nacho Galindo	...	Nacho
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Bill Coontz	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Duke Fishman	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Terry Frost	...	Jury Foreman (uncredited)
Don C. Harvey	...	Lafe (uncredited)
Riley Hill	...	Juror (uncredited)
Barbara James	...	Nina (uncredited)
Roy Jenson	...	Hamp (uncredited)
James B. Leong	...	Gomez's Friend (uncredited)
Charles Morton	...	Juror (uncredited)
Leo Ogletree	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Frank J. Scannell	...	Saloon Gambler (uncredited)
Al Wyatt Sr.	...	Ivy (uncredited)

Directed by
Budd Boetticher

Writing credits
Charles Lang		(screenplay)
Jonas Ward		(novel "The Name's Buchanan")
Burt Kennedy		uncredited

Produced by
Harry Joe Brown	....	producer
Randolph Scott	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Lucien Ballard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Al Clark

Art Direction by
Robert F. Boyle		(as Robert Boyle)

Set Decoration by
Frank Tuttle		(as Frank A. Tuttle)

Makeup Department
Al Greenway	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerrold Bernstein	....	assistant director
John D. Bloss	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
John P. Livadary	....	recording supervisor (as John Livadary)
Jean G. Valentino	....	sound (as Jean Valentino)
Harry Foy	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Stunts
Al Wyatt Sr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack N. Young	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Al Becker	....	head grip (uncredited)
Marvin L. Gunter	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Val O'Malley	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Homer Van Pelt	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bucky Rous	....	costumer: men (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Henri Jaffa	....	color consultant

Music Department
Mischa Bakaleinikoff	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
George Duning	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Heinz Roemheld	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Paul Sawtell	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
David Breen	....	assistant to producer
Jackson Halliday	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)
Frances McDowell	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Vlademere Portainko	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1958) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Film-Verleih (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (included in "The Films of Budd Boeticher')
• Comet Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"The Name's Buchanan" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Columbia Color)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:U (passed with cuts) | West Germany:12 | USA:Approved (MPAA rating: certificate #19031)

Filming Locations:

Sabino Canyon, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: After the climactic gunfight, with bodies all over the place, Craig Stevens is heard saying to Peter Whitney, "Don't just stand there, Amos, go get a shovel." But one can clearly see Stevens say, "...go get a spade".

Quotes:

Tom Buchanan:I ramrodded some, a little border spread. Then I got some ideas about honing for my own, so I crossed the line and tried to stake myself to some animals.
Judge Simon Agry:By rustling?
Tom Buchanan:No, sir... fighting!
Judge Simon Agry:So you're a fighter?
Tom Buchanan:Yes, sir.
Judge Simon Agry:What kind of fighting?
Tom Buchanan:Most any kind... providing there's money in it. Joined General Campos in Mexico.
Judge Simon Agry:Then murder is nothing new to you, Buchanen.
Tom Buchanan:Ain't murder when you kill in a revolution.
Judge Simon Agry:Why aren't you still there?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Budd Boetticher: A Man Can Do That (2005) (TV)

One of Randolph Scott's best performances

Randolph Scott once claimed a certain club that refused membership to actors should let him since he had 50 movies to prove he wasn't an actor.

He was being terribly modest.

Watching "Buchanan Rides Alone" one realizes he was a very good actor.

Critics say his best performances came with direction by Budd Boetticher and "Buchanan Rides Alone" stands as evidence for that belief.

In fact, the entire cast gives great performances.

One of the attractions of this film is that there are so many strong characters, so many individual parts very well played by great actors.

Far too many of these great actors did not become famous, but they certainly deserved to.

This is a classic.