McCrea portrays a circuit judge Richard Thorne, who comes to a small western town in the course of making his rounds. There he finds the town and surrounding area under the feudal thumb of an old-line family headed by Josiah Bannerman (John McIntire). Despite wholehearted opposition and obstacles, Thorne fingers Bannermans spoiled son, Tom (Kevin McCarthy) for murder and smokes out the necessary frightened witnesses and defies the whole clan by seeing that justice is done. In doing so he even wins the grudging respect of the old cattle baron, gains the love of the latters strong-willed niece, Amy (Miroslava Stern), and awakens the sheriff (Emile Meyer) to a new sense of duty.
With a combination of Joel McCrea as a circuit judge getting people' backs up in a town owned by the Bannermans -head honcho is John McIntyre- and Jacques Tourneur in the director seat a solid and engaging western should've been guaranteed, but I found Stranger on Horseback mildly diverting with some intelligent dialogue, which borders on pretentiousness. There's too much talk, especially from John Carradine who pops up and waffles endlessly. There's a good story in here, a strong theme on law and it's system, however the aforementioned issues and a pondering pace raises its head. Not unwatchable but not on the same level as the other McCrea westerns like Wichita, Cattle Empire and The Tall stranger. It lacks punch and I don't mean action necessarily. Things pick up in the last twenty minutes with good rugged scenery.
With a combination of Joel McCrea as a circuit judge getting people' backs up in a town owned by the Bannermans -head honcho is John McIntyre- and Jacques Tourneur in the director seat a solid and engaging western should've been guaranteed, but I found Stranger on Horseback mildly diverting with some intelligent dialogue, which borders on pretentiousness. There's too much talk, especially from John Carradine who pops up and waffles endlessly. There's a good story in here, a strong theme on law and it's system, however the aforementioned issues and a pondering pace raises its head. Not unwatchable but not on the same level as the other McCrea westerns like Wichita, Cattle Empire and The Tall stranger. It lacks punch and I don't mean action necessarily. Things pick up in the last twenty minutes with good rugged scenery.