Law and Order (1953)

Frame Johnson already cleaned up Tombstone and hopes to settle down near Cottonwood. But a marshal's work is never done...

Director:

Nathan Juran

Writers:

W.R. Burnett (novel) (as William R. Burnett), Inez Cocke (adaptation)

Stars:

Ronald Reagan, Dorothy Malone, Preston Foster

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ronald Reagan	...	Frame Johnson
Dorothy Malone	...	Jeannie
Preston Foster	...	Kurt Durling
Alex Nicol	...	Lute Johnson
Ruth Hampton	...	Maria
Russell Johnson	...	Jimmy Johnson
Barry Kelley	...	Fin Elder
Chubby Johnson	...	Denver Cahoon
Jack Kelly	...	Jed
Dennis Weaver	...	Frank Durling
Wally Cassell	...	Durango Kid
Richard Garrick	...	Judge Williams

Storyline

Having cleaned up Tombstone, marshal Frame Johnson quits after an attempted lynching, and hopes to settle down on a ranch near Cottonwood with his sweetheart Jeannie. Before he can do so, it looks like he may have to clean up Cottonwood too. But how great a sacrifice will he make for law and order?

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Plot Keywords:

arizona territory | outlaw brothers | more than one remake | coroner | law and order | 

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Taglines:

The story of Frame Johnson... last of the great shooting marshals!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Western

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 December 1953 (Algeria)

Also Known As:

Vijf dagen schrikbewind

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,000,000, 31 December 1953

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film takes place in 1882.

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Quotes

Durango Kid: Why didn't you shoot me when you had the chance?
Frame Johnson: I'm hired to keep the peace, not kill people.
Durango Kid: Seems like the two of them sort of go hand in hand.
Frame Johnson: At least you got the satisfaction of knowin' you'll get hung legal.
Durango Kid: That might be some satisfaction to you. But I can't help thinkin' you wind up dead either way.

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Connections

Featured in Love, Hate & Propaganda: The Cold War: War of Words (2011)

User Reviews

Sturdy Universal western...

Adapation of William Burnett's story "Saint Johnson" is also a follow-up to (or rehashing of) 1932's "Law and Order", yet has enough energy and excitement to stand on its own. Ronald Reagan is very good playing the Marshal of Tombstone in the 1880s, tired of being a "hired killer" and quitting for a rancher's life on the outskirts of Cottonwood--only to find the citizens there much tougher than in Tombstone, including a scurrilous family who has tangled with the Marshal before. It's never made clear how the Marshal managed to get on the bad side of the Tombstone residents (they seem to want a no-nonsense approach to the law--and they've got it with Reagan--so what is their beef?). Dorothy Malone is wasted in frivolous role as Ronnie's girl (she always seems to be saying, "I'll be here when you come back") and the (blonde) actors playing Reagan's brothers are poor choices--they don't look or act anything like him. Still, there's a few evil, grinning sonsofbitches in the line-up who give the narrative dramatic flavor, and Reagan has a terrific scene early on protecting a prisoner from a lynch mob. Most of "Law and Order" (terrible title!) is strictly rote, a western formula, but the locations are good and the finale very satisfying. **1/2 from ****