The Tin Star (1957)

A cynical former sheriff turned bounty hunter helps a young, recently appointed acting sheriff with his advice, his experience and his gun.

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writers:

Joel Kane (story), Dudley Nichols

Stars:

Henry Fonda, Anthony Perkins, Betsy Palmer

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Henry Fonda	...	Morgan 'Morg' Hickman
Anthony Perkins	...	Sheriff Ben Owens
Betsy Palmer	...	Nona Mayfield
Michel Ray	...	Kip Mayfield
Neville Brand	...	Bart Bogardus
John McIntire	...	Dr. Joe McCord
Mary Webster	...	Millie Parker
Peter Baldwin	...	Zeke McGaffey
Richard Shannon	...	Buck Henderson
Lee Van Cleef	...	Ed McGaffey
James Bell	...	Judge Thatcher
Howard Petrie	...	Mayor Harvey King
Russell Simpson	...	Clem Hall
Hal K. Dawson	...	Andy Miller
Jack Kenney	...	Sam Hodges

Storyline

Veteran bounty-hunter Morg Hickman rides into a town in danger. The sheriff has been killed, and young inexperienced Ben Owens named a temporary replacement until a permanent can be found. Ben wants to be that permanent replacement, so needs to impress the townspeople with his skill. When he finds that Morg was a sheriff for a long time before he became a bounty-hunter, he asks the older man to teach him. Morg thinks that being a sheriff is a foolish goal, but agrees to instruct Ben in handling people, more important to a sheriff than handling a gun.

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Plot Keywords:

small town | county sheriff | agony | shotgun | indian | 

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Taglines:

In the tradition of "The Country Girl," "The Bridges at Toko-Ri," and "The Proud and Profane", Perlberg and Seaton produce another masterpiece in western entertainment!

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 November 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Stern des Gesetzes

Filming Locations:

Morrison Ranch, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Perlberg-Seaton Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Anthony Perkins and John McIntyre were reunited in _Psycho_(1960) three years later.

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Goofs

Throughout the film, Ben is shown wearing two guns, and as Tony Perkins was left handed, whenever he draws his pistol, his left hands is correctly depicted as dominant. Yet at one point in a scene during Ben's search for the McGaffey brothers, his horse with Ben on his back, whirls around to reveal Ben only wearing one gun, and that being holstered on his right hip.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sheriff Ben Owens: Uh, ju-just getting the feel of these guns.
Morg Hickman: Where's the sheriff?

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Soundtracks

For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
(uncredited)
Melody: "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre"
Traditional

User Reviews

One of Fonda's Best Westerns...

...and that's saying a lot when you consider that he was in Fort Apache, My Darling Clementine, and The Ox-Box Incident. But this western, directed by the always dependable Anthony Mann, is a good example of a good story told without a lot of smoke and mirrors. The acting is dead-on, enough to convey character and emotion, but not too much to cheapen or overwhelm the story.

Great performances by Fonda as the grizzled veteran lawman/bounty hunter, Tony Perkins as the green, inexperienced town sheriff, John McIntyre as the town's doctor, and Neville Brand as the town bully. It is thoughtful and powerful, and displays a sense of right and wrong that is strong and uncompromising.