Man of the West (1958)

A reformed outlaw becomes stranded after an aborted train robbery with two other passengers and is forced to rejoin his old outlaw band.

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writers:

Will C. Brown (novel), Reginald Rose (screenplay)

Stars:

Gary Cooper, Julie London, Lee J. Cobb

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gary Cooper	...	Link Jones
Julie London	...	Billie Ellis
Lee J. Cobb	...	Dock Tobin
Arthur O'Connell	...	Sam Beasley
Jack Lord	...	Coaley
John Dehner	...	Claude
Royal Dano	...	Trout
Robert J. Wilke	...	Ponch (as Robert Wilke)

Storyline

On his way to hire a schoolteacher, a homesteader is left a hundred miles from anywhere when the train he is on is robbed. With him are an attractive dancehall girl and an untrustworthy gambler and he decides to get shelter nearby from outlaw relatives he used to run with. They don't trust him and he loathes them but they decide he can help them with one last bank job.

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Plot Keywords:

two gun holster | gun holster | gun | holster | double gun holster | 

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Taglines:

"Take them clothes off girl... real slow like..."

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was shot the same year as William Wyler's The Big Country (1958) and both share the same set designer Edward G. Boyle. As was often the case with Western productions, the two films also share a major location : the ghost town of Lassoo in the last act of the movie is exactly the same set that was used for the Hanassey hideout/ranch, located at the end of Blanco Canyon, in the final stretch of The Big Country (1958).

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Goofs

When the gang reaches Lassoo they have only two saddle horses which Link and Trout ride into town with. Claude and Ponch later ride in to town to meet them riding two more saddle horses which they didn't have with them.

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Quotes

Willie: Well, I guess you'll be leaving now?
Billie Ellis: You're a good guesser. Goodbye, Willie. And thank you for being the only man at the Longhorn Palace that never made an indecent proposal.
Willie: Well, if I'd had my strength, I might have. Ha-ha-ha.
Billie Ellis: Tell her to sing loud and watch out for the manager's hands.
Willie: Good luck, there, Billie.

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Alternate Versions

To receive an 'A' certificate for UK cinema cuts were made to edit some scenes of violence. These included the fight between Link and Coaley, the scene where Billie is forced to strip at gunpoint, and shots of Trout staggering and screaming after being shot by Link. DVD releases are 12 rated and fully uncut.

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Connections

Referenced in Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven' (2000)

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Soundtracks

Man of the West
By Bobby Troup

User Reviews

A Tense and Dramatic Classic Western

Link Jones (Gary Cooper) is a former outlaw, coming from the west to hire a schoolteacher to his small town with the savings of the locals. A gang robs the train where Link is traveling, including his luggage with the money, the train successfully escapes from them, but the singer Billie Ellis (Julie London), Sam Beasley (Arthur O´Connell) and him are accidentally left behind, in an isolated place many miles far from any city. The next train will pass by the region only a week later, and they look for a shelter for the cold night. They find an abandoned ranch where Link used to live. However, the gang who stole the train is lodged there, and further, Link was a member of this gang. He introduces Billie as his wife, and says that he decided to return to the group. A tense, dramatic and violent relationship develops between Link and the group, with tragic consequences. This western is very different from the others, without action, but having dramatic psychological drama instead, including a claustrophobic situation in the house. Gary Cooper plays a protective good man who wants to forget his past; Julie London's role is a lonely woman, who does not love any man or anything, but who falls in love with Link; and the performances of the `bad guys' are fantastic. This movie is really a classic western. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): `O Homem do Oeste' (`The Man of the West)

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 1958 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Man of the West

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ashton Productions, Walter Mirisch Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Color by Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1