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The Hanging Tree

  • 1959
  • Approved
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
5.1K
YOUR RATING
Gary Cooper, Karl Malden, and Maria Schell in The Hanging Tree (1959)
Character study of a Doctor who saves a local criminal from a mob who are trying to hang him, but then tries to control the life of the young man, realizing that he can exploit his secret.
Play trailer2:44
1 Video
43 Photos
Psychological DramaWestern

Unusual western about a doctor with a dark past, whose life is complicated and ultimately redeemed by a young thief, and a pretty Swiss immigrant whom he nurses back to health.Unusual western about a doctor with a dark past, whose life is complicated and ultimately redeemed by a young thief, and a pretty Swiss immigrant whom he nurses back to health.Unusual western about a doctor with a dark past, whose life is complicated and ultimately redeemed by a young thief, and a pretty Swiss immigrant whom he nurses back to health.

  • Directors
    • Delmer Daves
    • Karl Malden
    • Vincent Sherman
  • Writers
    • Wendell Mayes
    • Halsted Welles
    • Dorothy M. Johnson
  • Stars
    • Gary Cooper
    • Maria Schell
    • Karl Malden
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    5.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Delmer Daves
      • Karl Malden
      • Vincent Sherman
    • Writers
      • Wendell Mayes
      • Halsted Welles
      • Dorothy M. Johnson
    • Stars
      • Gary Cooper
      • Maria Schell
      • Karl Malden
    • 62User reviews
    • 28Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:44
    Trailer

    Photos43

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    Top cast41

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    Gary Cooper
    Gary Cooper
    • Dr. Joseph 'Doc' Frail
    Maria Schell
    Maria Schell
    • Elizabeth Mahler
    Karl Malden
    Karl Malden
    • Frenchy Plante
    George C. Scott
    George C. Scott
    • George Grubb
    Karl Swenson
    Karl Swenson
    • Tom Flaunce
    Virginia Gregg
    Virginia Gregg
    • Edna Flaunce
    John Dierkes
    John Dierkes
    • Society Red
    King Donovan
    King Donovan
    • Wonder
    Ben Piazza
    Ben Piazza
    • Rune
    Emile Avery
    • Townsman
    • (uncredited)
    Fern Barry
    • Mother
    • (uncredited)
    William 'Billy' Benedict
    William 'Billy' Benedict
    • Trapper
    • (uncredited)
    Oscar Blank
    • Townsman
    • (uncredited)
    Danny Borzage
    • Dan
    • (uncredited)
    Annette Claudier
    • Dance Hall Girl
    • (uncredited)
    Tex Driscoll
    Tex Driscoll
    • Townsman
    • (uncredited)
    Martin Eric
    • Father
    • (uncredited)
    Frank Hagney
    Frank Hagney
    • Townsman
    • (uncredited)
    • Directors
      • Delmer Daves
      • Karl Malden
      • Vincent Sherman
    • Writers
      • Wendell Mayes
      • Halsted Welles
      • Dorothy M. Johnson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews62

    7.15K
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    Featured reviews

    7SnoopyStyle

    good western

    Travelers pass by the Hanging Tree on the Gold Trail in Montana, 1873. Joseph Frail (Gary Cooper) arrives at the small gold mining town of Skull Creek, Montana. He buys a home from an old prospector eager to sell. He treats Rune for a suspicious bullet wound. Frenchy Plante (Karl Malden) is a slimy local. George Grubb (George C. Scott) is a bitter drunken faith healer. Frail is a card-playing, hard-hitting, gun-slinging doctor with a dark history and a heart of gold. A stagecoach is attacked. The posse finds passenger Elizabeth Mahler barely alive and blinded.

    It's an interesting western for the most part. I'm conflicted with the third act. I like some of it. I like the idea of Frail and Elizabeth. I don't see how Elizabeth would partner up with Frenchy with his slimy nature. Going wild is highly ill-conceived which is exactly why no one should partner up with Frenchy. If I hit the jackpot in that place, I would try to hide it for as long as possible and arm up. Still, I like a lot of the premise with Frail and Elizabeth. It's a good western.
    LACUES

    Gary Cooper's Best

    "High Noon", move over. "The Hanging Tree", in my estimation, is by far the better picture. The story, characterizations, acting, and musical score put this movie in the class of "Shane", "The Big Country", and "The Magnificent Seven". Cooper portrays Dr. Joe Frail as only he can. He is perfectly cast as a man with "frail hope" and, yet, has the strength and caring to help and protect others. As others have commented, this film is not even available new in vhs format, let alone dvd. The last time I checked The Western Channel and Turner Classic Movies it was not scheduled for viewing.

    If you want to enjoy a realistic story and superb acting from a great cast I recommend the "Hanging Tree."
    rufus-t- firefly

    A sadly overlooked classic western--one of the best!

    This movie should be right up there with "High Noon", "The Searchers", "The Magnificent Seven", and other classic westerns. The cinematography and fantastic outdoor location alone make it a must see. Gary Cooper plays a gun-toting frontier doctor, with a mysterious past, Maria Schell, a determined immigrant, who becomes his patient. Karl Malden, a ruthless miner, who becomes her partner. The supporting cast is excellent, including a very slender young actor by the name of George C. Scott, whose performance is compelling. This is one of Cooper's last movies, and one of his best. I'm not really sure why, but this movie has not been enjoyed as much as it should, or received the praise it deserves. If you're a fan of the genre, and you have not seen this movie, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
    8wes-connors

    The Life You Save May Be Your Own

    After an unfortunate family incident, embittered doctor Gary Cooper changes his name (to Joseph "Joe" Frail) and moves to 1873 Montana. "Doc" sets up shop in the aptly named Gold Rush town of "Skull Creek" with handsome young Ben Piazza (as Rune) as manservant, after saving the robber lad from death by posse. A stagecoach attack quickly provides Mr. Cooper with another housemate, Swiss emigrant Maria Schell (as Elizabeth Mahler). Baked and blinded by the sun, Ms. Schell heals into an uncommonly beautiful woman. As you might expect, patient and doctor are mutually attracted. Why she and Mr. Piazza amount to naught is not explained. Creepy head-capped Karl Malden (as Frenchy Plante) provides villainy...

    "The Hanging Tree" looms forebodingly as we learn more about Cooper's contrary character; it's a good role for the aging superstar, in one of his best later years performances. We may be meant to consider the love of Schell providing Cooper with a possible second chance as the main story, but much more interesting is how the story deals with ownership. Cooper "owns" both Piazza and Schell in saving their lives, but is challenged for the latter by Mr. Malden. The proof that Cooper is a good soul is conveyed early, by his tossing of the bullet he took from Piazza and his gift to the malnourished girl. And, "The Lucky Lady Mine" owners believe the ownership of material wealth will bring happiness. Delmer Daves directs beautifully.

    ******** The Hanging Tree (2/11/59) Delmer Daves ~ Gary Cooper, Ben Piazza, Maria Schell, Karl Malden
    Michael_Elliott

    Underrated Western

    Hanging Tree, The (1959)

    *** (out of 4)

    Underrated Western about a doctor (Gary Cooper) with a mysterious past who saves a criminal (Karl Swenson) from being hanged. Later the doctor begins to care for a woman (Maria Schell) whose father was killed in a stagecoach robbery, which also left her badly burned and blind. As the doctor and the woman become closer there are a few in town who begin to think they're up to no good. There's a lot more going on in this Western and it's certainly unlike many that were being made around this period because if you're expecting some sort of shoot 'em up then you're going to be disappointed. I'd have no problem recommending this film to people but at the same time there's no question that it's not going to be for everyone. Those who do appreciate its laid back nature and the more plot-driven device should end up having a good time with it. You also have a terrific cast delivers some very good performances with Cooper leading the way. Around this time James Stewart was showing off his dark side with various Alfred Hitchcock films and it seems Cooper wanted to show off he could do the same thing. The funny thing is that the screenplay allows him to show a dark and good side, which might seem like a cop out but it really isn't. There's an early scene where a poor family brings their sick daughter and the only reason she's sick is because of a lack of food. The tenderness Cooper shows during this scene is why everyone loves him. Then, later in the film, the darkness he shows when his past comes back to him is perfectly handled by the actor. Schell and Swenson are both very good in their roles and play well against Cooper. The supporting cast features Karl Malden playing a pervert who begins to have certain sexual feelings towards the girl. George C. Scott appears in a few scenes playing a drunken Christian who believes Cooper is the devil due to his medicine. The film works on a lot of levels and there's no question a large portion of the film is dedicated to the love story but this works as well. I really enjoyed how the screenplay mixed everything together because we get the love story, the gold rush action and then the character development, which leads up to an action-packed ending and a rather nice finish to things. The film contains some very good cinematography and the color picks up every terrific location shot. THE HANGING TREE has gotten a good sized cult following over the past several years and it's easy to see why as it features the great performances as well as a story that isn't typical told in the genre from this period.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The last western in which Gary Cooper starred.
    • Goofs
      The dresses have zippers, especially obvious when Elizabeth's dress is shown from the back and is partly unfastened. Zippers weren't used in the 1870s.
    • Quotes

      Townsman in wagon: [Reassuringly to wife] Every new mining camp's got to have its hanging tree. Makes it feel respectable.

    • Connections
      Edited into Meine Schwester Maria (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      The Hanging Tree
      Lyrics by Mack David

      Music by Jerry Livingston

      Vocal by Marty Robbins

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    FAQ18

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 20, 1959 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El árbol del ahorcado
    • Filming locations
      • Nile, Washington, USA(gold mining town set)
    • Production companies
      • Baroda
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $1,350,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,992
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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