Ride Lonesome (1959)

A bounty hunter escorts a killer to be tried for murder, but allows the man's outlaw brother to catch up with them to have a showdown over a previous shocking murder.

Director:

Budd Boetticher

Writer:

Burt Kennedy

Stars:

Randolph Scott, Karen Steele, Pernell Roberts

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Randolph Scott	...	Ben Brigade
Karen Steele	...	Mrs. Carrie Lane
Pernell Roberts	...	Sam Boone
James Best	...	Billy John
Lee Van Cleef	...	Frank
James Coburn	...	Whit

Storyline

A wanted murderer, Billy John, is captured by Ben Brigade, a bounty hunter, who intends to take him to Santa Cruz to be hanged. Brigade stops at a staging post, where he saves the manager's wife from an Indian attack, and enlists the help of two outlaws to continue his journey more safely. However, the Indian attacks persist, the outlaws plan to take Billy for themselves, tempted by the offer of amnesty for his captor, and Billy's brother Frank is in hot pursuit to rescue him. But Brigade has plans of his own ...

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Plot Keywords:

arizona territory | new mexico territory | new mexico desert | arizona desert | bisbee arizona | 

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Taglines:

Terror-cold tension... Hate-hot revenge!

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 February 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

Auf eigene Faust

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Ranown Pictures Corp.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Eastman Color)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Opening credits: The characters and incidents portrayed and the names used herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character or history of any person is entirely accidental and unintentional.

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Goofs

The Apache attack at the ruins starts with 9 or 10 Indians on horseback, it changes with different shots. Randolph and his party shoot and drop at least 5 of the attackers and yet 7 ride away when they give up.

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Quotes

Ben Brigade: [going to meet the Mescalero chief] He'll offer his trade. I'll turn him down.
Mrs. Carrie Lane: Then?
Ben Brigade: With any luck, they'll ride off. Stay out in the hills, try to figure some how else to get you away from us.
Mrs. Carrie Lane: I see.
Ben Brigade: No matter what happens, don't break down in front of 'em. If you do, they'll take it wrong. Shame 'em.
Mrs. Carrie Lane: I don't scare easy, Mr. Brigade.
Ben Brigade: I hope not.

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Connections

Referenced in Budd Boetticher: An American Original (2005)

User Reviews

The best of the Scott/Boetticher films

Ride Lonesome is that rare B-film, one that eclipses in a wink most of its bigger budgeted brethren. The return of scripter Burt Kennedy (who had not done the two previous Scott/Boetticher films) to the Ranown company (founded by Randolph Scott and producer Harry Joe Brown), the close group harmony, resulted in an obviously glorious reunion for all concerned.

Shot entirely outdoors, like "The Tall T," we have large open spaces, but a tightly confined group. This time the bounty isn't gold or money - it's outlaw Billy John (James Best). Former sheriff Ben Brigade has captured him, counting on Billy John's brother Frank (Lee Van Cleef) to come get him. Brigade has a score to settle, the murder of his wife, and he intends to settle it at a tree that holds relevance to both lawman and outlaw. Scott is joined by two minor lawbreakers, in whose hope of amnesty provided by the turning over of Billy John to authorities, provides the alliance of adversaries so common to the Boetticher films. Pernell Roberts, the more worldly and intelligent of the two, like Brigade, is looking for personal redemption, and the hope of his own ranch once he settles down. He acts a big brother to the less intelligent, and basically decent, James Coburn, in his filmic debut, is a long way from his more forceful character that would surface in later westerns of Sturges and Peckinpah. Karen Steele is on hand again (she was in "Decision at Sundown"), the group finds her alone in a way station, threatened by the Indians who killed her husband. She serves as conscience and libido stimulator, and her breathtaking appearance is highlighted in what is one of the film's most humorous moments ("I said her eyes").

So, avoiding the Indians on their trail, and the threat of Frank's gang, Brigade leads the group to the inevitable showdown at the hanging tree that will determine the fate of the group, and the individual futures of each.

Ranown, Boetticher and Kennedy had one more film to go, the actor was slowing down - after years of averaging three per year, there were just two releases in both 1957 and 1958, Ride Lonesome was the only film for 1959, and 1960's Comanche Station would be the sole film for Scott until 1962's valedictory film known as Ride the High Country.