The Hanged Man (1974)

Miraculously still alive after his hanging, gunfighter James Devlin defends a young widow's farm from a vicious land grabber.

Director:

Michael Caffey

Writers:

Andrew J. Fenady (creator), Ken Trevey

Stars:

Steve Forrest, Dean Jagger, Will Geer

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Forrest	...	James Devlin
Dean Jagger	...	Josiah Lowe
Will Geer	...	Nameless
Sharon Acker	...	Carrie Gault
Brendon Boone	...	Billy Irons
Rafael Campos	...	Father Alvaro
BarBara Luna	...	Soledad Villegas (as Barbara Luna)
Cameron Mitchell	...	Lew Halleck
Ray Teal	...	Judge Homer Bayne
Bobby Eilbacher	...	Benjamin Gault
William Bryant	...	Dr. Lawrence Nye (as Bill Bryant)
Steven Marlo	...	Joe 'Patch' Janney
John Mitchum	...	Eubie Turpin
Michael Masters	...	Deputy Sheriff
Bill Catching	...	Executioner

Storyline

A gunfighter who survives his own hanging helps a young widow who is trying to keep a ruthless land baron from taking her ranch.

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Plot Keywords:

widow | gunfighter | hanging | tarot card | bible | 

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Taglines:

They left him for dead ... but they were wrong ... dead wrong !

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 March 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

El ahorcado

Filming Locations:

Old Tucson - 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Andrew J. Fenady Productions, Bing Crosby Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min 90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Glen Glenn Sound)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Final appearance of Ray Teal.

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Quotes

Lew Halleck: You don't understand, Devlin. I mean to hire you.
James Devlin: I don't like you.
Lew Halleck: Lots of people don't. I still do business with them.
James Devlin: I don't like your way of doing.
Lew Halleck: Well, a man can't eat the walnuts unless he cracks a few shells.

User Reviews

The Hanging That Didn't Take

The title role of The Hanged Man is played by Steve Forrest who plays a notorious gunfighter who was duly hanged for a crime he committed and declared dead. But the only problem was the report of his demise was greatly exaggerated. Whether he was cut down too soon or the rope wasn't tight enough or some unseen power intervened, point is that Forrest is still walking around and breathing. And he's reflecting on a new chance at life because his old life had led him up thirteen steps to the hangman's noose. And he's legally dead.

His first chance at redemption comes in helping widow Sharon Acker and her little boy Bobby Eilbacher fight off the designs of mining tycoon Cameron Mitchell. He's not too squeamish about his methods and has young gunslinger Brendon Boone on his payroll who despite the mystique surrounding Forrest is eager for showdown.

This unsold TV pilot which was produced by Bing Crosby didn't break any new ground and westerns on television were getting scarce. Around this time Bonanza and Gunsmoke ended their runs and the few that have succeeded them up to this time haven't had their staying power. Speaking of Bonanza this was Ray Teal's farewell role and Bonanza fans will remember his semi-regular presence as sheriff Roy Coffey of Virginia City.

The Hanged Man might have been picked up for a television series fifteen years earlier when westerns were a glut on the market. As it is western fans will have little reason to complain.