Star Dana Andrews made a few westerns but always seemed ill suited to them. Here he looks uncomfortable in western costume, walking around as if someone’s starched his long johns, although that could have more to do with his advancing years as he was well into his fifties when he made the film. He plays US Marshal Johnny Reno who arrives in a small western town accompanied by a prisoner he apprehended en route. He’s there to see old flame Nona Williams (Jane Russell). After finding that his prisoner is wanted by the townsfolk he holds up in the town jail, enlisting the aid of the town Sheriff to keep the outlaw safe when it becomes clear the Mayor wants him dead for reasons unknown.
I’ve never understood the appeal of Russell beyond the obvious and that appeal must have stared to sag by this point in her career. Like Andrews she was over the hill, just not quite as far over, only in her mid forties. Only Lon Chaney Jr. as the corrupt sheriff who gets a shot at redemption stands out from the supporting cast but he’s given little chance to really shine.
We’ve seen the lawman fighting off the mob who are trying to break the prisoner out of jail (either to hang or free him) far too often and this fails to offer anything new. It’s the sort of thing was done far better in Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo and El Dorado but then Dana Andrews is no John Wayne.
The film is superbly presented on DVD with a crisp anamorphic 2.35:1 transfer with almost no sign of print damage. The sound is a perfectly adequate mono that is as well preserved as the picture. You get the choice of English, French, German, Italian or Spanish plus an abundance of subtitle options (24). It’s just a shame the film wasn’t more worthy of this top notch presentation.
There are no extras.
