High June: STRANGER ON HORSEBACK

Posted on by The Beard

STRANGER ON HORSEBACK is a 1955 American Western movie. It was directed by Jacques Tourneur. It was produced by Robert Goldstein and written by Herb Meadow and Don Marlin from a story by Louis L’Amour. The film stars Joel McCrea, Miroslava, John McIntire, and Kevin McCarthy.

Cast:

Joel McCrea as JUDGE RICHARD “RICK” THORNE

Miroslava as AMY LEE BANNERMAN

Kevin McCarthy as TOM BANNERMAN

John McIntire as JOSIAH BANNERMAN

John Carradine as COLONEL BUCK STREETER

Rick Thorne is a circuit judge who rides into a town called Bannerman and discovers that everything in that town is owned and/or controlled by a rich rancher by the name of Josiah Bannerman and his family. In dealing with the details of his job Judge Thorne asks the town marshal and the district attorney Colonel Buck Streeter why Bannerman’s son Tom killed a man but was never arrested or brought to trial. Taking matters into his own hands the judge arrests Tom – in the process meeting the Bannerman clan including Josiah’s niece Amy Lee. He finds witnesses who will testify against Tom. But realizing that he would never get a fair trial in Bannerman he sneaks Tom and the witnesses out of town intending to take them to the next town. However, Josiah Bannerman finds out and goes after them intending to free his son no matter what!

  • Joel McCrea liked working with director Jacques Tourneur so much on the film STARS IN MY CROWN (1950) that he signed on eagerly to do STRANGER ON HORSEBACK.
  • Miroslava was a Czech/Mexican actress who would do only one more American movie before committing suicide at the age of 30.

Dislikes

  • STRANGER ON HORSEBACK is only 66 minutes long. Not that I advocate padding out a movie. I would rather have meat, even if it is short meat, than non-meat filler. But the film could have taken a bit more time to flesh out its characters and establish relationships. Certainly more time could have been taken with the love story. The film seems a little too much in a hurry to tell its story.
  • I do not understand Judge Thorne’s motivations. Mainly because they are never established. We are shown him to be an honest man who believes in the law and is willing to stand up for it. But right away we’re led to believe that he is something special in this regard. If that is the case then why? What is it that made him so special? I understand the motivations of all the other characters – arrogance, greed, misplaced family loyalty, fear – but I do not understand what drove Judge Thorne.

Likes

  • I love Louis L’Amour and he is my absolute favorite western writer. I have loved every one of his books that I have read. I have also loved every western movie based on his stories that I have seen. What motivated me to watch this movie was that it was based on one of his stories. I was not disappointed and Mister L’Amour is batting a thousand. I loved watching this movie.
  •  John Carradine, as Colonel Buck Streeter, hams it up to no end! Every time he appears on screen he chews up the scenery. Most of the time when an actor in a film hams it up it turns me off but this time I found it funny and was actually looking forward to each time he appeared.

I like this movie – a lot! Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying it is one of the greatest westerns ever made. But it is enjoyable. It tells a crisp, clean story that is easy to follow. The characters are easy to like – or dislike – and everything makes sense. Joel McCrea – as always – makes you fall in love with him right away. I am a late convert to the great Joel McCrea. While growing up my western heroes were John Wayne, Randolph Scott, and Audie Murphy. Later Clint Eastwood was added to the list. I didn’t discover Joel McCrea until I was an adult. I’m glad I did. There is always a sincerity, often understated, in his performances that tugs at your heart. It’s there in this movie and it is one of the things that make STRANGER ON HORSEBACK so enjoyable. 

I recommend this movie. It’s a good little western with good performances and a good story. You will not be disappointed and instead will walk away once again sure you love westerns for all the right reasons.

On our rating scale I give STRANGER ON HORSEBACK four gray geeks.

Well that is it for this time buckaroos. Thank you for letting me share my love of movies with you and since this is “HIGH JUNE” I’ll be talking about westerns all month. Join me next time and don’t forget your Stetson hat, your Colt Peacemaker, and your trusty horse names Eustace. Okay, maybe not the best name for a horse but I let my horse pick his own name and he wanted Eustace. I let him make his own life choices. Adios and hasta la vista! YEEHA!!!

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Published by The Beard

I’m Eliseo Figueroa Jr. and you’re not. I was born in Saint Francis hospital across the street from Saint Mary’s Park in the Bronx. I was born there because that was where my mother was and I wanted to be near her. My parents came from Puerto Rico and moved to New York City when they were kids. My dad spoke fluent English – with an accent – but he’d had a stint in the army and had mastered the language. However, he needed a little work on reading and so everyday on the way to work he would buy a comic book and read it on the subway. In those days they were ten cents, a quick read, you could fold them and put them in your pocket, and when you finished you threw them away. Back home my mom would tell my dad to read me a story to put me to sleep. My dad had no desire whatsoever to read me any of my baby books so he read me one of his comic books instead. While other kids dreamed of Mother Goose, the Old Lady who lived in a shoe, or Little Red Riding Hood, I dreamt of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. And this went on for years. When I got older I asked him to give me the comic books. At that point he stopped throwing them out and I had a comic book collection even though I still didn’t know how to read. During the day I would make my mom read me my comics over and over again. I was dying to learn how to read and had been told that you learn to read in first grade. I remember being so excited the first day of school for the first grade. I couldn’t contain myself. I thought it was like magic – poof! – I was going to come back home and be able to read all of my comics. My mom had to sit me down and explain that it was a process. That over time I would learn how to read and by the time I finished the first grade I would be reading. I must say I was disappointed but more determined than ever to master this thing called reading. Over the years my comic collection grew (my dad had to keep building bigger and better shelves) and so did my interests. I mastered reading and went on to read books. I discovered the library where they actually let you borrow books – what a concept! And my interests in literary science fiction and fantasy expanded to include television and movies. Yes, I was and still am a full-blown geek! By the way, I’m the beard in our little duet. I have a goatee and no moustache. In all that time while growing up my dad never once complained. How could he? This was all his fault and he knew it. One time we were in a store where I was purchasing some comics and it all came to twenty bucks. As my dad was paying the man the owner commented on how much I was spending on comic books. My dad’s reply was, “Well, at least he’s not on drugs!” Science fiction, fantasy, horror, secret agents, giant monsters, and more are my drug of choice. Anyone who has ever sat in a darkened theater and has had their heart start racing in excitement as the music to STAR WARS begins to play knows exactly what I mean.