The screenplay was written by Kenneth Gamet, who adapted Yankee Gold by John M Cunningham. 1953. Apart from Manchester, The Stranger also features the backdrops of neighbouring cities like Bolton, Stockport and Eccles. In any case she saves him when Yankees recognize him as the spy of Lawrence. from 1910 to 1913. In fact, none of the characters are at all interesting, compared to the endlessly interesting characters in the Boetticher films. director under contract for one film and the result, None Shall Escape People who don't remember the 3-D craze will probably think the director was weird. A strong cast comes to the aid of this implausible Randolph Scott western, originally released in 3D in the United States. Not terribly original. Andre DeToth was another frequent director, with he and Scott doing six films together. sculptor rebuilding his wax figure collection (destroyed by fire) by making statues out of hostage thriller that boasts some fine performances by Sterling Hayden and Was it supposed to be entertaining? Verified purchase: Sometimes both gangs try to rob the stage at the same time so we get an almost farcical coming and going as they end up fighting each other instead. After tying up Jeff, Kurth departs to get Mourret, and Jeff convinces Slager he will split the gold with him. The confrontation between Randolph Scott and Ernest Borgnine was also fun - with Mr. Borgnine throwing junk at the camera! Manchester served as the main filming location, but the crew also took to Bolton and Stockport to film additional scenes. Randolph Scott is caught between good and evil in this action-packed oater, Ex-Confederate spy formerly aligned with terrorist guerilla leader turns good guy in disappointing western. The next day, Mourret sends one of his henchmen, Dan Kurth, to ride with Jeff on the stage, which is ambushed by both Degas and Mourret. The stranger begins falling in love with her to the displeasure of Josie. Jules shoots Degas and tries to rob the stage but is stopped when Jeff kicks Dan off and returns to town. The author of the book, Harlan Coben explained why the idea of transferring the mystery to a new setting felt great to him. Did it have some moral or human truths to tell? Randolph Scott is on hand, however, to amble around in the laconic, aw-shucks way that more or less served as his B-Western calling card for several lucrative years. Yes Green. Well, I have no idea what I did that was great. Slager reports to Mourret at the saloon, and Mourret rouses the townsmen by revealing Jeff's connection with the infamous Quantrill. He loved Westerns and directed eleven Western movies, six of them with Randolph Scott. First of all, it keeps you guessing especially as regards Randolph Scott's character, whose motivation is difficult to discern. "Once you learn to toss your conscience out the window, nothing matters. Condition: Movies. Cookie Consent Tool The other 3-D film he directed was "House of Wax.". Music: Mischa Bakaleinikoff Some of the scenes have been filmed at the disused Moor Lane Bus Station in Bolton town centre. When Mourret angrily chastises him later, Jeff explains that he has learned that the next stage will be carrying $25,000 and thus will be a more important robbery. "The Stranger Wore a Gun" is fun western. Although De Toth shows his usual flair for physical actionriding, shooting, and fist-fighting, Gamet's script comes up lame because he gives the good guy charactersthe father & daughter who run a stagecoach/freighting outfitthe short shrift. It stars Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and Pierre Watkin. Jeff then informs Mourret that the next stage gold shipment is to be $100,000 and says the Conroys have assigned him to drive. affair because he feels stifled in his picture-perfect home (a devoted wife, son, the best of all three-dimensional films to be released during that period. Sound: Lambert Day Both of those films, plus this film, all derive somewhat from The Glass Key, which was filmed twice before The Stranger Wore A Gun was released in 1953. It was the first thing I recall seeing Lee Marvin in. I know it's just a movie but the fire at the end looks so dangerous. 1953, renewed 1981 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Didnt they know that they should have had seven each? To film the vulnerable moments of these people in which the Stranger catches them, you have to choose your spots very carefully. Alfonso Bedoya could act but here he is given the role of a stereotypical buffoon. Scott plays Jeff Travis, a spy for William Quantrill's raiders during the Civil War. directors; and Day of the Outlaw (1959), the stark, stylish, low After the smoke clears, Scott and Macready remain, and they shoot it out in a top-notch . showers twice a day, I believe. The other 3-D film he directed was "House of Wax." 12 of 12 found this interesting | Share this It all climaxes up on Raccoon Pass (which is a bit odd in Arizona; perhaps they meant the Raton Pass) with a mega shoot-out when all the bad guys except Mourret are eliminated. Mourret is unsuccessful trying to steal the money and gold transported by the company but is frequently lured by Jason Conroy (Pierre Watkin); he intends to use Travis to get inside information about the transportation of gold. Raymond Burr, this story of a bored insurance salesman who embarks on an However, the powerful Jules Mourret (George Macready), who apparently is a businessman but actually is the leader of a gang of thieves, knows his past and forges documents with a fake identity to give a job in the local Conroy Stage and Freighter Line. See production, box office & company info, Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA. The next day the Conroy stage arrives carrying Josie and Mexican bandit leader Degas, Mourret's rival, who also anticipates stealing the line's gold transports. Guns are pointed directly at the viewer. Borgnine and Lee Marvin are both fun to watch, in these early career roles. Genre: Western Original Language: English Director: Andre de Toth Producer: Harry Joe. Although the film was another 3-D film by director Andre De Toth, he only had one eye and would never be able to see the result of the process. Western 1953 1 hr 23 min. The locale also works into the story so deep that a number of things in the book had to be changed. as a cameraman for cinematographer Istvan Eiben. Somewhat of a mentor to him as well as lover is the soiled dove Josie Sullivan, played knowingly by Claire Trevor. They've been making movies up there for years. The script is so poor that even fine actors like Earnest Borgnine and Lee Marvin are uninteresting. Born in Mako, Hungary to the son of a civil engineer, De Toth showed an Entertaining. Adapted for the screen by Danny Brocklehurst, it follows the story of a man whose world is decimated after a secret about his marriage is brought to light by a complete stranger. The Confederate guerrilla leader William Clarke Quantrill was all the rage at the time, having appeared in several movies, such as Kansas Raiders in 1950 or Woman They Almost Lynched the same year as The Stranger Wore a Gun, in both pictures played by Brian Donlevy, as well as on the page in Frank Grubers Quantrells Raiders (Quantrell was a frequent alternative spelling), also in 53. There is a great cast and production team with strong credentials lined up and we are all looking forward to starting filming in Manchester., Last day filming #TheStranger lovely experience a great cast, fabulous crew and I just love Manchester pic.twitter.com/ebg2FI8QBx, Anthony Stewart Head (@AnthonySHead) August 2, 2019, The crew was spotted filming in places all over the city. There are quite a few surprises in this film. If you go for a B grader, you at least get a watchable Saturday afternoon potboiler. Privacy Policy James Millican is Quantrill in this one, a bloodthirsty crook who disgusts Randy, obliging him to abandon the guerrillas and he enlists in the official Confederate army instead (maybe a reference to Cole Younger). I saw this movie in a naval base movie theatre, in, I think, 1956. "I believe Randolph Scott could have gone further as a performer," De Toth said. Ernest overacts with gusto, as usual. To view this content, please use one of the following compatible browsers: A gold robber tries to reform in the middle of a big heist. De Toth shot another, much more memorable 3-D picture in 1953 - the Vincent Price horror film House of Wax. Stranger Wore A Gun, The (1953) -- (Movie Clip) Thieves, Cutthroats And Murderers Film Details Also Known As I Ride Alone, Yankee Gold Genre Western Release Date Jul 1953 Premiere Information New York opening: 30 Jul 1953 Production Company Scott-Brown Productions Distribution Company Columbia Pictures Corp. Country United States | Amazon.com: The Stranger Wore a Gun : Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Pierre Watkin, Joseph Vitale, Clem Bevans, Andr De Toth: Movies & TV Skip to main content .us Hello Select your address Movies & TV When Mourret's men kill a friend of his he sets out to get Mourret and his men. Watchlist. critical recognition for his entertaining body of work. After the war, he narrowly escapes a gang looking for Quantrill's war criminals by jumping off a river boat, thanks to Josie's warning. | Randolph Scott heads out to Arizona and takes up with George Macready. The Stranger Wore a Gun - Full Cast & Crew 1953 1 hr 23 mins NR Watchlist Where to Watch A badman (Randolph Scott) reforms, then tries to disrupt rival outlaws. One of them is Harlan Cobens best-selling mystery-drama, The Stranger. This tense, sensitive drama about a Nazi officer made to Really a neat scene. A badman (Randolph Scott) reforms, then tries to disrupt rival outlaws. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The other 3-D film he directed was "House of Wax.". Soundtracks, Although the film was another 3-D film by director Andre De Toth, he only had one eye and would never be able to see the result of the process. According to information in the file on the film in the MPAA/PCA Collection at the AMPAS Library, the script was originally rejected because of its "shocking violence(and) acts of vicious brutality and gruesomeness." All in all, the film's offbeat style and great ensemble cast make this well worth watching a time or two. | There are quite a few surprises in this film. Jeff Travis (Randolph Scott), a spy for Quantrill's Raiders, leaves when he realizes Quantrill's true nature and enlists in the confederate army. a propaganda thriller about the Nazis wanting to bomb the Suez Canal. Objects are thrown directly at the camera to the point of distraction. festivals from Scotland to San Francisco. Posted on: March 23, 2021, by : Western. [1] Based on the short story "Yankee Gold" by John W. Cunningham, the film is about a war criminal wanted for the slaughter of women and children who moves to Arizona to join a gold robbery but reconsiders and decides to change his life. In the first five minutes it is obvious that this film was made to be shown in 3-D. | But The Stranger Wore a Gun is not one of them. When that stage is attacked and the driver, Shelby's uncle Jake, is tortured and killed in an attempt to find the gold, Jeff guiltily reconsiders his association with Mourret. Both watch and plot as Joan Weldon and her father, ship gold via the stagecoach line. Critics Association and the publication of his autobiography, Fragments: Unlike other directors who seemed to be dabbling with a new technique, De Condition: He was a handsome man; took Sold by: They were both gentlemen, nice people." Jeff Travis: A man's only as good as his cards. Everyone knows that seven is the proper number for posses and gangs in Westerns. For It is by no means an ordinary run-of-the-mill Western. Based on the short story "Yankee Gold" by John M. Cunningham (publication undetermined). Refresh your browser window to try again. However, Quantrell's actions (he was more a terrorist and thief than a real soldier) soon disenchanted him and he left to serve in the regular Southern army. (1944), launched his Hollywood career. He enlists in the Confederate Army as a legitimate soldier. Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine are on hand as heavies. relegated to directing for television: Maverick, 77 Sunset (uncredited) Cinematography by Lester White . Lee, on the other hand didn't need any "camera" tricks to make him look fast. In any case, this film has its own tale to tell, and the performances of Scott, Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine are solid. The scene now shifts to the Mississippi after the war, where Travis has become a card player on a riverboat. He fled to England before World War II where he worked with Alexander Korda. In this movie, he was so old, and so slow drawing his gun, that they had to speed up the film to make it look like he was drawing his gun fast. Jeff Travis (Randolph Scott) had been a spy for the notorious Quantrill's Raiders who torched and looted mercilessly for the "Confederate cause" during the Civil War. Terms of Use betrayal, the capacity for evil and complexities of human relationships. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Jeff Arnold 2023 All rights reserved Designed by. When Slager loosens the ropes, Jeff breaks free and escapes. early artistic bent, having his first exhibit of paintings and sculpture at (Original Title - The Stranger Wore A Gun) 1953, renewed 1981 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. During the sack of Lawrence we understand that we are watching a 3D movie as a torch is thrown at the camera and then guns are fired directly at us. "The Stranger Wore A Gun" qualifies as a standard issue Randolph Scott horse opera from the 1950s, not as overall satisfying as the westerns that he starred in for director Budd Boetticher, but entertaining enough to watch if you consider yourself a completist Scott fan. He decides to settle in Prescott . The Stranger Wore a Gun Cast & Crew Cast; Crew; Randolph Scott Jeff Travis, Associate Producer Claire Trevor Josie Sullivan Joan Weldon Shelby Conroy George Macready Jules Mourret Alfonso Bedoya Degas Lee Marvin Dan Kurth Ernest Borgnine Bull Slager Pierre Watkin Jason Conroy Joseph Vitale Shorty Clem Bevans . In the book, the Stranger goes about wrecking peoples lives all over the country. Moments after Josie departs, Kurth and another Mourret henchman, Bull Slager, break into Jeff's room, demanding to know the location of the gold. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. He was a gentleman villain whose evil was best expressed over a Chateaubriand and a fine red - not a whiskey. Jeff then runs into Kurth and kills him. They meet in Prescott, Arizona with Jason Conroy (Pierre Watkin) and his gorgeous daughter Shelby (Joan Weldon). Honorable mention: Alfonso Bedoya. It was not until recently that De Toth began to receive | There is a hint of a possible romance between Jeff and Shelby, but nothing materializes once Josie, a well-known saddletramp and gambler, arrives and sets up shop in Jules saloon. I thought, facetiously, "Boy oscar is written oll over that!" 'The Stranger Wore a Gun' did have a good deal of potential. "The Stranger Wore a Gun" is badly miscast. I'll watch anything Randolph Scott did in the Fifties and Sixties, but this one was an absolute chore. It's not anything, except a mess. Copyright 1995-2023 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. With Andre de Toth directing, it really should have been something. The film is watchable every Randolph Scott Western was but, to be brutally frank, a shade weak. Tired of the limitations he was finding If they can't lend color to a script, then you know it is a stinker. George Macready, who belongs in things like "Gilda" rather than oaters like this, kept getting shoved into Randolph Scott Westerns (four of them). He takes a job on the stage line that Mourret is trying to steal gold from. Free shipping for many products! Josie hesitantly admits that to keep Jeff dependent upon her, she lied to him about his being wanted for his association with Quantrill. | In 1939, he went to Borgnine mounted a horse and with a slew of other riders, did a scene in which they had to come riding down a hill fast. examine his actions was fascinating in its structure: Set after the war's A post shared by Richard Armitage (@richardcarmitage). Best Original Motion Picture Story for The Gunfighter (1950), a Travis leaves Quantrill and heads west to Arizona, where he takes a job spying for a stage company trying to protect their gold shipments. I shall leave you to intuit who wins that. | Producer Harry Joe Brown made multiple story eliminations in order to gain PCA script approval. The next morning in the saloon Jeff faces off with Jules and Bull in the saloon. film as he could not experience the stereoscopic process, having lost an eye TV Shows. Theres also an anecdote about Ernest Borgnine. Jeff pushes Kurth off the stage, then disappears as the gangs confront one another and Mourret ends up killing Degas. The rest of the movie, and the greater part, is a stage-line story as Randy inveigles his way once more into the confidence of an honest father and daughter, the Conroys (Pierre Watkin and a rather timid Joan Weldon) but this time cant bring himself to betray them. nice house, successful career, etc.) Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Stranger Wore a Gun DVD at the best online prices at eBay! end, the film centers around the trial of a Nazi butcher, Wilhelm Grimm Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Roscoe Ates, Herbert Rawlinson, Richard Alexander, . He rides to Prescott, Arizona to start a new life again. Starring Dick Powell, Lizabeth Scott and His job: to monitor a series of gold shipments on the local stage line run by Jason Conroy (Pierre Watkin) and his daughter Shelby Conroy (Joan Weldon) in preparation for a major robbery. Both watch and plot as Joan Weldon and her father, ship gold via the stagecoach line. Soon enough, he learns that the legitimate government has fled the former state Capital and the town is now in the hands of outlaw gangs. The Indian Fighter (1955) an exciting Kirk Douglas vehicle about a Quantrill's Raiders man Randolph Scott gets the film off with a flurry of action. No wonder directors are often so worried about how their test audience will respond to their film. The working titles of the film were I Ride Alone and Yankee Gold. De Toth immigrated to Hollywood I think this was a bit rich coming from De Toth. The story is an odd one. | Watch trailers, read customer and critic reviews, and buy The Stranger Wore a Gun for $12.99. Since he served for a time with the notorious Quantrill's raiders, he has a past to brood over; but as this is a Western, the emphasis is on action, not reflection. Menu. Manchester has served as a primary filming spot for a number of TV shows in the UK. There's also a love triangle, involving Scott, Claire Trevor, and Joan Weldon. If so, they were lost on me.It seems incredible that the experienced cast and crew made such a film but it is indicative of the fact that films, no matter who makes them, have elements that are beyond the control of their makers. 2023 Turner Classic Movies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Randy rides his fancy palomino Stardust and on one occasion shoots Lee Marvins hat off. the stranger wore a gun filming location We first see the fictional town of Cedarfield in episode one, when a decapitated alpaca is discovered. Set Decoration: Frank Tuttle Randolph Scott Collection: The Stranger Wore a Gun / Western Union / 7th Cavalry ( The Stranger Wore a Gun / Western Union / 7th Cavalry ) Product details MPAA rating : Unrated (Not Rated) Package Dimensions : 7.64 x 5.43 x 1.73 inches; 7.05 Ounces Director : Andr De Toth, Fritz Lang, Joseph H. Lewis They've been making movies up there for years. I mean, come on, he's has to tangle with both Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin. Trevor didnt recognize Weldon. in Hollywood, De Toth headed to Europe in the '60s, where he found work as an uncredited consultant and location scout on David Lean's extravagant He knew Travis from before and now full expects his help in stealing gold shipments from the stage line. Quantrill and his men were little more than terrorists, and it takes a while for this reality to dawn on Travis. It has Randolph Scott as solid as ever surrounded by a rock solid supporting cast. A former spy moves to Arizona to join a gold robbery, but when he gets there decides that it's not for him and tries to change his life. Editor: Gene Havlick, James Sweeney Neither of them knew much about stories. (from The Films of Randolph Scott by Robert Nott). [2] The supporting cast includes Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, and Ernest Borgnine. Western. and several other films. (1944-1952) with whom he had two children. After the war, Travis believes that he is a wanted man and he heads to Prescott, in Arizona, to start a new life. Finally Randy says he is through with guns and goes off to California with Claire. Scott instigates a feud between Macready and a Mexican bandit. "Harry Joe Brown was a very good, down-to-earth, nickel-and-dime producer," De Toth would say in an interview many years later. Jeff Travis, serving as an advance . The jumbo-sized boulders seem made of stucco and the Sierra Nevadas in the background include Mt. For example, we have speeded-up film when horses gallop. There is some really incredible architecture in the region that looks great on-screen.. After the smoke clears, Scott and Macready remain, and they shoot it out in a top-notch . One-eyed director Andre De Toth had already tried the process with House . Unfortunately, most spectators, then as now, saw the movie in 2D so they must have wondered what was going on. !A former spy moves to Arizona to join a gold robbery, but when he gets there decides that it's not for him and tries to change his . In 1953, 3D was a new fad, and De Toth made what many regard to be the best ever 3D film, the Vincent Price horror flick House of Wax. pre-owned That's Anna Magnani territory. An ex-Confederate spy for the Quantrill's Raiders, torched and looted mercilessly for the "Confederate cause" during the Civil War. When his plan to have another gang get. I especially liked the hot "fire scene". Thankyou, Verified purchase: This is why I have chosen Manchester for a location, where the book might be set in New Jersey, he said. The stranger begins playing one gang against the other to almost be gunned down in the crossfire. Jeff then has to inform Mouret about the shipment, and then his thugs - Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine - intercept the shipment, but Jeff changes sides when one of the jehu's (stagecoach driver) gets killed. In the early sixties film work became increasingly scarce for De Toth and he found himself i liked this western.it isn't the greatest western i have seen,but i thought it was mostly well acted,i found the story interesting,and i thought there was some good chemistry between the characters.it's well paced,with a fair amount of action and some excitement.Randolph Scott is the lead actor in the movie,and i thought he was OK,except he seemed a bit too old for the part.but maybe that's just me and my imagination.Claire Trevor(Stagecoach,1939))also stars,and is great.Ernest Borgnine appears as well.there are some other well known actors of the time,(and genre)as well,but i can't recall their names.by the way,this movie was originally filmed in 3D,so it looks a bit cheesy when objects are thrust toward the screen.for me,The Stranger Wore a Gun is a 6/10. Perhaps the part was supposed to be comic but if so, it fails. Your Privacy Choices, 2019Sony Pictures Digital Productions Inc.All rights reserved. The Thief of Bagdad and other films. This guy just absolutely fascinated me. Shelby and her father bid them goodbye. Due to this change, the filming of the show took place in the UK. Andr De Toth wrote (in De Toth on De Toth): I believe Randolph Scott could have gone further as a performer. A man whose life was saved by an outlaw shows his gratitude by reluctantly assisting in a stagecoach robbery. Gallery of 12 movie poster and cover images for The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953). The Stranger Wore A Gun $3.99 $12.99 Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Andr De Toth directed seven of producer-star Randolph Scott's Westerns; The Stranger Wore a Gun is the most disappointing, especially since its original 3-D is now moot. Amazon.com: The Stranger Wore a Gun [VHS] : Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Pierre Watkin . The Conroys stage is frequently held up by evil town boss Jules Mourret (George Macready) and his henchmen (Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine and four others) and from here on in its a standard, though I do not to say corny, plot.