{"id":7271,"date":"2024-01-20T13:18:20","date_gmt":"2024-01-20T13:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mostlywesterns.com\/?p=7271"},"modified":"2024-02-03T10:50:47","modified_gmt":"2024-02-03T10:50:47","slug":"stranger-on-horseback-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostlywesterns.com\/stranger-on-horseback-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Stranger on Horseback (1955) Movie Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Cast<\/strong>: Joel McCrea as Judge Richard Thorne Miroslava as Amy Lee Bannerman Kevin McCarthy as Tom Bannerman John McIntire as Col. Buck Bannerman Nancy Gates as Caroline Webb
Directed by<\/strong>: Jacques Tourneur Produced by<\/strong>: Robert Goldstein Screenplay by<\/strong>: Herb Meadow \/ Don Martin Photographed by<\/strong>: Ray Rennahan Music by<\/strong>: Paul Dunlap<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Based on a story by Louis L\u2019Amour, \u201cStranger on Horseback\u201d stars Joel McCrea as Judge Richard ‘Rick’ Thorne. A voiceover at the beginning informs the audience that a \u201cUnited States circuit judge needed three things to bring justice to this country \u2013 a law book, a horse and a gun\u201d and pilgrim, Judge Rick has all three. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arriving at his destination in the town of Bannerman ostensibly to check out everything is being run legally and all above board the Judge realises that every store, saloon and hotel bears the name of Bannerman, which is an obvious red flag in anyone\u2019s book. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He is greeted by Col. Buck Streeter (John Carradine), a representative of the town\u2019s owner, Josia Bannerman (John McIntire). Thorne instantly recognises corruption when he sees it, probably aided by the fact Streeter is played by John Carradine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He impresses upon Streeter that he is not open to bribery, refusing the offer of a more expensive room on the house and insisting he will pay for his own whisky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Taking up space in the office of Sheriff Nat Bell (Emile Mayer) Thorne starts sifting through paperwork relating to land claims and deportation orders and such. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In order to demonstrate that he has a heart and is not just all about business the Judge reverses a deportation order on a Mexican family, prompting Streeter to suggest his boss will now probably give the father a good job, which is probably the last thing Bannerman would want to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Upon querying the identity of someone he saw being buried when riding into town both Streeter and Bell become cagey. Upon further questioning by the judge, it transpires that Tom Bannerman (Kevin McCarthy) is responsible for having killed the dead man supposedly in self-defence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the Judge questions the sheriff as to why the killer is still free Streeter suggests \u201cIt\u2019s the frontier sir. The garment of social conscience fits loosely\u201d to which the Judge replies \u201cI\u2019m here to tighten it up\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, out at the Bannerman ranch Bannerman Junior places himself in harm’s way by holding up a glass of whisky for his cousin Aimee Lee (Miroslava) to shoot out of his hand.<\/p>\n\n\n