Utah Blaine

I love Rory Calhoun. Especially the guns he wears in this movie. I love Westerns. Especially when it comes to the Christian values that are long gone in this country today. Two of my favorites were The Rifleman and Bonanza where you would hear frequent and "liberal" (pun intended) mentions of "God", "prayer" and "the Bible".

And when it comes to the background music in Utah Blaine, isn't that the same as what was in a Glenn Ford movie? I can't remember the name.

This film begins with a cowboy by the name of "Joe Neal" (Ken Christy) being taken to an isolated part of the country and lynched by a group of men led by a man named "Russ Nevers" (Ray Teal). As it so happens, Joe owns a large portion of land which he has yet to file a legal claim for and the other men all want a piece of it. That being said, because they leave him to die a slow death by hanging, what they don't see is a nearby cowboy named "Utah Blaine" (Rory Calhoun) witnessing the whole thing nearby and rescuing Joe in the nick of time. Grateful for his efforts, Joe promises Utah Blaine a large number of cattle and offers to make him his ranch foreman. Having been a gunslinger all of his life, Utah gladly accepts Joe's generous offer. However, he is even more pleased when he is told that a man he's been tracking for a long time named "Rink Witter" (George Keymas) also participated in this illegal hanging-and he fully expects their paths to cross again once and for all. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a good, old-fashioned Western which had a couple of unexpected turns along the way that made it somewhat more compelling than many grade-B movies of this sort. Admittedly, I would have preferred a slightly lengthier run time but all things considered I enjoyed this film for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Decent programmer from the six-gun soaked 1950's. Utah Blaine's helping big ranchers keep their spreads from predatory small ranchers. What the big ranchers need is an organized town government to provide proper law enforcement. So Blaine's got his work cut out. Needless to say, the plot's an inversion of the usual big guy versus little. There's some pretty good expansive scenery even if it's limited to greater LA. The shootouts, however, are sloppily staged, but then that's par for most B-oaters where no one really aims yet the bodies always fall. And catch Calhoun decking ex-heavyweight champ Baer. Now we know why the movies are called "make believe". For guys, there's the fetching Susan Cummings with a pronounced bustline in solid, or should I say huggable, 50's fashion. Nothing special here, just a standard entry in the 50's oater sweepstakes.

Rory Calhoun plays the title role in Utah Blaine a film based on a Louis L'Amour novel, a range war story with a different twist.

In this film it's the homesteaders who are the villains. But these homesteaders aren't yeoman farmers or small ranchers. No in Utah Blaine Ray Teal has organized a gang of thugs who call themselves vigilantes. They can do that because the area is unorganized, the town is not official, no mayor, no town council, most important no sheriff. Teal is making war on the ranches currently there.

The film opens with Calhoun coming upon the scene of an attempted lynching which he stops. Turns out to be Ken Christy one of the owners of one of the two big spreads. When Calhoun learns that an old enemy of his George Keymas is Teal's number one gun hand that's all the convincing he needs to throw in with Christy. Doesn't hurt that he has a pretty daughter in Angela Stevens either.

This is a nicely plotted western that moves at a good pace and the unusual plot twist is an added treat. Too bad it was not shot in color, but I'm hardly complaining. A good one for western fans.

Rory calhoun is blaine, who takes up the cause of the ranchers who are getting run off or killed for their land. Since their land was never properly filed, murdering gangs are trying to grab the land that the owners have developed and worked. And of course, there's a mountain lion prowling around as well. Max baer senior (jethro's dad, the boxer! ) is gus. Co-stars susan cummings, ray teal. It's a pretty good western. Thieves, threats, shooting, horse riding. All the ingredients. Calhoun was king of the westerns, but he was also betty grable's forest ranger in how to marry a millionaire. Directed by fred sears, who died young of a heart attack at age 44. He died the same year this was released. Baer also died young at 50, just two years after this film story by louis l'amour.