El Paso

In the immediate aftermath of the Civil War a Confederate officer by the name of "Clay Fletcher" (John Payne) returns to his home in Charleston, South Carolina, to restart his law profession. Upon hearing that a former sweetheart named "Susan Jeffers" (Gail Russell) and her father "Judge Henry Jeffers" (Henry Hull) have moved to El Paso, Texas, he volunteers to take some important legal papers to him. When he gets to El Paso he finds that a group of thugs have taken control of the small town and are manipulating the alcoholic judge to enforce their corrupt interests. Now, rather than detailing the entire story, I will just say that this film had a "Grade B" feel from start to finish. None of the actors distinguished themselves, the plot was shaky and some of the scenes seemed a bit corny at times. To be fair though, some of these criticisms can be attributed to the time-period in which this film was made. Even so, I thought it could have been better and so I have scored it as slightly below average.

"El Paso" is an ugly looking film. I assume it looked a lot better when it first debuted, but the print from Netflix is yucky looking. Part of this might be because it used Cinecolor (a very inexpensive but far from perfect color system) and part of it surely is due to the effects of degradation over time. All I know for sure is that the film is full of sepia tones and green-grays but many other colors are absent.

The film begins just after the Civil War. A lawyer (John Payne) is sent from Charleston to El Paso to get some papers signed by a judge who used to live in South Carolina. Unfortunately, when Payne arrives, he finds that the judge (Henry Hull) is a drunk and the town is run by an evil boss (Sterling Hayden) whose aim is to steal away everyone's land. Can Payne use the law to his advantage or will he and his new friends have to take the law into their own hands?

The evil boss-man theme is a very, very familiar one in American films of this era--perhaps THE most familiar. I am pretty sure it was used long before it was in "Birth of a Nation" (this was an evil boss film despite its sick racist message). Because it's become a bit of a cliché, "El Paso" certainly lacks originality. But, despite the familiar, the film is handled well on several levels. While the boss-man story is overused, using an alcoholic judge to help make the land-grab 'legal' was an inspired change to the standard story. Additionally, Payne and Hayden are both good actors and make the most of the material. In addition, it was nice to see the way Mexicans were handled in the film. Too often, they are simpletons in westerns, but here they are both noble AND manly--with Eduardo Noriega's character being one of the better ones in this era. Along for the ride is old reliable Gabby Hayes for a nice bit of comic relief. In addition, while the film might be a bit blood-thirsty, it sure did make it exciting and better than the usually over-sanitized western of the day. The overall package manages to breath life into an ancient sort of story and makes the film a lot better than it should be. Worth seeing--particularly if you like westerns.

El Paso is directed by Lewis R. Foster and Foster also adapts the screenplay from a story written by J. Robert Bren and Gladys Atwater. It stars John Payne, Gail Russell, Sterling Hayden, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Dick Foran, Eduardo Noriega, Henry Hull and Mary Beth Hughes. Music is by Darrell Calker and cinematography by Ellis W. Carter. Location filming is at the Iverson and Corrigan Ranches and El Paso and Gallup.

El Paso, and lawyer and ex-Confederate captain Clay Fletcher (Payne) is forced to go against his principles and go outside the law to bring order to the town. It's a town where the judge is alcoholic and manipulated by the corrupt sheriff and a nefarious landowner.

In the mix here is a very decent film, and certainly there's a story that if given a bit more meat could have been most potent. Unfortunately it's a bit choppy in its telling and execution, while the Cinecolor it was shot in looks washed out and cheapens still further what was already a picture being made without a big budget.

Thematically it's strong, there's a vigilante thread that's attention grabbing, with some nice suggestive shots used by the director, and a theme of ex-soldiers returning from the war - only to find their land and rights being vanquished by the self imposed powers that be - carries with it some pertinent sting. There's also some good humour in here, notably a running gag involving Hughes' Stagecoach Nellie.

Cast are fine, with Hayden and Payne fronting up for their fans, Hayes does another grand grizzled old coot turn, and Noriega, in spite of being under used, is excellent. Crude back projection work undermines some half decent action sequences, whilst the extended shoot-out finale is nicely played out during a dust storm - which may be to hide some flaws in the production? But regardless it has good effect.

Frustrating picture for sure, but for Western die-hards there's enough here to enjoy and not feel angry about. 6.5/10

That's for me one of the best westerns from Paramount Pictures, just after SHANE of course, but it is an underrated film, using the Civil War element, as so many other westerns of this period, starring Randolph Scott, Brian Donlevy, Zachary Scott, from Warner Bros or RKO pictures. The story itself is not that new but the production design is splendid and John Payne still "in progress" in his career, already very promising for his further filmography. It looks very like a Warner Bros films, starring Errol Flynn. Lewis Foster's splendid movie, one of his most ambitious, but his favorite feature were adventure flicks taking place in South sea islands, Caribbean area. John Payne was for Lewis Foster the same John Wayne with John Ford. Check Payne's movies, you'll often find Foster as director. And beware, pay attention, that's as far as I know, the only film where Sterling Hayden is a villain; I mean a TRUE villain, against the lead hero; here John Payne. But of course Hayden played outlaws in his films, westerns - JOHNNY GUITAR - or gangsters - ASPHALT JUNGLE, only he was then question of the movies hero, lead character, and not a villain. See the difference?

As kids we're always told to stand up to bullies; but try putting that into practise at work with your boss! Lawyer John Payne proves similarly naïve in thinking Sterling Hayden and his brutal henchman Dick Foran will be as easily dissuaded by due process; and after 80 rather garrulous and conventional minutes this film finally makes you sit up and take notice when Payne and the rest of the townsfolk at last take the law into their own hands and fight fire with gunfire.

But did anyone ever stand trial for the accidental lynching of the newly arrived minister?