Johnny Reno

JOHNNY RENO is just one of many second feature Westerns produced by A.C. Lyles at Paramount in the 1960's. These Westerns were of great interest to me when they were shown at our local cinema as they always had many veteran actors in supporting roles. For example take a look at the credits for "Johnny Reno" - Dana Andrews, Jane Russell, Lon Chaney Jr, John Agar, Lyle Bettger, Tom Drake, Richard Arlen, Robert Lowery, and (uncredited) DeForest Kelley. Quite an impressive cast for a second feature western!! I always used to sit up and pay attention when the words "An A.C. Lyles Production" came up on the screen as I knew this film was going to be rather special!! One of A.C.s best friends was James Cagney who only directed one film in his entire career - "Short Cut to Hell" (1957) which he did purely as a favour to A.C. to get him started as a producer. (It was a remake of the Alan Ladd film "This Gun for Hire"). Now in his 80's A.C. still has an office on the Paramount lot which he visits most days. A.C. can be seen regularly on the TV series "Biography" where he is often interviewed with his memories of the "Golden Days of Hollywood" and the many stars he knew personally from that era. Clive Roberts.

at the first scene, it already showed that this is a lousy film. one was shot dead but no blood shown at all, the other was shot in the arm, but only got some careless cosmetic red dye on the shirt, the blood stain looked so fake, just in a round shape that never enlarged, and the arm just stayed that way, no blood dripping down beneath the long sleeve, no nothing, and the guy was acting just like a normal person instead of a wounded one. then the Indian showed up, talked like white man with perfect English. then went to the town where the lousy dialog became even worse. this is one of the worst western films i've ever watched and just failed to finish it. what a pathetic western movie!

Lyle Bettger is one of those stalwarts whose names probably mean nothing to most average filmgoers but who enjoy instant recognition on the screen…

Bettger was far better knows as a blond, blue-eyed villain given to exuding pathological hated... His good looks worked for him in every determined effort, even as a menacing villain with a snickering charm...

Dana Andrews plays Marshal Johnny Reno, who used to be one of the top gunfighters… He just arrived with a prisoner called Joe Conners (Tom Drake) considered by the citizens of Stone Junction as a little Indian-killer…

Of course the Mayor of the town Jess Yates (Buttger) assures the marshal that Conners will be given a fair trial and asked him to get out of the town fast…

In spite of hearing that the lynch mob will be out there and one way or another they'll get Conners, the tough marshal tells everybody that his prisoner is in his protective custody and anybody who wants to get to him is going to have to step over his dead body…

That day, the way it happened—before the Connors mess—Reno was riding to see somebody he once knew, Nona Williams (Jane Russell). He knew the woman years before when he was the righteous lawman in the town where she lived… He has been wearing a badge ever since… Nona made a mistake and he couldn't forgive her…

Lon Chaney Jr shows up as a sheriff who forgets that his job is law and order…

Filmed in Technicolor and Panavision, "Johnny Reno" remains a tedious little Western worth a matinée

Dated, corny and laughable western,at times, that has US marshall Dana Andrews riding from Kansas to a small town where lives his old flame : Jane Russell. Along the way and heading to the town, he his shot by two brothers, and forced to defend himself, killing one of them. Dana Andrews after hearing him learns that they shot thinking he was after them . As he captures the survivor brother and attempting to save him. As the Marshal tries to protect an accused killer from lynching by some feared townsfolks who are set on his death . Later on, Marshall Dana Andrews and sheriff Lon Chaney Jr, on the trail of justice, hold the prisoner lockup , being besieged by the nasty citizens as the saloon owner : Tom Drake, Land baron : Jon Agar and Mayor Lyle Bettger.

Average Western with thrills, shootouts, and violent brawls at saloon between Dana Andrews and Lyle Bettger. Paramount made Western in low budget with a good but faded cast. Seventh of thirteen westerns producer Lyles movies made in the mid-Sixties, all of them realized in short budget and with similar tarnished stars of the 40s and 50s. Stars Dana Andrews as a sheriff who captures a fugitive insisting he is innocent, as he will have to protect him due to the whole town wants him hanged. He is accompanied by the always sex-pot Jane Russell as a mature Saloon woman, one-time girlfriend of the starring. Of interest for star-watching only, as here shows up known secondaries as the following ones : Lon Chaney , Lyle Bettger, John Agar, Tom Drake, Richard Arlen, Robert Lowery, among others

It contains a lousy cinematography in Techniscope by Harold Stine and atmospheric musical score by Jimmie Haskell. The motion picture was middlingly directed by R. G. Springsteen. This filmmaker made several Westerns since 1945 for Republic Pictures, as he was director of Red Ryder series. After that, he realized B Westerns as Cole Younger, Gunfighter, King of the wild stallions, Showdowm, He rides calm, Bullet for a badman, Taggart. Subsequently, he made for producer A. C. Lyles and delivered by Paramount Pictures , as follows : Black spurs, Apache uprising, Waco, Red Tomahawk, Hostile guns and Johnny Reno. Rating 4.5/10. So-so and very average oater.

Although he was a notorious gunman in his early days, a man by the name of "Johnny Reno" (Dana Andrews) has since obtained a new lease on life and become a U. S. marshal intent on upholding law and order. To that effect, this film begins with him riding in the country when, quite unexpectedly, he is fired upon by two men who believe he is chasing after them. Much to their regret, neither of them turn out to be nearly as good with a gun as their intended target and as a result one of them named "Ab Conners" (Dale Van Sickel) is killed while his brother "Joe Conners" (Tom Drake) is subsequently wounded and forced to surrender. It's only then that Joe learns that Marshal Reno was going to Stone Junction on an entirely different matter and had never heard of him or his brother until that moment. That being said, having found out that Joe is wanted for murder, Marshal Reno has no choice but to take him into the nearest town where he can be bandaged before being escorted to Kansas City to stand trial. However, once he gets to Sone Junction, he finds that, rather than having his prisoner tried in a legal setting, the mayor of Stone Junction "Jess Yates" (Lyle Bettger) insists that he be lynched instead--and he is quite willing to do whatever is necessary to see that happen. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, even though it wasn't necessarily a spectacular Western by any means, it had several well-known actors like Jane Russell (as "Nona Williams"), Lon Chaney Jr. ("Sheriff Hodges") and the aforementioned Dana Andrews all performing in their usual solid manner and I have rated it accordingly. Average.