Il messaggio del rinnegato

Gosh. I don't have the energy to chart the history of the western. But this fits into an interesting pocket. Many westerns — including ones celebrated at the time — seem mighty dreary to me. But this one moves along.

It is basically a chase, a sort of detective story. It features a cowboy in noir mode with the redheaded saloon gal in her noir role, superimposed on her western role.

Nearly everyone we see is pretending to be something they are not and several key reversals happen. Of course our noir everyman, played by Ford, is pure and open. Dogs and little girls sense this.

It is in black and white, shot in Utah following the pattern. It has Indians, renegade soldiers, a stupid sheriff, a big finale complete with jumping into a runaway wagon. Until then, we have noir, but it switches to a western ending. Honest cowpoke, gets feisty redhead.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.