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6.7/10
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A Confederate Major and his troops are falsely led to believe the Civil War is not over, and become wanted men after they attack a Union Army wagon train in Nevada.A Confederate Major and his troops are falsely led to believe the Civil War is not over, and become wanted men after they attack a Union Army wagon train in Nevada.A Confederate Major and his troops are falsely led to believe the Civil War is not over, and become wanted men after they attack a Union Army wagon train in Nevada.
Edward Earle
- Union Captain
- (uncredited)
Frank Hagney
- Drifter
- (uncredited)
Reed Howes
- Hank Fletcher
- (uncredited)
Post Park
- Stage Driver
- (uncredited)
Frank Yaconelli
- Drifter
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
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Harry Joe Brown and Randy Scott produced some of the best westerns Hollywood ever made. This is one of them, one of only two films directed by the brilliant writer-producer Roy Huggins, who ended up devoting much of his time to some fine TV series, including "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files." A person can only spread himself so thin yet it's unfortunate that Huggins didn't direct more movies. There is so much highly creative work here, both on and off the screen.
The story written by Huggins concerns the final days of the tumultuous Civil War that not only split the nation asunder, but families and friends as well. Major Matt (Scott) is in command of a small band of rebel soldiers whose assignment is to hijack a union gold shipment in far off Nevada and take no prisoners. They succeed only to learn that Lee surrendered to Grant several weeks earlier. What to do? The major and his rebels decide to keep the gold and determine what to do with it later. The only rascal amongst the rebels is Ralph, an early role for Lee Marvin, who as usual steals the show. It seems his meanness has only grown as a result of all the violence he has experienced during the war. His killer proclivities have come to dominate his psyche. Though old pals in the saddle, Ralph and the Major are continually at each other's throats. Also a member of the rebels is a youngster who has not yet tasted blood, Jamie (Claude Jarman Jr. who first scored big as a twelve-year-old in "The Yearling").
As the rebels make their getaway, knowing that they will be hunted down as murderers and traitors by the Yankees, they are set upon by a gang of outlaws who claim to be seeking justice but who really want the gold. The rebels are chased to an outpost via stagecoach where they hold up in what turns out to be a standoff. The leader of the outlaw gang is Quincey, portrayed by veteran actor Ray Teal in one of his best roles. He was always a reliable actor who could be counted on to give a good performance. But this time he goes beyond the expected and turns in one of the best acting jobs ever. Today he is most famous for playing Sheriff Roy Coffee in the ever popular "Bonanza" TV series. Another surprise is to see Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, who usually played good old boy types, half-comic, half tough guy, as one of the meanest hombres around, Smitty. He is more sadistic and cruel than Lee Marvin in this film, which is saying a lot. Sweet Donna Reed is, well, sweet, but handles the part of a nurse, Molly, engaged to a slime ball, Lee Kemper (Richard Denning of TV's Mr. North fame), beautifully. Jeanette Nolan and Clem Bevans are effective as daughter and father of a young man who died in battle after his father had been killed in the war. The lead role is filled admirably by Randolph Scott. He captures all the nuances and contradictions of Major Matt while remaining charming enough to capture the heart of Nurse Molly. The rest of the cast including the redoubtable Frank Faylen provides the necessary support for this excellent western.
The title "Hangman's Knot" is metaphoric. Literally, the knot is tied to hang Cass (Faylen), but the knot also stands for the symbolic noose around the neck of each character for various reasons explored by the interaction of a great cast.
The story written by Huggins concerns the final days of the tumultuous Civil War that not only split the nation asunder, but families and friends as well. Major Matt (Scott) is in command of a small band of rebel soldiers whose assignment is to hijack a union gold shipment in far off Nevada and take no prisoners. They succeed only to learn that Lee surrendered to Grant several weeks earlier. What to do? The major and his rebels decide to keep the gold and determine what to do with it later. The only rascal amongst the rebels is Ralph, an early role for Lee Marvin, who as usual steals the show. It seems his meanness has only grown as a result of all the violence he has experienced during the war. His killer proclivities have come to dominate his psyche. Though old pals in the saddle, Ralph and the Major are continually at each other's throats. Also a member of the rebels is a youngster who has not yet tasted blood, Jamie (Claude Jarman Jr. who first scored big as a twelve-year-old in "The Yearling").
As the rebels make their getaway, knowing that they will be hunted down as murderers and traitors by the Yankees, they are set upon by a gang of outlaws who claim to be seeking justice but who really want the gold. The rebels are chased to an outpost via stagecoach where they hold up in what turns out to be a standoff. The leader of the outlaw gang is Quincey, portrayed by veteran actor Ray Teal in one of his best roles. He was always a reliable actor who could be counted on to give a good performance. But this time he goes beyond the expected and turns in one of the best acting jobs ever. Today he is most famous for playing Sheriff Roy Coffee in the ever popular "Bonanza" TV series. Another surprise is to see Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, who usually played good old boy types, half-comic, half tough guy, as one of the meanest hombres around, Smitty. He is more sadistic and cruel than Lee Marvin in this film, which is saying a lot. Sweet Donna Reed is, well, sweet, but handles the part of a nurse, Molly, engaged to a slime ball, Lee Kemper (Richard Denning of TV's Mr. North fame), beautifully. Jeanette Nolan and Clem Bevans are effective as daughter and father of a young man who died in battle after his father had been killed in the war. The lead role is filled admirably by Randolph Scott. He captures all the nuances and contradictions of Major Matt while remaining charming enough to capture the heart of Nurse Molly. The rest of the cast including the redoubtable Frank Faylen provides the necessary support for this excellent western.
The title "Hangman's Knot" is metaphoric. Literally, the knot is tied to hang Cass (Faylen), but the knot also stands for the symbolic noose around the neck of each character for various reasons explored by the interaction of a great cast.
I'm just getting into Randolph Scott movies, my usual Western diet consists mostly of John Wayne, Tom Selleck and Sam Elliot movies with a few Jimmy Stewart and Clint Eastwood tossed in for good measure, but so far I have about 8 movies he's in, all of them westerns except for My Favorite Wife which I got because I'm a Cary Grant fan.
If you like western movies, you'll enjoy this one. Scott and Marvin are good with Marvin standing out in almost every scene he's in, especially with Donna Reed and I really liked Claude Jarman Jr.'s performance playing the young man who's reluctant to pull the trigger and all of his scenes interacting with Jeanette Nolan (Mrs. Margaret Harris) and Clem Bevans (The Station manager and Nolan's father) are great. Plot is one that I've never seen in a western genre film before, Confederate soldiers don't know that the war is over and are on a mission to steal gold from Union troops, the lone solder from the Union detachment tells the confederate soldiers that the war had been over for a month just before he dies placing the men in a bad predicament.
This isn't a bad western, but its not one that I would recommend to individuals unless they are fans of the genre because it follows the tried and true western plot from beginning to end. Action starting off the movie with lots of drama and a little action to drive the plot along until you come to the inevitable shootout and fight to bring the story to its conclusion. Saying that may make it sound like I don't like the movie which isn't true, I do like it, the acting is great and the plot and dialogue stands out, it just doesn't contain anything that would make it stand out in such a way where individuals who are not fans of the genre would find it appealing. If you want a movie that will entice you to start watching the genre, start with something like The Cowboys with with John Wayne or Quigley Down Under with Tom Selleck, both of which I think will keep anyone's attention, but if you have seen everything that Selleck and Elliot has offered in the 90s and you want to see how the OG boys from the 40s and 50s did it, then you can't go wrong watching this.
If you like western movies, you'll enjoy this one. Scott and Marvin are good with Marvin standing out in almost every scene he's in, especially with Donna Reed and I really liked Claude Jarman Jr.'s performance playing the young man who's reluctant to pull the trigger and all of his scenes interacting with Jeanette Nolan (Mrs. Margaret Harris) and Clem Bevans (The Station manager and Nolan's father) are great. Plot is one that I've never seen in a western genre film before, Confederate soldiers don't know that the war is over and are on a mission to steal gold from Union troops, the lone solder from the Union detachment tells the confederate soldiers that the war had been over for a month just before he dies placing the men in a bad predicament.
This isn't a bad western, but its not one that I would recommend to individuals unless they are fans of the genre because it follows the tried and true western plot from beginning to end. Action starting off the movie with lots of drama and a little action to drive the plot along until you come to the inevitable shootout and fight to bring the story to its conclusion. Saying that may make it sound like I don't like the movie which isn't true, I do like it, the acting is great and the plot and dialogue stands out, it just doesn't contain anything that would make it stand out in such a way where individuals who are not fans of the genre would find it appealing. If you want a movie that will entice you to start watching the genre, start with something like The Cowboys with with John Wayne or Quigley Down Under with Tom Selleck, both of which I think will keep anyone's attention, but if you have seen everything that Selleck and Elliot has offered in the 90s and you want to see how the OG boys from the 40s and 50s did it, then you can't go wrong watching this.
Hangman's Knot may be too short at only an hour and twenty minutes or so, there are one or two scenes that take too long to get going and some of the characters are clichéd(ie. nurse devoted to duty). However, it is a very well made movie, with tight editing, lavish scenery and beautiful photography. The film is beautifully directed, I love the metaphorical title, the script is well-written and intriguing, the opening twenty minutes set the tone of the film brilliantly and the sequence involving the "Rebs" is fantastic. The acting is very good and do a credible job in making us care for their somewhat clichéd characters. Randolph Scott is commanding, Donna Reed is as lovely as ever and Lee Marvin makes a positive impression without stealing his scenes too much. Overall, a very effective and underrated western. 7/10 Bethany Cox
In 1865, a troop of Confederate soldiers led by Major Matt Stewart (Randolph Scott) attack the wagon of gold escorted by Union cavalry and the soldiers are killed. The only wounded survivor tells that the war ended one month ago, and the group decides to take the gold and meet their liaison that knew that the war ended but did not inform the troop. The harsh Rolph Bainter (Lee Marvin) kills the greedy man and the soldiers flee in his wagon driven by Major Stewart. When they meet a posse chasing them, Stewart gives wrong information to misguide the group; however, they have an accident with the wagon and lose the horses. They decide to stop a stagecoach and force the driver to transport them, but the posse returns and they are trapped in the station with the passenger. They realize that the men are not deputies and have no intention to bring them to justice but take the stolen gold.
"Hangman's Knot" is a simple but effective Western in the after American Civil War period mainly about lack of communication and greed. Randolph Scott and Lee Marvin in the beginning of his career perform their usual type of characters, a fair rough man and a bad character. The story is engaging with many conflictive situations and the screenplay is very tight. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Laço do Carrasco" ("The Hangman's Noose")
"Hangman's Knot" is a simple but effective Western in the after American Civil War period mainly about lack of communication and greed. Randolph Scott and Lee Marvin in the beginning of his career perform their usual type of characters, a fair rough man and a bad character. The story is engaging with many conflictive situations and the screenplay is very tight. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Laço do Carrasco" ("The Hangman's Noose")
Some of Randolph Scott's Westerns are shown regularly on British TV, but I hadn't seen this one before, and it lived up to my expectations. The colour was good, the cast strong and the plot better than for most Westerns of this period. Lee Marvin was strong in an early role, and Claud Jarman jnr was also good (I wonder why his film career seemed to peter out?) I suppose a pedant might nitpick at the Union cavalrymen's uniforms appearing to be standard wardrobe issue, rather than the sort one might expect to see Civil War men wear. As a heavy, Guinn Williams was cast contrary to his usually semi-comic type, but over the years he hadn't lost his curious way of firing a revolver - almost as if he were tossing bullets out of its muzzle with a flick of his wrist.
The jarring note was the obligatory romance for Westerns of this period, this time between 54-year-old Scott (in the beginning of the film at least almost looking his age) and 32-year-old Donna Reed (as delightful as ever).
The jarring note was the obligatory romance for Westerns of this period, this time between 54-year-old Scott (in the beginning of the film at least almost looking his age) and 32-year-old Donna Reed (as delightful as ever).
Did you know
- TriviaAfter the scene of Lee Marvin holding Donna Reed against the wall, she was so terrified by him that she did not let him come near her on and off the set.
- GoofsWhen the Confederates ambush the Union gold shipment, they use dynamite. The film is set in 1865, but dynamite was not patented by its inventor, Alfred Nobel, until 1867. Dynamite was not in use during the American Civil War by either side.
- Quotes
Lee Kemper: You got 'em confused.
[Lee laughs]
Lee Kemper: They'll a-find out though and get their hands on it, there ain't gonna be nobody left alive in here to tell. You got any plans?
Major Matt Stewart: Mm-hmm. We go out shooting.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Hollywood Remembers Lee Marvin (2000)
- How long is Hangman's Knot?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,250,000
- Runtime
- 1h 21m(81 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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