User reviews

I am a western fanatic with over 200 top western titles in my personal collection, many of which are in my IMDb database. This film made in 1953 is very enjoyable to watch. If you are a fan of Westerns you will absolutely want to watch this film. Law and Order reminds me of the Stewart-Mann Westerns of the same era with the same attention to detail and plot development.Juran like Anthony Mann brings out the best in his actors. Ronald Reagan is tough and believable, the color adds to the excellent filming, and the acting is quite good. Dorthy Malone is very beautiful and charming. Apart from a bit of predictability this film combines, action, horse riding, gun fights, and a beautiful girl into a good enjoyable film.

DB

It would be easy to poke fun at a Western that features the red-white-and blue tie President Reagan and the Gilligan's Island Professor, Russell Johnson, but both men turn in believable and thought-provoking performances.

The Johnson brothers (Reagan, Johnson, and Alex Nicol) move to a town, appropriately named "Contention" (love that name!), as retired lawmen tired of shooting it out with bad guys and hoping for a peaceful existence. As is customary in Westerns, evil runs the town, and guess who eventually has to wield a 6-gun to clean things up. The positive ethics of supporting law and order with a non-violent approach serves Reagan surprisingly well; he plays the role with earnest conviction. Johnson, as his brazen and impulsive younger brother, is a polar opposite and good balance to study the nature of both men. When the latter involves himself with the sister of the head honcho bad guy, the stage is set for good and evil to encounter one another in classic Western tradition.

A better than average horse opera with a well presented message. Good for Saturday afternoon viewing.

Yes this is a classic Western tale of 'good guys' vs 'bad guys' which Hollywood loves to recycle. Ronald Reagan (Frame Johnson) gives a fine performance as a Cincinnatus type sheriff who is called upon to quell a lawless town. The supporting cast includes the crooked and bought town sheriff (Barry Elder) and the all-powerful town leader (Preston Foster). Dorothy Malone (Jeannie) and Ruth Hampton (Maria Durling) provide the suffering women-in-waiting roles very well. Russell Johnson (Jimmy Johnson) comes off well as the hot-headed, quick to action younger brother of Reagan. The movie has plenty of color, great location shots, fight scenes and tough talking bad guys. Dennis Weaver (Frank Durling) and Jack Kelley (Jed) make the most of their screen time. This movie stands on its own and I recommend it for anyone wanting so see Reagan give a fine performance.

Universal western a solid adaptation of William Burnett's novel "Saint Johnson"--also a follow-up to (or rehashing of) 1932's "Law and Order". Ronald Reagan is very good as the marshal of Tombstone in the 1880s, tired of being a "hired killer", who quits his job for a rancher's life on the outskirts of Cottonwood; unfortunately, he finds the townsfolk there much tougher than the people of Tombstone, including a scurrilous family who has tangled with the marshal before. It's never made clear how the marshal managed to get on the bad side of the Tombstone residents (they seem to want a no-nonsense approach to the law--and they've got it with Reagan--so what is their beef?). Dorothy Malone is wasted in a frivolous role as Ronnie's girl (she always seems to be saying, "I'll be here when you come back"), while the (blonde) actors playing Reagan's brothers are poor choices--they don't look or act anything like him. Still, there's a few evil, grinning sonsofbitches in the lineup who give the narrative dramatic flavor, and Reagan has a terrific scene early on protecting a prisoner from a lynch mob. Most of "Law and Order" (terrible title!) is strictly rote from a western formula, but the Red Rock Canyon locations are good and the finale very satisfying. **1/2 from ****

I had never heard of Director Nathan Juran until I saw LAW AND ORDER, and I doubt I'll remember him for any significant amount of time. He doesn't do a bad job of this B pic... simply not good enough: photography is weak, script predictable and tame, and what really saves it is the presence of the late former President Ronald Reagan and incredibly beautiful Dorothy Malone.

In the end, this is another retelling of the Wyatt Earp and bros story, with different names and against differently named foes.

Some good fighting sequences involving RR, too.

Even with technicolor and location shooting, the remake of the classic western Law and Order with Walter Huston pales in comparison. Ronald Reagan just isn't Walter Huston, he doesn't create the singleminded purpose of Huston's Frame Johnson. Reagan's forte is affability, it doesn't translate well here.

Frame Johnson and his two brothers, played by Alex Nicol and Russell Johnson, leave Tombstone where Johnson is marshal because Johnson is tired of it. They go to Contention, but the problems of lawlessness are rampant there. Corrupt sheriff Barry Kelley and town boss Preston Foster pretty much run things their way. The decent citizens call on Reagan and the brothers to help out. Brother Alex Nicol does and is killed. You can figure the rest out.

The film does have the always lovely presence of Dorothy Malone, three years away from her Oscar in Written on the Wind. Dorothy was first noticed as the bookstore proprietess who catches Humphrey Bogart's eye in The Big Sleep. She did mostly westerns after that, usually as the nice girl in gingham that the hero gets. Good thing someone saw she had more going for her than that. Here she's a reluctant saloon owner, her old man left her the place and she runs it to earn a living. Girl's gotta do, what a girl's gotta do.

And of course you would have to be blind and ignorant of any kind of western history not to notice the obvious parallels between this film and any and all films with Wyatt Earp as the central character.

Fun movie, with some good action (entertaining fight later in the movie) and some great lines. The most memorable part for me though has to be the fastest romance in the west. Guy meets girl says hello, 5 mins later lets elope!!! Hilarious.

All the performances are great!

I like Ronnie Reagan, but this is not one of his better films. Dorothy Malone is a lightweight actress, but I don't think any female lead would have made much difference to the outcome. Preston Foster is the only authentic A actor in the film, although I did enjoy seeing the professor from Gilligan's Island as the judge.

The plot is mundane and full of cliches, but the actors try to do the best with the hands they are dealt. The fascination of watching an American president acting in a film is always an extra added attraction. The end result is an amazingly average Western; watchable, but not notable. The doctor in the town is Holliday; sound familiar? Spare us.

Too many critics sneer at Ronald Reagan's career in films. THey obviously didn't see this film. Law and Order is a solid western made in the era when westerns were made well. The script is tight, with plenty of action, but not weighted down with too much gratuitous violence that marks most of Eastwood's films. Reagan's performance as Frame Johnson is natural and believable. His skill in the saddle is displayed several times. He comes across tough and determined, yet has scruples. THe supporting cast boasts such veterans as Russell Johnson (who appears in many sci-fi films of the fifties) and Preston Foster and Dorothy Malone. Nathan Juran directed many films and television programs and was good at maximizing the low budget that Universal gave him for this effort. Another good western starring Reagan is Last Outpost (1951). Law and Order is definitely worth seeing - If Reagan had made more films of this caliber, he might not have gone into politics.

Frame Johnson (Ronald Reagan) is a marshal with a good will and integrity keeping steadily law and order . It takes place in 1882 , it is the story of Frame Johnson and the five days of fury when he stood alone against the last of the Southwest's renegade rule . But a sheriff's job is never done . Having cleaned up Tombstone , marshal Frame Johnson quits after an attempted lynching , and hopes to settle down on a ranch near Cottonwood with his fianceé Jeannie (Dorothy Malone) and to work as a cattleman . Before he can do so , it looks like he may have to clean up Cottonwood too . From Dodge City to Tombstone...His Guns Were The Only Law ¡ . A badge was his life... a saddle his home... and a six-gun his only friend!.He led Arizona's last great war on renegade rule! Haunted by a woman's scarlet lips! Hated by the brother who called him "coward"! Hunted by the man with the iron fist! But how great a sacrifice will he make for law and order? . They lived hard ... they fought hard ... they loved hard ... and they died hard !

This is the yarn of Frame Johnson , last of the great shooting marshals , in a similar story to Wyatt Earp himself , he even operates in Tombstone town along with his brothers by prohibiting wielding weapons . In fact , this one seems to be a rather free rendition of ¨My darling Clementine¨ taking similar characters playing here and there . Nice-looking but run-of-the-mill International Universal Picture Western , including some novelties , but also with usual elements , such as franctic action , thrills , crossfire , drama , romance and some spectacular action scenes . Along with an overwhelming as well as violent fight between Ronald Reagan and Preston Foster at a warehouse . A blending of functional main actors with great character players of whom Ronald Reagan holds the best role as a two-fisted sheriff . A warm and moving storyline and thanks to a personable and breathtaking action scenes makes an enjoyable movie , a real pleasure to listen to as well as watch . Being a vigorous western with nice performances from Reagan and Preston Foster who play the hero and the villian respectively . The future President USA gives a passable acting as the brave and valient hero who already cleaned up the famous Tombstone town and hopes to settle down near Cottonwood along with his girlfriend finely played by the beautiful Dorothy Malone. Reagan played all kinds of genres , Drama , Film Noir, Wartime , such as : ¨The killers¨ , ¨Hellcats of the Navy¨ , ¨This is the Army¨, ¨Desperate journey¨,¨The winning team¨ , ¨It's a great feeling¨ . And Westerns ,such as : ¨Tenesse's partner ¨, ¨Cattle Queen of Montana¨ , ¨Santa Fe trail¨ . His greatest hits were : ¨Santa Fe trail¨ , ¨Dark victory¨ and ¨King's row¨ . Over-the-top support cast , such as : Preston Foster , Alex Nicol , Ruth Hampton , Russell Johnson , Barry Kelley , Chubby Johnson , Jack Kelly , Wally Cassell and Dennis Weaver , the famous McCloud as a bad guy too .

It displays shining and glittering cinematography in gleaming Technicolor by director of photography by Clifford Stine . And stirring and atmospheric musical score by Universal regular : Herman Stein , Martin Rosen and Henry Mancini , though uncredited . The picture was effficiently produced but in medium budget by John W. Rogers. The motion picture was compellingly directed by Nathan Juran , containing some thrilling and nail-biting scenes . Juran was a good craftsman who made a lot of movies of all kinds of genres . Nathan Juran, who sometimes used pseudonym "Nathan Hertz" collaborated with Charles H. Schener in several films . Here Nathan directed it all in stylish Technicolor . Before entering the film industry as an art director in 1937 Nathan ¨Jerry¨Juran won an Academy Award for art direction on How Green Was My Valley (1941). World War II interrupted his film career, and he spent his war years with the OSS . Returning to Hollywood, he turned to directing films in the 1950s. He handled mostly low-budget westerns and sci-fi opuses, as ¨First man in the moon¨, ¨The brain from planet Arous¨, ¨The deadly Mantis¨ , ¨20 million miles to Earth¨ , ¨Jack the Giant Killer¨ , his most famous being ¨The attack of the 50 foot woman¨(1958) . He was also responsible for the superb fantasy adventure ¨The 7th voyage of Sinbad¨ (1958). Juran directed some Westerns starred by Audie Murphy such as ¨Drums Across the River¨, ¨Tumbleweed¨ , ¨Gunsmoke¨ and ¨Law and Order¨ with Ronald Reagan . In the early 1960s, he journeyed to Europe, where he spent several years piloting adventure epics and spaghetti westerns such as ¨Land raiders¨. Juran made sensational Sci-fi and fantastic movies , his main legacy , such us : ¨First men oh the moon¨, ¨The 7th voyage of Simbad¨ , ¨20 million miles to earth¨, ¨Jack the Giant Killer¨ and several others . Rating : 6/10, decent Western that will appeal to Ronald Reagan fans .

Ronald Reagan plays Frame Johnson, a lawman who's worked long and hard to keep Tombstone law-abiding and decent. However, the citizens don't particularly appreciate the job he's done and Frame is tired. So, he decides to quit, buy a ranch and live a quiet life in a new town, Cottonwood. Unfortunately, he chose to live near a town controlled by an evil man, Kurt Durling (Preston Foster)...and what Durling says, goes. As a result, the town, while it has a sheriff, is lawless and the gutless sheriff does nothing. Some of the locals ask Frame to become their new marshal...but he repeatedly declines. After all, he wants to retire and live a quiet life...and he's earned it. But when his brother is made the new marshal, he's in over his head and Durling is determined to make him fail. Will this be enough to get Frame to reconsider his plans?

The whole boss who runs and ruins a town aspect of the film is one of the most familiar plots to westerns. Adding the tired sheriff retiring...well, that does breathe some life into an overused plot.

So is it worth seeing? Yes. While it's certainly not a brilliant or wholly original film, it ends very well (with an amazing fight scene you won't soon forget). It's a solid and entertaining movie and Reagan seems in his element here. It's also interesting to see Russell Johnson ("Gilligan's Island") playing a tough guy. Also, it's interesting to see Dennis Weaver in this one. While he played a good guy on "Gunsmoke" and "McCloud", here he's pure scum....and he does a good job of it.

I've already watched Ronald Regan in others movies, despite on secondary role, Law and Order is B western, he was the top billing casting, thus l pay attention he as actor, not bad at all, average performance playing a tough Marshall Frame Johnson who enforces the law, tired he moves to another town where he bought a farmer in hope to lives a easy life with his two brothers and waiting his bride (Malone), unfortunately the town is nest of snakes, ruled by an old acquaintance Kurt Durling (Preton Foster) and his evil sons, invited by the Judge to be the new Marshall Frame refuses, however his brother Lute Johnson accepted, what's coming next is too predictable and so many clichés and worst Johnson knew that his brother alone will be a easy prey to Kurt's gang, apart the beauty Dorothy Malone at glorious days, worth to see the gorgeous and sexy Maria (Ruth Hamptom) in one most dared sexy scene that I ever seen, when she strip down her shirt showing a white and transparent bra supporting those bulky couple breast, also having in the funny character the undertake Denver Cahoom ( Chubby Johnson) taking some relief to the plot, enjoyable and funny!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 6.5

Merely serviceable B western with no special moments or performances. Reagan plays a hired gun trying to settle down to a life as a rancher who must take up the marshall's badge to clean up his new town after one of his brothers is killed. Malone is the woman he falls for.

Strictly an attempt to replicate Randolph Scott's success in similar vehicles, but with so-so results.

This is resoundingly bad. The script and supporting cast are plainly stupid - this in isolation could be tolerated; but the stupidity extends to the inability to tell much of a story through visual perspective, so both of its legs are shot out from under it.

There's no attempt to break new ground, it's all about affirming the "men are men, women are sex objects" motif.

Reagan himself actually does the best work here -- knowing he has to play it straight, but he always manages to slip in his trademark wink at the audience.

Foster's prosthetic hand would later be recycled for Nicholas Cage in "Moonstruck".

The fistfight at the end between Reagan and Foster is well composed, using a vocabulary heavily borrowed from in later action films, notably the image of the hero who's about to have his face impaled on a prong ("Cobra", among many others).

Ronald Reagan quits his job as sheriff of Tombstone (No, he's not Wyatt Earp.) and heads for greener pastures in an attempt to start a new calmer life for himself and his brothers, only to find out that his new home is run with an iron hand, both figuratively and literally, by old foe Preston Foster and his sniveling sons.

A solid studio B-western, this looks like a million bucks in gorgeous Technicolor and has a script that really knows what buttons to push.

One of Reagan's better roles, he strikes all the right notes and is definitely well cast.

This is also a great showcase for up and coming future stars Russell Johnson (the professor on Gilligan's Island) and an almost unrecognizable Dennis Weaver, who really makes the best out of his role as one of Foster's sadistic sons.

The final fist-fight between Reagan and Foster is well staged, exciting, and immensely satisfying.

It is regrettable that pseudo-critics cannot separate politics from thespianism. The majority of the critical reviews for Law and Order seem to take gratuitous potshots at Ronald Reagan's performance rather than evaluating the film as a whole.

Reagan plays Frame Johnson, a lawman set on hanging up his guns and starting a family with Jeannie, Dorothy Malone's character. When circumstances force his hand, he pins the badge back on and faces up to long-time nemesis Kurt Durling, capably portrayed by Preston Foster. Other cast members worth noting are Russell Johnson (Gilligan's Island) as the youngest Johnson brother, Dennis Weaver (Gunsmoke) in a role very different than Chester, and Jack Kelly (Maverick) quite unlike his affable Bart Maverick character. Though a rather small role, I particularly like Alex Nicol as Luther "Lute" Johnson. Nicol was equally adept in sympathetic characters or psychotic villains. Filmed in brilliant Technicolor on location at Red Rock Canyon State Park adds to the aesthetic appeal. The script seems balanced; not loquacious, but establishing the characters so the viewer knows them. Adding to the sense of realism, Reagan himself performed the majority of the climatic fight scenes; it is evident that he, and not a double is in the moving wagon. The irony is that a double was just as obviously used in the initial fight scene which was far less dramatic.

Speaking to some criticisms which have been levied against Reagan, it is true that his acting came across wooden at times, but he is quite believable as Frame. If he were stoic in certain scenes, it actually lends credibility to the plot and his character. Part of rating, in my humble opinion, is evaluating the picture in the context of the audience for which it was intended. Law and Order was never an attempt to compete with Judgement at Nuremburg, The Ten Commandments, or Citizen Kane. It was intended for the crowds of moviegoers who flocked to see Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, and Jimmy Stewart entries of the same era, and as such, it delivers more than adequately.

Nathan Juran proves once more how eclectic he was, how comfortable he was as well in western as in science fiction or crime drama, no matter the story. OK this one was written several decades earlier by the great William R Burnett, but I think the Edward L Cahn version, back in 1932 - I guess the first version - was far better than this one. That's my opinion; but another period, another way of story telling too. And Ronnie Reagan is not bad here, whatever you like him or not. Anyway, an Universal western is never contemptible. Never waste an Universal western; at least from the fifties and sixties. Forties? Maybe....