Raton Pass

This western is for me a pure Warner Studios movie, recognizable from the very start - no matter of course the logo WB - because of the cast, technical crew, music score, and then the pace, very very fast, tense, and the overall plot and directing. It was not a Paramount nor a Metro Goldwyn Mayer...Impossible to get wrong. Dennis Morgan was a second rate lead role for Warner movies, and I have never liked it that much. He was so bland, unlike of course the terrific Steve Cochran who literally steals the show here, with also Patricia Neal, whom I would have never guessed to find in this kind of film.

Having gotten rich by bullying all of the other ranchers in the area, a powerful and ruthless cattleman by the name "Pierre Challon" (Basil Ruysdael) is delighted when his son "Marc Challon" (Dennis Morgan) decides to marry an attractive woman named "Ann" (Patricial Neal) who has only recently arrived in town. At first, everything is going well and, to signify his approval, Pierre even hands over half of his estate to her as a sign of his affection. Big mistake as she soon maneuvers a rich businessman named "Prentice"(Scott Forbes) into becoming her lover and then uses his money to force her husband into turning over the rest of the ranch to her. Needless to say, this rather sudden turn-of-events infuriates Pierre, to the point that he refuses to have anything to do with Marc--despite the fact that Marc has a plan to get it all back. What Marc doesn't realize, however, is just how vicious his former wife can be once she feels threatened. Now, rather than reveal any more, let me just say that this movie started off rather slow but got much more interesting once the plot further developed. Admittedly, I thought that the ending was a bit unrealistic but, even so, I enjoyed this movie for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Raton Pass is directed by Edwin L. Marin and written by Thomas W. Blackburn and James R. Webb. It stars Dennis Morgan, Patricia Neal, Steve Cochran, Scott Forbes and Dorothy Hart. Music is by Max Steiner and cinematography by Wilfred M. Cline.

Two families feuding over land either side of Raton Pass, New Mexico. Into their lives comes a beautiful seductress with manipulation and land dominance on her agenda...

Well well, what a treat. Something of a rare, little known or seen Oater, Raton Pass (AKA: Canyon Pass) really takes you by surprise. From the off we can see and hear this is a very nice production, with the twin greats of Steiner and Cline working their magic. Steiner's title music is Latino flavoured and then he introduces deft character motifs for the protagonists, while Cline's crisp black and white photography holds the eyes considerably.

For thirty minutes the picture simmers away like a standard "B" Western threatening to dull the senses with formulaic tedium, this is another reason why Steiner and Cline should be lauded as their work keeps you interested. But then the film completely turns, you notice that Cline's photography has suddenly shifted into film noir territory, and Neal has skillfully shifted from being the new loving wife on the block, to a complete femme fatale bitch! The plot dynamics now have a real edge, and as the smouldering Neal works her feminine whiles, this part of New Mexico territory boils away furiously until it inevitably explodes and spells doom and disappointment for some...

There's some crappy back projection work that undermines the quality elsewhere and the odd character is stereotypical of some Westerns of the period, but this has much to recommend. Marin (Johnny Angel/Nocturne/Colt.45/Sugarfoot) is fluid in his direction, while Neal and noir icon Cochran hold the screen as Max and Wilfred do their stuff. Currently licensed to TCM UK and available in HD format, I would urge any noir and Western fan in the UK to take the chance to see this rare picture the next time it shows. It doesn't deserve to stay rare. 7.5/10

Patricia Neal plays a chilling and evil vixen who uses and disposes men like Kleenex trying to get to the top. Among those she charms and disposes of or tries to in Raton Pass are Dennis Morgan, Basil Ruysdael, Steve Cochran, and Scott Forbes. This has fatal consequences for some of them.

Father and son Basil Ruysdael and Dennis Morgan own the biggest spread around and Ruysdael is one proud and ruthless character who's not too squeamish about what he does to maintain supremacy. He's feuding with neighbor Louis Jean Heydt, but Morgan is courting daughter Dorothy Hart and the marriage may make it a happy merger of interest.

That is until Neal arrives in town and she seduces Morgan away from Hart and they marry. So happy and charmed by his daughter-in-law that as a wedding present Ruysdael turns over title to the ranch to Morgan and Neal. That's when Neal really goes to work.

Part of her scheme includes banker Scott Forbes and outlaw Steve Cochran. In Cochran she finally meets a man more evil than her. But she thinks she's up to him.

A little more plot than usual characterizes this western and Raton Pass is definitely not for the Saturday matinée kid's trade. We do get to hear Dennis Morgan sing a song at his wedding which is always nice.

But Neal is truly a malevolent creature and Cochran isn't too far behind her. They make Raton Pass some interesting viewing.

It's praise to wish a movie longer, in this case to better manage a couple plot points and resolve some themes, as Raton Pass is nearly overflowing with characters, factions, even geographic potential.

Overall the cast is commendable. One might wish for a lead male with more gravitas than Dennis Morgan, but he looks good and does what he can well enough, true also of the other men, but the standout is Steve Cochran, "the Elvis of Noir," who gets more screen time here than he did in his other movies worth watching. Like the real Elvis, Cochran can pout, curl his lip, swagger, make all the men want to chase him off and all the women forgive him anything, even wanton murder.

It's a surprisingly woman-centered film, and the two female leads--Patricia Neal and Dorothy Hart--rock the screen in a variety of ways. Neal's an unusually soulful actress even here as a villainess, and when at the peak of her foxy power she shows up dressed in black gaucho threads, you hate to see the scene end. Hart, whom I didn't remember, has screen presence even as a blonde Latina, she pronounces her Spanish dialogue convincingly, and her character shows surprising and convincing self-determination.

The scenario is remarkably complex even if not fully developed. For instance, the geography of town, ranch, river, and "lava" or grazing fields set up at least three competing power factions, though they're displayed more on a wall-map in the ranch-house than in the outdoor settings, which are standard western backlots and California foothills.

The only ridiculous turn in the plot occurs when the hero is shot in the back at short range, transported to the countryside, and obviously near death, whereupon Hart's senorita does surgery, after which he hero rises, after a few obligatory grimaces, resumes fighting with guns and fists. In less of a hurry, these complications could have led to a more interesting final showdown.

No hesitation in granting Raton Pass a 7 and only wish--with its wealth of materials--Raton Pass had spent a little more time, effort, and production costs on realizing the possibilities of an 8 or 9.