Law and Order

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.

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.

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

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.

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.