The Bounty Hunter

The feared bounty hunter Jim Kipp (Randolph Scott) is hired by the Pinkerton Detective Agency to track down and find three wanted killers that robbed a train one year ago and recover the stolen money. The only clue he received is that one outlaw was shot in the leg. Jim Kipp comes to Twin Forks and seeks out the local Dr. R.L. Spencer (Harry Antrim) to ask whether he recalls attending a man with wounded leg one year ago. The doctor apparently does not recall but his daughter Julie Spencer (Dolores Dorn) confirms Kipp's suspicion. Kipp decides to stay at the hotel to investigate the town and most of inhabitants are affected by his presence. Will he succeed to find the trio?

"The Bounty Hunter" is an average and entertaining western. Randolph Scott shines in the role of a tough, but fair bounty hunter, feared by outlaws and sheriffs. The identities of the killers are disclosed in the end and well resolved. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Feras Humanas" ("Human Beasts")

Born Hungarian André De Toth directed seven B series western between years 1951 and 1955 (B series films in Europe means that it were made with few money and in a short time). This Bounty Hunter was one of them. It is a solid, without ups and downs, and very estimable western. This modest film deserves all the respect, admiration and gratitude possibles. An even in our times, when toughness is missing in service of computers special effects. The film has got craft agility, is very well build and adequately played by specialist stony face Randolph Scott (Boetticher's lonesome rider). We meet efficacious Ernest Borgnine in a supporting role. Western lovers will enjoy this film.

The Pinkertons send bounty hunter Randolph Scott after three train robbers whom no one can identify. He soon comes to a small town. When word of who he is gets around, a lot of people get nervous. That's part of his plan, because he doesn't know whom he's looking for.

Before he made the seven Ranown westerns with Budd Boetticher, Randolph Scot made six in a row with Andre De Toth. These emphasized the moral ambiguity of the West, where no one cared who or what you had been as long as no one came looking for you. This movie has Scott as the man who comes looking, and he stirs up a lot of people with a lot of dirty pasts, in whom he has not the slightest interest, including a couple who pull guns on him. Scott is, of course, the thorough professional, single-minded on the job at hand.

DP Edwin DuPar, out of the studios, is more interested in shooting people than scenery, and does so in Eastmancolor which seems to have faded to brown. The script is good, although not as spare of the ones that Burt Kennedy would write for the Ranowns; the humorous bits here seem forced. I do admire how the standard Shaky-A tropes are just implied in favor of actual stuff happening. That keeps this to a spare 79 minutes, and I didn't miss a thing.

By this time, having Randolph Scott meant you didn't need to spend on other actors, so easily recognized performers are Marie Windsor and Ernest Borgnine -- with plenty of "I know that guy" performers. There are also plenty of the bit players who seemed to show up in every western, like Chet Brandenberg (445 screen appearances) and William H. O'Brien (648 times before the motion picture and television cameras). O'Brien entered the movies in 1918, and appeared in everything from Von Stroheim extravaganzas to Stan Laurel shorts. He retired from the screen in 1971, and died ten years later at the age of 89.

The Bounty Hunter casts Randolph Scott working in that profession, condemned in polite society, but necessary to bringing law and order to the west.

Scott is hired by the Pinkerton Detective Agency to trail three outlaws who were part of a gang of seven who robbed a train and killed several people in the process. Four of them are accounted for, but the Pinkertons have no clue as to the others. Scott picks up where they left off and the trail takes him to the New Mexico town of Twin Forks.

The only clue he has is that one of them was wounded so Scott begins questioning the town doctor and his pretty daughter Dolores Dorn. Needless to say his presence and reputation have the whole town of Twin Forks real nervous. Even sheriff Howard Petrie isn't really crazy about Scott's investigation.

Director Andre DeToth did several good westerns in the Forties and Fifties and The Bounty Hunter was definitely one of them. DeToth keeps the action and suspense both going and I have to say when the identity of the three outlaws is finally learned you will be surprised. And there will be some juicy red herrings thrown in for good measure.

One of the better Randolph Scott westerns of the Fifties a must for all of his fans.

The Bounty Hunter sees Randolph Scott star as a Bounty Hunter tracking down three murdering train robbers who may have settled down in the small town of Twin Forks. It's directed by Andre de Toth, in what was the last of six Westerns he made with Scott. It's written by Winston Miller (story) & Finlay McDermid, and features support acting from Marie Windsor, Ernest Borgnine, Dolores Dorn & Howard Petrie. Music is by David Buttolph and Edwin B. DuPar photographs it at Redrock Canyon & the Warner Ranch in California. Coming as it did during the 3D boom of 1953/54, it was shot in 3D but ended up being released in standard flat 2D. Out of Warner Brothers it was shot in their own color format known as WarnerColor.

During the early days when civilisation was pushing its frontiers farther and farther West, there roamed a special creed of men. . .neither outlaws nor officers of the law, yet more feared than either. For reward money--they tracked down criminals wanted dead or alive, and made themselves both judge and executioner in some lonely court of no appeal. They were called "Bounty Hunters".

The WarnerColor may be dull and lifeless here, but that in no way sums up this perky Randy Scott Oater. Scott was always at his best when playing loners or troubled and pained drifters, in short, when away from a group dynamic he was allowed to flourish as the fine actor he was. So it be here as he lays it on as a no nonsense good bad guy! Quipping away in the face of aggression, Scott is able to portray a man not to be messed with-who is happy to kill for cash-yet remain charming and always endearing himself to the audience. It's quite a knack to be so tough yet also be so affable. But Scott on form could do it in his sleep, and to my mind that makes this an essential film for Scott fans to consider outside of his work for Boetticher & Peckinpah.

Once he reaches Twin Forks, the film gathers apace and starts to unfold as a whodunit like mystery. Sure the writing is not forming the townsfolk with any great urgency, and by golly it isn't hard to figure out who the hiding out villains are. But watching the town start to crack under the strain of either being suspicious of thy neighbours, or fretting about being found out, makes for an entertaining piece as Scott moves about them with almost sadistic glee. The smiling assassin comes to mind! It put me in mind of one of Audie Murphy's best film's, No Name On the Bullet, so any fans of that film should certainly get much from this one.

There's nothing to write home about technically, Toth deals in standard file and rank direction and DuPar's photography is lost within the dull sheen deliverance at Warner Ranch. While the support cast are nicely dressed, and made up, but ultimately just talking props serving to let Scott grasp the film with both hands. But grasp it he does! With gun in hand, tongue in cheek and the heart of a lion, he lifts this piece above its many other budgetary failings. 7/10