The Tall Men

Clark Gable is the trail boss who ramrods a cattle drive from Texas to Montana in this colorful, sprawling western that has plenty of action. Jane Russell supplies the romance, such as it is, between Gable and co-star Robert Ryan, who'll stop at nothing to owning all of Montana because he dreams big dreams. Naturally, Gable comes to the rescue of Russell a time or two during the film but her head is turned by Ryan's promise of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Beautiful Mexican scenery is the backdrop for this story as the herd makes its way north to Indian country. A lengthy battle takes place between the cattlemen and the Indians that is expertly done but Gable's cunning saves the day, and the beef, for Mineral City. The cast, CinemaScope lensing and Victor Young's plaintive music score are all very good.

and I liked this movie quite a bit. Jane Russel was great--she definitely was the reason I stayed on AMC while I was flipping through the channels on my TV set. This didn't strike me as the typical western--there were very few shoot outs and more character development and beautiful scenery than I had expected. The three major characters were well fleshed out and interesting, although the more minor ones were often one-dimensional and sometimes hackneyed. Jane Russel's character was a strong-spoken woman who at times is a bit putting off because of her appearance as a gold digger, but this simply adds to the multiple dimensions of her character. Although she may not be consistently likable, she is sympathetic nonetheless, and makes the movie worth watching. I do recommend this movie--perhaps not to fans of westerns, but to anyone who likes old fashioned love stories with interesting and believable characters.

Salty, surly star-driven western about a cattle drive from Texas to Montana. Would-be rancher Clark Gable vies for the hand of wisecrackin' Jane Russell with banker Robert Ryan, but Jane's lookin' for a tall man and plenty of rainbows! Good-looking if rather unexceptional time-passer from director Raoul Walsh. Screenwriters Frank Nugent and Sidney Boehm, working from the novel by Heck Allen (using the pen-name Clay Fisher), smoothly intermingle Indian clashes and Mexican stand-offs with jovial exchanges between the characters (also Russell singin' in the washtub). Enjoyable of its type, with attractive cinematography by Leo Tover and another solid performance from Gable. **1/2 from ****

...that's enough for me.That's what Jane Russel sings ,and this ditty comes back as a leitmotiv ,along with another one,a rather saucy song about her peaches ,and the tree the man who wants them has to climb up to.Russell has a big dream,and Gable a small one,there's the rub;wealthy Ryan can provide Russell with the luxury and easy life she longs for :in a long conversation with Gable,Russel tells him about her childhood,and her mother who died in the harness ,and however "daddy used to love her as much as it could be".The movie is nothing but an initiatory journey for Russel,who plays the only character whose psychology will mutate along the way.

This is a classic western,which recalls "red river" , a bit overlong because an action-packed story this is definitely not.The cinematography is splendid ,and enhances marvelous landscapes with a good use of scope ,but the movie lacks madness of earlier Walsh works such as "Colorado territory" or "pursued" or even later extravaganzas such as "band of angels".

The Tall Men is directed by Raoul Walsh and stars Clark Gable, Jane Russell, Cameron Mitchell and Robert Ryan. Produced out of 20th Century Fox by William A. Bacher and William B. Hawks, it's adapted for the screen by Frank S. Nugent & Sydney Boehm from a novel written by Heck Allen (as Clay Fisher). Filmed out of Durango, the cinematography is by Leo Tover in a CinemaScope/DeLuxe production and Victor Young provides the score.

Montana Territory 1866

"They came from the South, headed for the gold-fields….Ben & Clint Allison, lonely, desperate men. Riding away from a heartbreak memory of Gettysburg. Looking for a new life. A story of tall men-and long shadows."

The Tall Men has professionalism written all over it, from the tight direction by Walsh to the on the money writing, it's a Western that has no pretencions. The panoramic vistas are beautifully realised by the makers and in spite of Russell's flat style of acting, the cast put credibility into the cattle drive and romantic aspects of the story. Tho action sequences are few and far between, the film succeeds because of the well written characters and the landscapes that frame them. There's even much comedy to enjoy as well, a department where Russell does earn her corn in the movie (there's also a bath moment to get us boys hot under the collar too). Most notably the comedy works for her when playing off of Gable who seems to be enjoying himself as the rough, tough and cheeky Ben Allison. Very talky to be sure, there are for instance many extended scenes of our lead protagonists swapping dialogue, but it all serves a purpose and in the capable hands of Walsh the sequences serve to drive the narrative forward.

Solid enjoyable stuff if ultimately a touch too long. 6.5/10