The Ride Back

Toward the middle and latter end of the 50s the B western shifted to television but many were still done for the big screen as well. Cowboy heroes were strictly relegated to the small screen and the ones done now were adult fare. The Ride Back was typical of these kinds used as second features for double bills.

What makes this unusual though is the presence of a name actor, one who had just won his second Oscar the year before. Anthony Quinn's salary must have been three quarters of the budget or he was paying off a debt by appearing in The Ride Back. Quinn plays a fugitive here returning to Mexico to escape a murder charge. Whom he's taking The Ride Back with is Sheriff William Conrad.

Conrad is no heroic sheriff, in fact he confesses to being a failure at most things he's tried is determined to succeed here. As for Quinn he swears it was self defense and doesn't think he'll get a fair trial as a Mexican. The whole film is about developing trust.

When the Indians attack the two have to trust each other, but it's slow developing. A mute little girl they rescue as a survivor of an Indian attack serves as the catalyst for this purpose.

Quinn and Conrad are an interesting pair of protagonists, no heroes or villains here, just people in a foul circumstance. No frills in this black and white film, but an interesting character study.

"The Ride Back" is a very unusual movie. While William Conrad did appear in various films in the 1940s and 50s, he almost exclusively played bit parts--and mostly heavies (not joke intended). However, here in this film he plays the lead (although Anthony Quinn got top billing). This is because although Conrad was NOT a handsome leading man sort, his voice was golden---and he played Marshall Dillon on the radio version of "Gunsmoke". And, "The Ride Back" is one of the episodes of the radio series brought to the screen and Conrad produced this film.

The movie begins with Eddie Albert (yes, THAT Eddie Albert) singing the title song. It isn't really very good, but it is Albert! Sheriff Chris Hamish (Conrad) has entered Mexico with an extradition order for Bob Kallen (Quinn). Quinn is a wanted man and he's not about to come along quietly and repeatedly tries to escape. To make things worse (and a bit silly), Hamish knows almost no Spanish--a major problem in completing his task. Another problem is that Hamish isn't exactly as pragmatic as I'd be in this situation. If I was in Mexico and alone back in the days of the old west, I'd just shoot the prisoner (either to kill or maim) and bring him back that way. Oddly, he isn't that sort of guy--and that does effect the realism of the film. If you want to know what ultimately happens, see the movie.

I would say that "The Ride Back" is a mixed bag. The plot makes little sense (just shoot the guy!!) but the acting is quite nice. Quinn and Conrad both were quite good here--and made a mediocre plot better than it should have been.

Ahead of its time story relying on psychological impact of stress on a sherrif trying to take a prisoner back for trial. Little shoot-em-up, lots more dialogue.

Bill Conrad, while still Matt Dillon on the radio, plays a thoroughly different character on the big screen.

I've liked this movie since I first saw it. It really stuck to my memory.

The Ride Back is directed by Allen H. Miner and written by Antony Ellis. It stars Anthony Quinn, William Conrad and Lita Milan. Music is by Frank De Vol and cinematography by Joseph Biroc.

Sheriff Chris Hamish (Conrad) tries to extradite popular gunfighter Bob Kallen (Quinn) from Mexico to stand trial for murder in Scottsville, Texas.

A good and meaty psychological Western that is more interested in exploring the two main characters than merely portraying a good versus bad parable. The sheriff and the gunfighter must travel through dangerous Apache territory and quickly find themselves up against the odds. As the two men continue onwards they naturally bicker and Kallen obviously wants to escape, but surely they must work together to survive? As they learn about each other and come across a dreadful scene that finds them in the company of an orphan girl, the film plays its hand as the characterisations switch in tone.

It's a very understated picture, sombre in mood in spite of the beautiful outdoor locales. Dialogue is sparse so there's no pointless filler, while the Apache threat is not forced, we only get glimpses of them and they become more threatening by just being ghosts out in the terrain. Conrad and Quinn make for a good polar opposites pairing, the black and white photography of Biroc (Run of the Arrow/Forty Guns) is crisp and tight to the mood of the narrative and Miner (being overseen by Robert Aldrich) directs in an unfussy manner. Actor Eddie Albert warbles the title song.

As a formula it has been done better elsewhere, as with 3:10 to Yuma released the same year, but this is a better than average entry into the psychological Western pantheon and it deserves to be better known. 7/10

"The Ride Back" is a B&W Western from 1957 starring William Conrad (aka "Cannon") as a hard-luck Texas lawman sent to Mexico to bring back a charismatic man wanted for murder, played by Anthony Quinn.

Plot-wise, the film is reminiscent of another B&W 1957 Western, "3:10 to Yuma," but "The Ride Back" was released about 4 months prior to "3:10" and was adapted from a "Gunsmoke" radio program episode. Conrad played Matt Dillon on the radio show in the 50s and early 60s but was too short and portly for the TV version that premiered in 1955 with James Arness starring as Marshal Dillon. Conrad produced "The Ride Back" in response.

Viewing "The Ride Back" for the first time, it is interesting to see William Conrad some 15 years before starring in "Cannon" and Anthony Quinn is as larger-than-life as ever, not to mention the stunningly beautiful Lita Milan as Quinn's Mexican girlfriend. Yet the true appeal of "The Ride Back" transcends these surface attractions.

The first thing that happily struck me about the movie is that the filmmakers strove for realism in the manner of notable 50s Westerns by Stewart/Mann and Scott/Boetticher. Such realism is observed in the heavy use of Spanish in the early Mexican segments and the film's depiction of American Indians. The Native here are elusive wraiths more than anything else, but that's the best route to go at a time when more close-up portrayals of Indians typically came off artificial and even laughable, especially as seen through modern eyes.

After the first half-hour the film morphs into a moving character study. ***SPOILER ALERT*** Hamish (Conrad) slowly realizes that Kallen (Quinn) is everything he's not: Hamish is brooding and self-loathing while Kallen exudes life and confidence; Hamish's wife hates him while Kallen's girlfriend is so devoted she chases him across the desert; Hamish is a loner while Kallen inspires love and loyalty, so much so that the Mexican villagers are willing to kill Hamish at Kallen's word; an orphaned girl withdraws from Hamish while naturally bonding with Kallen, etc. We also learn the reason for Hamish's obsessive hunt is that he wanted to finally do something right and prove himself to his wife and the people of his west Texas community. As the story progresses Hamish is increasingly enlightened to the greatness of Kallen. It's a testimony to his character that this enlightenment doesn't result in hateful envy bur rather admiration and respect. ***END SPOILER***

The title song was sung by Eddie Albert of "Green Acres" fame; a lot of people hate it but I thought it was a good Western song. Hey, it's better than similar theme songs from the era, like the horrible "North to Alaska" (excellent film but dubious theme song).

FINAL WORD: I was braced for an artificial 50's Western but got a potent character study instead. The only negatives I can cite are that it's in black & white and has some slow, less-than-compelling parts. Regardless, I prefer it to the original "3:10 to Yuma."

The film runs 79 minutes and was shot in California and Mexico.

GRADE: B+ or A-