Cattle Empire

Acceptable western with good cast dealing with the Blazing Story of the Ranch Kings Who Drove New Roads of Empire Across the Untamed West . Concerning some cowboys fighting in hopes a better life , being run by Joel McCrea as John Cord , a trail boss who attempts to stifle conflicts , but encounter problems instead . The film provides interesting and attractive roles and as the opening credits states : The characters and events depicted in this photoplay are fictional , any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. It is a medium budget movie with thrills , fractic action, shootouts , stampedes as well as fine players , nice production design and pleasing results. It is still a run-of-the-mill entry in Western genre, in which Joel McCrea leading cattle hoping in achieving fortune . Actually shot in Arizona with adequate interpretations and solid sets . Released from prison and after spending 5 years for allowing his men to destroy a town in a drunken spree , a trail boss is contracted by the blind cattle baron Ralph Hamilton (Don Haggerty) to drive their cattle to Fort Clemson . Complicating issues , a rival cattle baron also hires the cattle driver to lead his herd . As John Cord - along with Ralph's wife Janice (Phyllis Coates) and his brother (Bing Russell) - driving cattle throughout risked ways , large plentiful rivers and perilous valley . The Wars of the Ranch Kings! When the West rocked with the thunder of the Big Cattle Drives that carved a nation out of the lawless wild! The war of the ranch kings stampedes the West's wildest cattle empire . Thundering herds battle for the winning of the West's wildest cattle empire!

Brawling , sprawling , almost primitive action in which our protagonist is forced to guide cattle across dangerous landscapes , teeming across the screen by means of cattle driving , attacks , gun-fire and ambushes . The picture contains whirlwinds of manic action , fights , sustained energy and often commendable results . Nice-looking but ordinary Twentieth Century Fox Western , including some novelties , but also with usual elements , such as drama , frenetic action, thrills , songs , crossfire , romance and some spectacular action scenes . Along with a love triangle in which implicates the marriage formed by Phyllis Coates/Don Haggerty and she is also in love for Joel McCrea , while a young girl , Gloria Talbott is for Joel McCrea , too . The plot is plain and simple , an evil, wealthy cattle owner wants to avoid the rival cattle arrives in Fort Clemson , as Joel McCrea tries to help a blind rancher and his wife save their cattle but they result to be chased and ambushed by the nasty competitor . A blending of functional main actors with great character players of whom Joel McCrea holds the best role as a brave cowboy leader with a sad past . A warm and thrilling storyline and thanks to personable drama , romance , Western action makes an enjoyable movie , a real pleasure to listen to as well as watch . This Western is a superior outing because it displays thrills , emotion , shoot'em up , cattle confrontation , riding pursuits and anything else . Interesing and moving screenplay by Eric Norden , Cahel Marquis Warren himself and Daniel B. Ullman based on his own story . The hothouse plot drives mercilessly forward with appropriate action , breathtaking shooting , thrills , impressive attacks , treason , rivalry , twists and turns . The tale is strong one and the yarn is wonderfully located against a colorful background from Arizona Natural Parks . Main starring , Joel McCrea , gives a good acting , as usual , as the ex-con serving a five year prison sentence who subsequently works as a trail boss being solicited by rival cattle barons to drive their respective cattle herds to Fort Clemson .He was a prolific actor in Western, his career is divided in movies directed by some great Western filmmakers . His wholesome good looks and quiet manner were soon in demand, primarily in romantic dramas and comedies, and he became an increasingly popular leading man. He hoped to concentrate on Westerns, but several years passed before he could convince the studio heads to cast him in one. When he proved successful in that genre, more and more Westerns came his way. But he continued to make a mark in other kinds of pictures, and proved himself particularly adept at the light comedy of Preston Sturges, for whom he made several films, especially the classy ¨Sullivan's travels¨ . By the late Forties, his concentration focused on Westerns, and he made few non-Westerns thereafter . As he played : Trooper Hook, The Oklahoman , The tall stranger , Rough Shoot , Wichita , Outriders , Colorado territory , Black Horse Canyon, Border River , Buffalo Bill , Virginian , South of St. Louis and many others . He was immensely popular in them, and most of them still hold up well today. Finally, his main testament, ¨Ride the high country¨ directed by Sam Peckinpah and along with Randolph Scott, whose career strongly resembles McCrea's, came out of retirement to make a classic of the genre . Support cast is pretty good with notorious secondaries as Don Haggerty , Gloria Talbott , Phyllis Coates , Bing Russell , Richard Shannon , Paul Brinegar , Charles Gray .

Atmospheric cinematography in a fading Technicolor by Brydon Baker , being necessary a perfect remastering . Shot on location in Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, Elfrida, Arizona, McNeal, Hereford, Double Adobe, Paul Spur, Pirtleville, Arizona . Evocative and thrilling musical score by Paul Sawtell who re-uses his theme music from The Cariboo Trail . Well produced by Robert Stabler, the motion picture was professionally directed by Charles Marquis Warren . Competently directed by Charles Marquis Warren who made a lot of low-budget movies , though he followed to work for Major productions , getting to make medium and big budget movies . Here filmmaker Charles Marquis Warren delivers a nice film , however he could be counted on to deliver solid "B" pictures which, at MGM , 2oth Century Fox and RKO , were often better than most other studios' "A" pictures . He directed in sure visual style and he made all kinds of genres, especially Westerns . As he wrote/produced and shot various Westerns , such as : Desert Hell, Blood Arrow , Tension at Table Rock, Day of the evil gun , Ride a Violent Mile , Copper Sky , Back from the Dead , Seven Angry Men , Arrowhead, Hellgate , Black whip , Little Big Horn and Charro starred by Elvis Presley.

Plot-- Trail-driver Cord (McCrea) is blamed for letting his cattle crew wreck a town. After prison, he consents to head up a trail drive that will save the same town's finances. But the town's in competition with an outside cattleman to be first to arrive at the buyer's base and get the contract. So who will win, and can Cord be trusted.

Despite the great Joel McCrea and a grabber opening, this is a bland western. The only action, until the showdown, is loping cattle going here and there and who knows where. The rambling script fails to gel into any kind of suspense, with one talky scene after another to accommodate the many characters and subplots. Meanwhile the large supporting cast flounders getting no help from director Warren. The one compensation —the scenic eastern Sierras— is marred by contrast with poorly designed nighttime sets that take us back to the studio. Considering this was a TCF production, I'm surprised it was so poorly put together. Maybe they were trying to capitalize on the McCrea name. But by this time, he was in his mid-50's, still quietly commanding, but aging, nonetheless. At least they don't have him riding into the sunset with one of the girls. Mostly he sits astride his horse and gives orders. As a fan of the ace cowboy, I wish there were more to compliment. But unfortunately, there isn't.

I'm not usually too keen on cattle-drive Westerns ("Red River" excepted), but this one isn't bad at all. It's not too formulaic, and the love interest is muted - all too often it gets in the way of a good plot, which in this case rolls along nicely. McCrea comes over as a real anti-hero for the first part of the film, and there's an ironic twist to the plot towards the end. McCrea is fine in a role that Randolph Scott would also have done well in.

My only quibble is the usual one I have when the hero gets dragged behind a horse - his clothes never come off too badly, though McCrea's shirt-sleeve does get ripped.

In its time the American B western was possessed of a form as rigid as any dramatic form in existence. There would be half a dozen plots that could be used for a western and the story was usually told in a conservative fashion, using techniques that ran back to when William S. Hart, popularizer of the Good Bad Man in the movies, was one of the leading western stars. The conservatism was a combination of practicality and art: the Bs were the stomping grounds of silent A directors who wished to continue to work.... and the fact that the story took place in the outdoors meant that the outdoors formed a good part of the story.

In this one, Joel McCrea is the Good Bad Man -- a great trail boss whose men got out of control and wrecked a town. Now the town is struggling to make a comeback, and has hired McCrea to lead the drive -- and much of the town has come along on the drive The movie is beautifully shot and the plot has a revenge drama quality that makes it peculiarly interesting. Unhappily, most of the acting talent, once you get past McCrea, is less than first rate. Still, it does have its not inconsiderable charm and its easy assumption of what may seem like bizarre attitudes may give you the start of an understanding of the genre.

I wasn't blown away by Cattle Empire, however I do think it is worth the look. The production values are impressive, Joel McCrea is splendid, Gloria Talbott is a welcome presence and Charles Marquis Warren's direction is passable. Also the film starts brilliantly and the climax is pretty strong.

What didn't do it for me though was the film's length, it is far too short. The story felt rushed and underdeveloped and the script is decidedly patchy. Less of an issue is the pace, but it is still an issue, if the film had slowed down a little more the characters, story and script could have done with more credibility.

All in all, a decent film but nothing really to blow the mind. 6/10 Bethany Cox