Cheyenne

It was all said above. This is a rewarding movie to watch with good depth. I'd just like to add that the removal of Arthur Kennedy half way through the film, just as Alan Hale finally makes an entrance, is interesting. It's almost as though Raoul was having a hard time with Mr. Kennedy and had a part written to replace him with the `Skipper's' dad.

The ending is a wee bit of a surprise only because just as it looks like thing may not turn out the way we expect them too, they do. Yes Mr. Walsh did make many memorable westerns (I've seen the majority of them) but it's almost as though he was trying to move into another direction with this picture. Weather audiences appreciated it or not are still to be seen.

Scotty Jensen Racine, WI. USA

Dennis Morgan stars as Jim Wylie, gentleman gambler and fast gun in Cheyenne which by the look of it was a project originally intended by Warner Brothers for Errol Flynn. It has a lot more plot than most westerns of the day did. With Raoul Walsh directing and a score by Max Steiner it bares no small resemblance to the classic Flynn movie San Antonio which these gentlemen worked on as well.

Morgan got himself into a bit of a shooting scrape in Carson City and the law wants him there. But Wells Fargo detective Barton MacLane offers him a proposition, if he'll go undercover and smoke out a bandit known as 'the poet'. They'll square things with the law for Morgan if he helps out. Since that's the best offer he's had all day, he takes it.

His detective work takes him to Cheyenne where the poet is not only robbing Wells Fargo, but he's also taking trade away from other honest robbers like Arthur Kennedy as The Sundance Kid and his gang. Making the journey with him to Cheyenne are a pair of women who will figure prominently in Morgan's life for a period, Jane Wyman and Janis Paige.

Our poet is so named because he leaves a bit of verse at the scene of each robbery. Giving Wells Fargo the finger so to speak in rhyme.

Although the poet's identity is actually revealed early on, the film takes on a Columbo like twist as Morgan and the poet try to outsmart each other. That's the real heart of Cheyenne and why it's as good a film as it is.

Alan Hale, also a regular in Flynn films, is on hand as an oafish deputy sheriff, more the kind of part Andy Devine used to play. Hale does well in it though and his presence in the film convinces me even more that the film was originally intended for Errol Flynn.

Cheyenne is a well plotted adult type western, still with enough action for the Saturday afternoon matinée trade. It holds up very well after 62 years. Even if Errol Flynn didn't get to star in it.

There is nothing particularly wrong or bad about "Cheyenne". But, for that matter, there's not all that right or good about it either. It seems just okay in most every way....and I think part of it is because both Dennis Morgan and Jane Wyman seemed a bit out of place in the leads.

When the story begins, professional gambler James Wylie (Morgan) is approached with a proposition....to find 'The Poet' or else! Well, he didn't like the 'or else' so he travels to the next town to look for the identiy of this bandit who has robbed many stage coaches. Along the way, he hooks up with a lady who doesn't particularly like him (Wyman) and eventually he sorts it all out and there is, of course, a happy ending.

Despite being directed by Raoul Walsh, the film seemed a bit long and dull to me. I have a hard time putting my finger on exactly what left me rather cold about this one...but it rarely seemed interesting and long before it was finished I found myself getting bored despite it being a polished Warner Brothers production.

By the way, if you do watch it, at about 89 minutes into the film, a gang jumps on their horses and gives chase. One of the folks giving chase has his hat fly off...but when they catch up to the guy, they all are wearing hats!

That's how you supposedly pronounce Cheyenne. Wanted man Dennis Morgan (Jim) is given a second chance by lawman Barton MacLane (Yancey) if Morgan heads to Shy-Anne and leads him to "The Poet" who is robbing stagecoaches. This poet is even upsetting the local bad gang headed up by Arthur Kennedy (Sundance). Every time Sundance pulls a robbery, "The Poet" has beaten him to it and left him a poem in the treasure trunk. Every time. Ha ha. That's pretty cheeky. Anyway, Kennedy wants to team up with this guy and carry out some big hold-ups. Morgan has to find and capture the poet and gets involved with a couple of ladies on the way – Jane Wyman (Ann) and Janis Paige (Emily). You know these two ladies are going to figure in the story just a little more than on that initial stagecoach ride into Shy-Anne….

This film is entertaining and contains a great saloon song – "Going Back to Old Cheyenne" – as sung by Janis Paige. The film leads you through its journey with action, drama, comedy and various set pieces and the overall result is a good western.

It's the Wyoming Territory 1867. Lone bandit 'The Poet' is hounding Wells Fargo stagecoaches. The law catches up to gambler James Wylie (Dennis Morgan). He's given one choice. He has to catch The Poet. He and Ann Kincaid (Jane Wyman) have a meet-cute over a bath. They and Emily Carson (Janis Paige) board the stagecoach.

The meet-cute is fun. The misunderstanding afterwards is even better. It's a pretty threesome and pretty fun. It's too bad that the potential love triangle gets sidelined. The story could play with that a bit more. There are probably way too many bandits. The only bandit that matters is The Poet. It's interesting to have The Sundance Kid watching this from the future. This is a fun western.