Best of the Badmen (1951)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

This thrilling western deals with an Union Mayor called Clanton (Robert Ryan) who is wrongly accused for a killing ,he is then condemned to death. He escapes and becomes involved with the most famous outlaws (Bruce Cabot, Walter Brennan, John Archer , Robert Wilke,Lawrence Tierney,Jack Buetel) from the wild west. Clanton is wanted for murders, reward : 5ooo dollars . He is wanted dead or alive . The nasty Fowler leads a bloody manhunt against Clanton . This is an epic as well as stirring thrill parade down banditry halls of infamy . Concerning the worst bushwackers of the untamed western who execute a rampage of murders and terror . There also appears the lady they called Lily (Claire Trevor). Meanwhile they execute a bank robbery protected by a detective agency run by corrupt enemy , Fowler (Robert Preston)An epic saga of a land beyond the law starred by star-studded, inclusive cowboy actors, great personalities and many other things. An exciting and explosive flick in which action and thrills are unstoppable . The tale starts with a prologue that explains the following : this story tells a forgotten chapter in the violent history of the west , months after the tragic war between The States had ended there was still no peace on the western frontier. The plot is plain and simple taking place post American civil War where bushwackers and Jayhawkers carry out real and violent rampages and ravages . Here shows up a lot of bandits as Cole Younger, Jim Jounger , Jesse James , Frank James , Ringo and Clanton . All of them starred by known actors who give compelling interpretations such as Bruce Cabot , Jack Buetel , John Archer , Lawrence Tierney , Tom Tyler, Robert Wilke , John Cliff , and Robert Ryan . And the comical relief for the sympathetic secondary Walter Brennan .This one belongs to a trilogy formed by the original Badmen territory 1946 by Tim Whelan with Randolph Scott , Anne Richards , Steve Brodie , George Gabby Hayes ,Return of the bad Men 1948 by Ray Enright with Randolph Scott, Robert Ryan , George Hayes . All of them starred by by notorious bandits of the wild west and performed by prestigious secondary players. The motion picture was compellingly directed by William Russell , though it has some flaws and gaps . Russell directed a few films as The Sainted Sisters, Our Heart were growing up, Ladies' man , Dear Ruth and a lot of television series .The picture will appear to western buffs . Well worth watching.

BEST OF THE BADMEN - 1951An action packed RKO western with a top flight cast that seems to just miss the mark. The cast includes, Robert Ryan, Walter Brennan, Robert Preston, Claire Trevor, Lawrence Tierney, Bruce Cabot, Jack Buetel and Barton MacLane.Bruce Cabot is the leader of a group of Confederate troops who refuse to surrender after the war ends. The men were part of Quantrill's Raiders and there is still a reward out for their capture. Robert Ryan is the Union officer in charge of tracking the Confederates down. This he does, and brings the group in. After they swear allegiance to the Union, they are released. This does not sit well with Jayhawker, Robert Preston. He runs a large detective agency and wants to hang the men for actions they took while with Quantrill. This quickly leads to trouble as Preston's men arrest the just released from Army service, Ryan. He is given a jumped up trial and sentenced to death. It is only the help of Preston's estranged wife, Claire Trevor that allows Ryan to escape.Ryan soon hooks up with the Ex-Confederates, and starts a war against Preston and his detective agency. They hit every bank and stage line that hires Preston's men as guards etc. Plenty of gunfights and chases abound throughout the film, but it really seems to go nowhere. As much as I like Robert Ryan, and I do, I think someone like Randolph Scott would have been better in the role.Bruce Cabot as the Confederate leader and Lawrence Tierney as Jesse James, are both seriously underused, while Claire Trevor seems to be just window dressing. Robert Preston is good in his bit as the carpetbagger lawman, as is the always reliable, Walter Brennan. Not by any means is this a bad film, but it could have been better with a firmer hand at the controls. This was the last feature film from director, William D. Russell who moved to television the next year. The d of p was Edward Cronjager. His work includes several decent westerns and film-noir. These include, CIMARRON, WESTERN UNION, I WAKE UP SCREAMING, CANYON PASSAGE, DESERT FURY, RELENTLESS, THE CAPTURE and POWDER RIVER.

That was Jack Buetel 's first part since the infamous "outlaw" and he is a bit too old for the part of an ingenuous young man in love with star Claire Trevor.Robert Ryan portrays a good man,generous and loyal ,who wants to give a second chance to renegades ,but he thwarts a hateful corrupt detective 's plans,is arrested and sentenced to death after a travesty of a trial:his enemy's wife ,who hates her husband ,helps him to escape and he becomes an outlaw,joining the men he wanted to rehabilitate.This is an action-packed western ,with chases,treason and a love affair,short and compact:there's never a dull moment. The badmen did really their best.

Best of the Badmen is directed by William D. Russell and written by John Twist and Robert Hardy Andrews. It stars Robert Ryan, Claire Trevor, Robert Preston, Walter Brennan, Bruce Cabot, John Archer and Jack Buetel. It's a Technicolor production with cinematography by Edward Cronjager and music by Paul Sawtell."This story tells a forgotten chapter in the violent history of the West. Months after the tragic war between The States had ended there was still no peace on the Western Frontier."William Russell's Western is an energetic entry into the pantheon of Oaters, it's one that involves the often filmed topic of the Jayhawkers or Bushwhackers who roamed the West causing hurt and pain in the aftermath of the Civil War. Best of the Badmen ropes in the brothers James and Younger, a few other scalawag types (Curly Ringo/Doc Butcher) and gives them a leader in the tall form of Robert Ryan's Jeff Clanton. How and why Clanton, and ex Union Major, joined the Confederate guerrilla unit? Is a nifty bit of story telling that adds a vengeful bite to what otherwise could have been standard B Western formula.Once motives and character traits are established, film goes about its business with guts and determination. A fight, a pursuit or a sneaky act is never far from the plot, there's even a romantic thread that's not over stretched, allowing the splendidly attired Miss Trevor as the estranged Lilly Fowler to light up the screen. The narrative has some smarts about it, Clanton and his gang are out to ruin "The Fowler Agency" (an obvious nod to the Pinkerton Agency) which is run by dastardly Matthew Fowler (Preston), but although Clanton wants revenge on Fowler, he's still a good guy at heart and will not let his gang become murderous terrorists. Honour among thieves? Yes indeed, but of course it's not going to be all plain sailing when the group is full of such strong personalities.Although clearly not an "A" list Western, the cast assembled is approaching "A" list quality. Ryan (The Naked Spur/The Day of the Outlaw/The Wild Bunch) in the genre speaks for itself, but he's also surrounding by an assortment of fine Western and film noir character actors. Preston (This Gun for Hire/Blood on the Moon), Trevor (Key Largo/Man Without a Star) and Brennan (Red River/My Darling Clementine), all deliver the expected committed performance. One of the film's weaknesses is under using some of the secondary performers, especially Lawrence Tierney (Dillinger/Born to Kill), who as Jesse James only gets a couple of lines! However, Bruce Cabot (King Kong/Fury) and John Archer (White Heat) do get to earn their pay. Rounding out the noticeable bad guys are Robert Wilke (High Noon/Night Passage), Jack Buetel (The Outlaw), Tom Tyler (Blood on the Moon) and John Cliff (River of No Return).There's some distracting back screen work within the piece, and Cronjager's photography never gets a chance to shine, the latter not helped by a standard print of the film that needs a good scrub up. But the cast, story, action and execution of said story, definitely make this a better than average Western. 7/10