The Nevadan (1950)

Instant Favorite.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

The Nevadan is a good entertaining, dependable Randolph Scott western, as he plays a mysterious loner, encountering a cast of interesting characters. I hate to give away the storyline, but imagine Forrest Tucker as the bad guy, the alluring and nice to look at Dorothy Malone, her nasty father's henchmen, including Jock Mahoney, a stolen shipment of gold, and some well placed shootouts. Perfectly paced and visually appealing, accomplished by the finest cinematography, thanks to Charles Lawton Jr and filmed on locations in magnificent Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California.Like I stated earlier, I hate to give away story lines and many have already given the reader adequate synopsis for this film. I can only add, if you are a fan of Randolph Scott and western genre from the 1950s, The Nevadan will not disappoint.

Escaped outlaw Forrest Tucker stops a stranger following him. The stranger is Randolph Scott dressed up like a greenhorn. For no good reason, Tucker decides he needs a partner and Scott fits the bill. This is the kind of plot contrivance you just have to accept from a western like this, a programmer if there ever was one. Naturally, Scott isn't who he says he is. He just wanted to fool Tucker into taking him along so he could find where Tucker hid some gold. There's also an evil rancher, George Macready, who has a pretty daughter. The daughter's played by Dorothy Malone. Of course she and Scott fall for one another. It's all serviceable enough but nothing special. If you've seen enough westerns, all of this movie's pieces will seem familiar. Still, it's a Randolph Scott western. There are far worse ways to pass the time.

Good Scott western that makes excellent use of the neolithic Alabama Hills with the snow- capped southern Sierras in the background. I like the way the henchmen Jeff and Bart are given personalities, something most oaters don't bother with. And just who is Barclay (Scott) anyway, and why does he befriend outlaw Tanner (Tucker) in his quest to recover stolen gold. Is Barclay a good guy or not since he doesn't act like one. But first, they've got to beat out Galt's (MacReady) gang who also, surprise, surprise, wants to get the same gold. But what I most want to know is how ugly old Galt could father a delicious looking dame like Karen (Malone) who's clearly on her way up the Hollywood ladder.There're a number of nice touches (e.g. the unexpected bucking bronco), and I can't help noticing Harry Joe Brown as co-producer along with Scott. They collaborated a few years later with Bud Boetticher on that great Ranown series of westerns that looks a lot like this one. Note how rather likable the outlaw Tanner is, also a hallmark of the Ranown series. And what an excellently staged showdown brawl in the mine tunnel. The effects are realistic and unusual for a B-western.Anyway, it's a non-clichéd script with a number of twists, lots of scenery and action, along with an appropriate ending. So what more can this old front-row kid ask for.

This movie just begins the transition from the old, cartoonish Scott Westerns and the more adult Boetticher films...they were getting there, but just not there yet. This movie is still very heavy on the one-dimensional characters and you won't find any Method acting, but Randolph Scott had aged just perfectly by this point...the lines in his face providing a mature ruggedness...no more matinée idol good looks...just a weather-beaten cowboy. His acting isn't very good in this one, but he always looked the part of the hero (except for the hat he wears in the beginning of the film...impossible to take him seriously in that ridiculous thing).The IMDb critics, as well as many legitimate critics, pile on top of poor George Macready, complaining that he didn't belong in Westerns. The problem with these poor misguided folks is that they expect a Western to only contain southern accents. Our land was settled by those from all over the UK, Europe, and beyond, so the fact that George Macready has the speech pattern and accent that he does would actually be MORE accurate for the time period, not less. And how can anyone complain about him as the bad guy when his normal speaking voice was so phenomenal and unique...the man literally sounds like a snake! He's a fine actor and I always enjoy watching him.Although Forrest Tucker does a fairly good job throughout, the bulk of the supporting cast all give performances that never ring true. The best actor in the whole movie? Dorothy Malone. I was really surprised at how good she was. I had only ever seen her as a blonde, so I almost didn't recognize her as a brunette...and so young and innocent! She looked absolutely beautiful, and gave a uniformly good and honest performance.I'm a guy who likes my action films undiluted with dopey love stories, but I must say that the scenes between Scott and Malone were excellent...they had some real chemistry...and I think because Ms. Malone was such a good actress, she raised Scott's performance up to where it should have been throughout. ***QUASI-SPOILERS COMING UP*** The problem is, they never hug, never kiss, never fall in love in a way that means anything...always from a distance. Their chemistry was really wasted. He doesn't even say goodbye to her at the end of the movie and she has a dopey line to let the audience know he'll be back!! That was a big let-down.Unless you're a die-hard Randolph Scott fan, or want to get an eyeful of an adorable Dorothy Malone, I would suggest letting this film go by. The best of the Scott films are: The Tall T, Ride Lonesome, Seven Men From Now, and Comanche Station...those are guaranteed to entertain.