The Man from Laramie (1955)

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writers:

Philip Yordan (screenplay) &
Frank Burt (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

31 August 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Western

Tagline:

THE MAN You'll Never Forget!

Plot:

A stranger defies the local cattle baron and his sadistic son by working for one of his oldest rivals.

Plot Keywords:

Apache | Storekeeper | Rifle | Rancher | Massacre

Cast

James Stewart	...	Will Lockhart
Arthur Kennedy	...	Vic Hansbro
Donald Crisp	...	Alec Waggoman
Cathy O'Donnell	...	Barbara Waggoman
Alex Nicol	...	Dave Waggoman
Aline MacMahon	...	Kate Canady
Wallace Ford	...	Charley O'Leary
Jack Elam	...	Chris Boldt
John War Eagle	...	Frank Darrah
James Millican	...	Tom Quigby
Gregg Barton	...	Fritz
Boyd Stockman	...	Spud Oxton
Frank DeKova	...	Padre

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Hungary:14 | Norway:16 | West Germany:12 (nf) | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | UK:U | USA:Approved (certificate #17217)

Filming Locations:

Bonanza Creek Ranch - 15 Bonanza Creek Lane, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Company:

William Goetz Productions

Trivia:

The last of James Stewart's Western collaborations with Anthony Mann.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lockhart first encounters Dave at the salt flats, Dave fires his gun several times and we hear mules squealing as if in pain; Vic later states that Dave killed twelve of his mules, but even when all the characters exit the scene in long shot, there is not one dead mule visible, much less twelve.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Will Lockhart: Whoa! Whoa! Whoa. We'll camp here for the night.
Charley O'Leary: We can go a coupla more miles 'fore sundown.
Will Lockhart: We'll camp here!
Charley O'Leary: You're the boss.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in La boum (1980)

Soundtrack:

The Man From Laramie

A Spectacular Stereo Western Drama

This has got to be one of the best western plots ever filmed. Unlike so many others in the genre, "The Man From Laramie" has a complex and interesting conflict as its center. Many have compared it to "King Lear" and the main story line does resemble the subplot of Gloucester and his two sons. Whether the Shakespeare connection is intentional or not, it works extremely well.

Partly responsible for the film´s success are its stars: James Stewart is good as usual, while Arthur Kennedy, Donald Crisp and Aline McMahon really stand out in their characterizations. Anthony Mann´s directing is tight and uncompromising. The picture never lags once and there are many strongly dramatic moments, some even a bit shocking for 1955.

The film was photographed with artistry, and the DVD issue does it justice. Several scenes are beautifully balanced and dramatically expressive. There is a wonderful wide-screen, panoramic look that comes across quite well. The real surprise is the audio. This 1955 movie has a full-bodied stereo soundtrack! The musical score may not be one the all-time greats, but it is often very effective, and on this disc it fills the viewing space with excitement. Highly recommended, even to Western non-fans.