The Tin Star (1957)

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writers:

Joel Kane (story)
Dudley Nichols (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

31 January 1958 (Finland)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

A cynical ex-sheriff turned bounty hunter helps a young, recently appointed acting sheriff with his advice, his experience, and his gun.

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | Bounty Hunter | Bounty | Wanted Poster | Pigeon Coop

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	Morgan 'Morg' Hickman
Anthony Perkins	...	Sheriff Ben Owens
Betsy Palmer	...	Nona Mayfield
Michel Ray	...	Kip Mayfield
Neville Brand	...	Bart Bogardus
John McIntire	...	Dr. Joseph Jefferson 'Doc' McCord
Mary Webster	...	Millie Parker
Peter Baldwin	...	Zeke McGaffey
Richard Shannon	...	Buck Henderson
Lee Van Cleef	...	Ed McGaffey
James Bell	...	Judge Thatcher
Howard Petrie	...	Mayor Harvey King
Russell Simpson	...	Clem Hall
Hal K. Dawson	...	Andy Miller
Jack Kenny	...	Sam Hodges (as Jack Kenney)
Mickey Finn	...	McCall
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Cady	...	Abe Pickett (uncredited)
Frank Cordell	...	Posse Member (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	...	(uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Allen Gettel	...	Sloan (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Stagecoach Passenger (uncredited)
Bob Kenaston	...	Hardman (uncredited)
Frank McGrath	...	Jim Clark, Stagecoach Driver (uncredited)
'Snub' Pollard	...	Townsman / Barfly (uncredited)
Jack Stoney	...	Townsman / Barfly (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Townsman / Barfly (uncredited)
Tim Sullivan	...	Virgil Hough (uncredited)

Directed by
Anthony Mann

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Joel Kane		story
Dudley Nichols		writer
Barney Slater		story

Produced by
William Perlberg	....	producer
George Seaton	....	producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Loyal Griggs

Film Editing by
Alma Macrorie

Art Direction by
J. McMillan Johnson		(as J. MacMillan Johnson)
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Frank R. McKelvy		(as Frank McKelvy)

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Nellie Manley	....	hair styles supervisor
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael D. Moore	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Hugo Grenzbach	....	sound recordist
Winston H. Leverett	....	sound recordist (as Winston Leverett)

Stunts
Frank Cordell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Martha Crawford	....	stunt double: Betsy Palmer (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack N. Young	....	stunts (uncredited)

Other crew
Ric Hardman	....	assistant to producers

Production Companies

• Perlsea Company (as Perlberg-Seaton Productions)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• Les Films Paramount (1958) (France) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1966) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Comet Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Miramar Films (2009) (Spain) (DVD)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Sound Recording)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Norway:12 (1958) | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:Approved (PCA #18468) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Perlsea Company

Goofs:

Continuity: When the stagecoach driver rushes into town to report that they were robbed, there is a small trail of dust following each side of the stagecoach. When it comes to a full stop, the dust is almost completely settled down. Next they cut to a slightly closer view of the stage and surrounding areas, and the air is full of dust all over the scene, much more than the stagecoach ever caused to fly up.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sheriff Ben Owens: Uh, ju-just getting the feel of these guns.
Morg Hickman: Where's the sheriff?

A pleasant journey.

A thoughtful western about duty, courage and responsibility. Henry Fonda plays an ex-sheriff turned bounty hunter carrying the burden of a tragic past with little hope of happy future. He brings a dead outlaw into a town to collect the reward and be on his way. But in the process attaches himself to a young sheriff, green in the ways of keeping the peace and needing the older man's experience and guile to survive, and a young widow in need of a man's love and a father for her half-cast son. It's a pleasant journey through a narrative with a predictable ending, with a fine performance by Henry Fonda and good support from Anthony Perkins and Betsy Palmer. It's a film which leans heavily on characterisation, but what action there is carries the stamp of capable director Anthony Mann. 8/10