The Law and Jake Wade (1958)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

William Bowers (screenplay)
Marvin H. Albert (novel)

Release Date:

22 July 1958 (Japan)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Outlaw Clint Hollister escapes from jail with the help of Marshal Jake Wade, because once Clint did the same for him...

Plot Keywords:

Loot | Outlaw | Sheriff | Treasure Hunt | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Robert Taylor	...	Jake Wade
Richard Widmark	...	Clint Hollister
Patricia Owens	...	Peggy
Robert Middleton	...	Ortero
Henry Silva	...	Rennie
DeForest Kelley	...	Wexler (as De Forest Kelley)
Burt Douglas	...	Lieutenant
Eddie Firestone	...	Burke
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gene Coogan	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Richard H. Cutting	...	Luke, Jake's Deputy (uncredited)
Roy Engel	...	Avery (uncredited)
Al Ferguson	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Rory Mallinson	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Reginald Simpson	...	Minor Role (uncredited)

Directed by
John Sturges

Writing credits
William Bowers		(screenplay)
Marvin H. Albert		(novel)

Produced by
William B. Hawks	....	producer (as William Hawks)

Cinematography by
Robert Surtees		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ferris Webster

Art Direction by
Daniel B. Cathcart
William A. Horning

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace
Otto Siegel

Costume Design by
Walter Plunkett

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Saunders	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller	....	recording supervisor (as Dr. Wesley C. Miller)

Special Effects by
Lee LeBlanc	....	special effects

Stunts
Martha Crawford	....	stunt double: Patricia Owens (uncredited)
Carl Pitti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)
Henry Wills	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack N. Young	....	stunts (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1970) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Perspecta Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:U | West Germany:16 | USA:Approved (certificate #18917) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Goofs:

Continuity: When Marshall Wade comes into a town near the start of the movie leading an extra horse, he throws that horse's rein up against a rail and it drops right off. As he steps down from his horse, the other horse's rein is now tightly wound around the rail.

Quotes:

Clint Hollister: Well, did you say a few words over the boys?
Ortero: Yeah...good-bye.
Clint Hollister: Very touching.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Majority of One (1961)

Greed over common sense

Seems to me Widmark's character would have been money ahead to simply knock off another bank rather than go into injun country where the chances of dying were pretty high. However, this probably wouldn't have made any better of a film. Plenty of shooting, flying arrows, nasty killers, and as usual Widmark gives a stellar performance as a psychotic gunman intent on having his way no matter what.