THE DESPERADOES |
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Review by Chuck "My horse done died" Dixon |
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Non-western fans head for the hills! This one’s for die-hard saddletramps only! The Desperadoes is a 1943 classic and Columbia Pictures first feature in Technicolor. There’s not a single surprise in this movie. It’s packed with every conceivable western cliché. The runaway buckboard. The shootout in the saloon. The escape from the hoosgow. The hangin’ judge. But each are handle with such verve that you’re drawn into the story and thrill to scenes you long ago thought you’d grown tired of. Randolph Scott is in top form as an indefatigable western legend. A baby-faced Glenn Ford is less laconic than he would come to be in later films but you can see the star he would become. Edgar Buchanan is his usual shifty-eyed self and steals each scene he’s in. The plot? As Buster Crabbe once said, “There’s LOTS of plot.” But it’s execution that’s the key here. The script is smart with some terrific dialogue exchanges and great reversals. The movie builds on its audience’s expectations and moves as fast a prairie fire. Most memorable scene? A tremendous barfight that is in turn hilarious and frightening. The restoration and transfer are top notch. The movie looks absolutely gorgeous. Crisp contrast and rich color. The flick was shot mostly on location with very little rear projection in the outdoor scenes. All of this is shown off in this marvelously restored version. The cover art is awful and might make you pass this one by. But I’m here to fire a few shots in the air from my trusty Colt to warn you to take a gander. If you’re a western fan this one is absolutely a must-see. |
©2005 by Chuck Dixon. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced without permission. |
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