Jubal
Directed by Delmer Daves
Written by Russell S. Hughes and Delmer Daves from a novel by Paul Wellman
1956/USA
Columbia Pictures Corporation
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Sam, Horgan Rider: You know, sometimes I think it’s givin’ the good Lord the worst of it to say He invented people.[/box]
There are at least two love triangles too many in this Western. Possibly three.
Kindly rancher Shep Horgan (Ernest Borgnine) finds Jubal Troop (Glenn Ford) passed out and freezing to death in the mountains and takes him back to the ranch. Evil ranch hand “Pinky” Pinkum (Rod Steiger) takes an instant dislike to Jubal, who “smells of sheep dip”. But Shep likes him and offers him a job. Soon Pinky has an additional reason to dislike the stranger when Shep’s wife Mae, whom Pinky has had an affair with, takes a liking to him. Jubal is extremely loyal to Shep and isn’t interested in Mae.
Pinky becomes further enraged when Shep makes Jubal foreman and continues to try to stir up trouble between the men. Jubal comes across a religious group that is crossing Texas. He falls in love at first sight with the daughter of the leader Naomi (Felicia Farr). However, Naomi has been promised to another, extremely jealous man. But Naomi prefers Jubal. With all this emotion roiling around, you can be sure of a lot of additional drama before the end of the story. With Charles Bronson as another ranch hand.
This movie is nothing special. The excessive love triangles pretty well insured that I would not like it much.
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