The Naked Spur (1953)

The Naked Spur
Directed by Anthony Mann
Written by Sam Rolfe and Herold Jack Bloom
1953/USA
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
#271 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

[box] Ben Vandergroat: Choosin’ a way to die? What’s the difference? Choosin’ a way to live – that’s the hard part.[/box]

I love Robert Ryan’s perfomance in this movie.  I felt like slapping him throughout.  And then we get Jimmy Stewart and the Rockies so what is not to like.

Howard Kemp (Stewart) is a man with a mission.  His sweetheart jilted him and sold off his land while he was away fighting the Civil War and he is determined to get it back.  The new owner is willing to sell.  So Howard decides to capture outlaw Ben Vandergroat (Ryan) for the reward money.  Unfortunately, Ben is a very cagey character who has eluded him for some time when the story starts.

Howard meets up with a prospector in the mountains who seems to have seen his man.  This is Jesse Tate (Millard Mitchell).  He offers Jesse money for information.  Then Roy Anderson (Ralph Meeker) shows up. Roy has been wandering around causing havoc ever since his dishonorable discharge from the Army.  However, he helps Howard finally capture Ben.  Now Howard’s two new “friends” feel entitled to  an even share of the proceeds.

Ben is captured with Lina Patch (Janet Leigh) in tow.  Lina is the daughter of a late friend of Ben’s and is under his dubious protection.  The only thing that remains is to deliver Ben to the authorities. Ben is not about to make this easy, however, and sets about to pit the other men against each other.  He is also not above dangling Lina as bait.

This is a typically first-rate Anthony Mann Western with James Stewart in tortured bad-ass mode.  Ryan may never have played a better villain.  His laid-back smirk is just perfect. My husband even remarked on Ryan’s fine acting and he usually watches movies without comment. Recommended, especially for Western lovers.

The Naked Spur was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay.

Trailer