Good Day for a Hanging
by Nathan Juran
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Fred MacMurray, James Drury, Joan Blackman, Margaret Hayes, Robert VaughnDirector: Nathan Juran
Brand: Sony
Cinematographer: Henry Freulich
Editor: Jerome Thoms
Producer: Charles H. Schneer
Writer: Daniel B. Ullman
Writer: John Reese
Writer: Maurice Zimm
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Japanese (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 1.85:1
Running Time: 85 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-04-05
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Good Day for a Hanging
Movie Review: Lesser-known 50s message western is well worth a look
Summary: 4 Stars
Robert Vaughn hadn't quite come to be heavily identified as a suave but ruthless heavy yet by the time he made this interesting 1959 Nathan Juran-directed western, though there is something of the typical Vaughn sneering going on, as he does in fact play the bad guy in this somewhat politically conservative but relatively nuanced piece about a marshall (Fred MacMurray) who has to deal with a popular prisoner (Vaughn) who he knows committed a murder, but whom the townspeople seem very disposed to just let off for the crime - despite their respect for the marshall. All in a small city in Nebraska in 1878, with the desire to see itself as "civilized" and put the lawless days of lynch mobs and gunfights in the streets behind it.
At the beginning of the film, Ben Cutler (MacMurray) is a widowed ex-marshall, now shopkeeper about to marry Ruth Granger (Margaret Hayes), another widower with a young son. Cutler has a daughter, Laurie (Joan Blackman) who stops in the street to talk to a boy she grew up with and loved who she hasn't seen in years, Eddie Campbell (Vaughn). Unbeknownst to her, Vaughn is the horse-handler and lookout guy for a group of bankrobbers busy taking out the bank right behind her. Something goes wrong with the holdup and they all take off; this scene is nicely put together as we feel that Laurie might be in danger throughout, but it turns out they get away without hurting anyone. Soon Marshall Cain (Emile Meyer) takes off after them with a half-dozen impromptu posse members in tow including Cutler. It's a hard pursuit and the outlaws are just about caught when they take a switchback up a wash and one of them turns back to fire, killing the marshall. Cutler fires at the gunman and takes him down, and it turns out to be Campbell. The others escape, and the wounded gunman brought back.
Despite the marshall having been close and witnessing the whole action, the town seems divided almost from the beginning as to whether to believe his story, or Eddie's. Young Campbell apparently was a troubled kid with a lot of problems growing up, and the nice liberal folks of the town want to give him a break - and they also see Cutler - now the Marshall - as having it in for him as he disapproves of his daughter still being interested in the outlaw. An oily sort of attorney (Edmon Ryan) comes from out of town to defend the kid, and the state-appointed prosecutor (the wonderfully named Wendell Holmes in the best secondary role of the film) seems to regret his part in the whole thing; it turns out politics are at play, right up to the governorship, and Marshall Cutler will have much to contend with even after the trial is concluded.
I don't know the history of this film, but I don't think it's an exaggeration to suggest that the law-and-order, protect the victims and take care of the bad guys attitude on display here is somewhat in contrast with such films as TWELVE ANGRY MEN and the "anti-McCarthy" western SILVER LODE from the previous few years. I think the film would have been more interesting in many respects if we the audience didn't know quite clearly from the beginning that Vaughn's character is in fact the killer; and if his unfortunate past had been developed at some length beforehand. As it is, it's hard to feel sympathetic for him at any point and we're always on the side of the Marshall, so the deck is stacked. Still, this is well-constructed and Juran (best known for several of the best fantasy adventures with Ray Harryhausen special effects during this period) has a fine eye for compositions, particularly in the action sequences. The acting is all fine, though it's always MacMurray's film, and if there were a bit more subtlety to the storyline and we were a bit more in doubt of his motives, his performance might have been even more impressive. The "Columbiacolor" process results in plenty of clarity but a rather rust-brown cast to much of the film; it's far from one of the best-looking late 50s westerns. But despite all of it's problems, it's a nice piece of work overall and an interesting addition to the pantheon of politically-oriented westerns from the period.
The DVD offers a reasonably good transfer; subtitles in English and Japanese available; no extras except for full-length trailers of THE PROFESSIONALS and SILVERADO and a highlights trailer for about 20 or so other, mostly Columbia, westerns now on Sony DVD.
Summary of Good Day for a Hanging
As a youth eddie came into town with his gang to rob the bank but was caught & convicted. Marshal ben helped him to become an honorable citizen. Many years later the gang returns to rob the bank. When they shoot the marshal. Eddie is the only one to identify the murderer - but questions who he should be loyal to. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 04/05/2005 Starring: Fred Macmurray Run time: 85 minutes Rating: NrSimilar DVD Movies
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