Lawman
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Movie Reviews of Lawman
Movie Review: Lawman
Summary: 4 Stars
In 1971 Lawman was one of about thirty westerns which premiered across the country. It had a stellar cast, excellent script, and beautiful music and cinematography.
Burt Lancaster plays Jered Maddox, an aging lawman from Bannock, a cow town in the late 1880's. Robert Ryan plays Cotton Ryan, a former great marshal who settles in Sabbath to enjoy his remaining years in peace and quiet.
Lee J. Cobb is Vincent Bronson the richest man in town. Bronson is not your typical cattle baron. He has a heart and the land holds many memories for him--both good and bad. The townspeople like him.
The conflict revolves around Bronson's men who shot up Bannock on a cattle drive. Unfortunately, a citizen is killed in the drunken ruckus, a tragic accident. Marshal Maddox comes to Sabbath on May 13, 1887 to bring Bronson's men back to Bannock to stand trial.
The conversations between Maddox and Cotton Ryan are well written and reflective of the times and the lives of the late 1880's. You have two aging lawmen discussing the past and its glories while the future looked bleak and the end of the road.
In essence Maddox says a lawman is "a killer of men". He proves that fact over and over again. Of course, the women had a different name for him--"widow maker".
An old flame of Maddox appears from ten years ago. Laura is married to one of the men Maddox has come to arrest.
Maddox takes a special interest in Crowe Wheelwright played by Richard Jordan in his film debut. Perhaps, Maddox sees himself in the young Crowe, and Crowe needs Maddox's approval and acceptance.
The ending with the gunfight is not a typical western. It has overtones of the human drama of what make men what they are. In some ways it is a surprise on many levels.
Movie Review: A lost gem
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an excellent western. All the main actors are given time and words/actions to create interesting and complex characters. Even the secondary actors are given space that fill in the cracks and make a story complete. There is some beautiful location work, the town looks like a real town, and the interiors look authentic. Every actor rises to the occasion giving a convincing performance. It's a film where many correct small details make the story real. The subtext of ageing, regret, lost love, changing times adds depth to the a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do driving force. Burt L. plays tough, but is not a dumb rock. There is a side of him that is slowly revealed that makes you care for him. I'd never heard of this film, got it in a Burt L. three pack. Watched it out of a low intensity curiosity. After maybe ten minutes I said to myself "Hey, this is a good movie!" And it seemed to just keep getting better and better. I would recommend this film to any film lover.Movie Review: Thought provoking western
Summary: 4 Stars
Burt Lancaster is the epitome of TOUGH as the unyielding paragon of western justice, Marshall Jered Maddox. Maddox ambles into the town of Sabbath in search of seven cowboys lead by a cattle baron, brilliantly portrayed by Lee J. Cobb. They had shot up his town, killing an innocent bystander in a drunken celebration on the return trip of a cattle drive. Maddox aims to bring the men responsible to trial. The plot is a familiar one, reminiscent of Eastwood's Hang 'Em High and also of the Ox Bow Incident. The flick is made
special by the psychological make up of Lancaster as the merciless Maddox who manages to gun down all of the men he pursued. He even shoots the unarmed paramour of his ex- flame Sheree North in the back, muddling the usual clear division between good and evil seen in older westerns. Lawman paves the way for the newer more probing westerns like Unforgiven. Good movie
Movie Review: A really good western; but one caution
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie remains one of my favorite westerns and Burt Lancaster is excellent as the lawman who won't be bought off or scared off. The entire cast is excellent with Lee J. Cobb, Robert Ryan and lots of familiar faces. The ending has been criticized and I don't find it entirely satisfying. If the ending made more sense to me this movie would get a 5-star rating.
The DVD lacks any real extras but the picture and sound are really good.
The one caution I would give is that this DVD does NOT have any nudity by Sheree North. I know that the Bare Facts Video Guide says she is topless in this film, and I have a tape of the movie from a television airing that contains the footage. But in this version that scene, although still in the film, is an alternate take with a sheet pulled up and no nudity. Just in case anybody was interested.
This is movie worth having on DVD.
Movie Review: A frontier sheriff with an icy heart of stone
Summary: 4 Stars
Burt Lancaster and Robert Ryan star in this grim, hard-edged western, wherein Lancaster is a unremitting and efficiently violent lawman, who will give his all to get his man, even if he doesn't believe that justice will be served once the accused is brought to trial. Everyone butts up against his hardass attitude, and he rebuffs repeated pleas to take things easy and turn a blind eye. To Lancaster's marshall, it's not so much about right and wrong as it is about doing the job right: if you falter or give an inch, you'll probably wind up dead. The first half on this film is tautly scripted and relentless; it kind of falls apart by the end, at first in little bits and pieces, and then all at once. Overall, though, it's very good, and if you're looking for a superior western, this is definitely worth checking out.