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An underrated gem
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A fine little movie, only 79 minutes, black & white, The Ride Back was the sleeper of 1957. That was a good year: there were big A-Westerns such as The Tin Star, Gunfight at the OK Corral and 3:10 to Yuma. Less good but big box-office draws were James Stewart in Night Passage and Alan Ladd in The Big Land. In the smaller commercial but classy league there were the excellent Budd Boetticher/Randolph Scott Westerns Decision at Sundown and The Tall T and there was also the trashy but popular Samuel Fuller picture Forty Guns. But while The Ride Back may not enjoy the fame and reputation of
those pictures, it was taut, gripping, extremely well acted, directed and photographed and in my view ranks with The Tin Star and 3:10 as the very best Westerns of that year.
those pictures, it was taut, gripping, extremely well acted, directed and photographed and in my view ranks with The Tin Star and 3:10 as the very best Westerns of that year.
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When William Conrad was Matt Dillon in the radio version of Gunsmoke, he came across a script by Antony Ellis that he was convinced would make a good movie. He persuaded Robert Aldrich of that and Aldrich agreed to produce it.
Allen H Miner directed. It’s not a name that comes immediately to mind when discussing Western directors. In fact it was only his second of three (he also did some TV work). He had been a war photographer who had seen much bitter action. One wonders why Aldrich did not helm it himself; he didn’t direct anything else in that year apart from a bit of The Garment Jungle, from which he was fired. It is said that a fair number of scenes were handled by Aldrich’s friend, second unit director Oscar Rudolph. Whatever the truth, it is a tightly directed picture of real class.
Conrad, not a natural Westerner, is marvelous as the portly, sweaty deputy, reluctant, apprehensive, then downright afraid but nevertheless determined to accomplish his task. It emerges that he considers himself a failure in life; he has achieved nothing and his wife hates him. It makes us understand that courage is not the absence of fear. It is being afraid and doing it anyway.
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Anthony Quinn’s character, on the other hand, is roguish, wily, handsome and brave. His hellcat-ish woman (Lita Milan) adores him. He loves children. Conrad envies Quinn, who is everything Conrad is not.
Yet slowly a mutual respect builds.
Quinn is astonishingly powerful in a part that asked to be hammed up yet which he underplays with control and discipline. What a fine actor he was.
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The screenplay gives us an exciting story as the deputy takes the villain, who fled to Mexico, back for trial, and faces escape attempts and Apaches along the way. It’s a minimalist Western which does not offer gunfights and action so much as an in depth character study. Yet the danger that pervades the story prevents it being just a talky play.
They find a cabin containing a slain family, then a survivor, a little traumatized girl. The tale is grim, pitiless and savage.
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There is glowing black & white photography by Joe Biroc (Aldrich’s preferred cinematographer). It was filmed on location in Mexico.
Jorge Treviño is also terrific as the fat Mexican policeman.
The music, by Frank Devol, is very good – dark, discordant and tense.
It’s a ‘little’ Western with a small cast and, probably, low budget. In other hands this might have been a tame, predictable effort but Conrad and Quinn make it superb, and the tight direction, high-quality writing and good camera work make it one of the best Westerns of the late 50s. Outstanding.
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10 Responses
I like the movie
Good for you. It's a fine film.
Jeff
Anthony Ellis' "The Ride Back" began as the 10th episode of Gunsmoke broadcast on June 28, 1952. A recording of the show does not exist and Ellis' script is archived at the University of Wyoming. The plot line of the radio show has been posted by Frank Stewart. It can be accessed at http://forums.oldradio.net/ftopic2078.html. In the radio version the prisoner, Leeds Martin, was played by Larry Dobkin.
Larry Wild
Old guy from Aberdeen, SD
That's really interesting. Thanks!
Jeff
This is a superb little western. I caught up with it recently after reading laudatory comments in various reference books. Conrad and Quinn are faultless. It has the same brilliant use of limited resources as another little-known oater, Fort Dobbs, starring Clint Walker. I also like Quinn's performance in Last Train From Gun Hill. He gives a fine account of himself against the powerful Kirk Douglas. Jeff – I salute your review.
Apologies, Jeff. I left my monicker off the above post.
Quinn was a very fine actor in my view and he was excellent in Westerns. Conrad was (perhaps surprisingly) good too. I agree with you that it's a fine film.
Jeff
Thought it was pretty good. Jeff liked it a little better than I I guess. I thought it was a bit too much like 3:10 to Yuma with the lawman and wanted man bonding and teaming up to overcome circumstances – and I liked 3:10 much better. Interestingly actor Eddie Albert sang the film’s theme song at the beginning and end.
I’ve heard of this film because RR identified “The Ride Back” (1957) as one of his favorites on The Favorite Westerns post in August-September 2024.
RR also described “The Ride Back” as “the most obscure” one on his list, but “a very thoughtful, and beautifully photographed and acted little movie.”
I’m definitely interested. Great review by Jeff, and it involves Robert Aldrich (even if his involvement is more behind the scenes). And based on the description of the music, the cinematography, and the overall mood, it sounds like a Noir-shaded Western.
HEY, it’s got Anthony Quinn–haven’t seen him in a whole lot, but he’s a fine actor–and WILLIAM CONRAD ! ! ! !
I know Mr. Conrad as the unseen narrator of the classic TV series “The Fugitive” (1963-’67), and the private eye Frank Cannon in the fun TV series, “Cannon” (1971-’76)–not quite a great series, but it’s got some SUPER DUPER episodes ! ! !
And then there’s Conrad’s EXCELLENT turn as the sly, hard-driving Sergeant Creese in The Alfred Hitchcock Hour’s 5-STAR episode, “The Thirty-first of February” (1963)–co-starring David Wayne as the high-strung advertising agent, Andrew Anderson, a widower who’s under relentless investigation for the death of his wife. Sgt. Cheese thinks he’s found his culprit…but does he have the right man? HARROWING EPISODE ! ! !
Riding back to our movie here–COUNT ME IN ! ! ! ! The description of the characters, the camera work, and the noirish mood, plus the high endorsements from RR, Jeff, and Wild Bill–MAN, I have got to order this one.
BLAH, I meant Sgt. Creese, not Sgt. Cheese. Auto correct, shame on you ! ! !
The description of “The Ride Back” (1957) screams FILM NOIR in a stark Western setting ! ! ! ! It really does sound fascinating.
I love Jeff’s line, “Yet the danger that pervades the story prevents it from being just a talky play.”