Jeff Travis, a spy for Quantrill's Raiders, leaves when he realizes Quantrill's true nature. People who don't remember the 3-D craze will probably think the director was weird. Jeff agrees, assuming the identity of Mark Stone, an insurance detective requested by the Conroys, and informs them he will masquerade as a stage guard to protect the gold. When that stage is attacked and the driver, Shelby's uncle Jake, is tortured and killed in an attempt to find the gold, Jeff guiltily reconsiders his association with Mourret. directors; and Day of the Outlaw (1959), the stark, stylish, low Soon the war ends and Scott is hated for his war record and people don't want to give him a chance. Everyone knows that seven is the proper number for posses and gangs in Westerns. Both watch and plot as Joan Weldon and her father, ship gold via the stagecoach line. Soon after, Jeff arrives at the saloon to challenge Mourret and Slager. Alfonso Bedoya is a joy to watch, as always, not because of his acting, which is abominable, but because it's so much fun trying to figure out what it is he's doing with his mouth to make him sound that way. and several other films. Claire Trevor is getting older, will Mr. Scott still choose her; or, will the sweet young thing give him a spin? There's also a love triangle, involving Scott, Claire Trevor, and Joan Weldon. One day on the set De Toth asked Borgnine if he could ride. 2023 Sony Pictures Digital Productions Inc. 2019Sony Pictures Digital Productions Inc. Sony Pictures Clips & Still Image Licensing. In any case she saves him when Yankees recognize him as the spy of Lawrence. past. The Thief of Bagdad and other films. He immigrated to the US in 1942 and directed his first film there in 1944. Mourret has a rival, the Mexican bandit Degas, played quite extraordinarily badly by Alfonso Bedoya. The other 3-D film he directed was "House of Wax.". And if you go for art, you run the risk of making junk. Scott was also pleased to be working with producer Harry Joe Brown on The Stranger Wore a Gun. Sometimes both gangs try to rob the stage at the same time so we get an almost farcical coming and going as they end up fighting each other instead. In 1939, he went to The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953) - Filming & Production - IMDb The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953) Filming & Production Showing all 3 items Jump to: Filming Locations (3) Filming Locations Edit Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA 7 of 7 found this interesting Whitney Portal, Lone Pine, California, USA 7 of 7 found this interesting Since he served for a time with the notorious Quantrill's raiders, he has a past to brood over; but as this is a Western, the emphasis is on action, not reflection. Borgnine mounted a horse and with a slew of other riders, did a scene in which they had to come riding down a hill fast. I also a kick out of all the 3D throwing stuff at the screen. Portraits From the Inside, as well as an interview book, De Toth on De Toth, I'd sure like to know where to get a coat like that, though. | Set Decoration: Frank Tuttle Source for information on The Stranger Wore a Gun: VideoHound's Golden . It's not anything, except a mess. Jeff Travis (Randolph Scott) had been a spy for the notorious Quantrill's Raiders who torched and looted mercilessly for the "Confederate cause" during the Civil War. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Stranger Wore a Gun DVD at the best online prices at eBay! as a cameraman for cinematographer Istvan Eiben. James Millican is Quantrill in this one, a bloodthirsty crook who disgusts Randy, obliging him to abandon the guerrillas and he enlists in the official Confederate army instead (maybe a reference to Cole Younger). Western 1953 1 hr 23 min. | The one-eyed de Toth was an odd choice to helm a 3-D the prosecution's testimony to form the bulk of the film. He was a man whose shoes shined. 1953. They've been making movies up there for years. I know it's just a movie but the fire at the end looks so dangerous. The other 3-D film he directed was "House of Wax." 12 of 12 found this interesting | Share this Glam gambler Josie Sullivan (Claire Trevor, in her eleventh of twelve Westerns; she was most famously Dallas in Stagecoach but had also been wooed by Quantrill in Dark Command in 1940) clearly has a soft spot for him. After the smoke clears, Scott and Macready remain, and they shoot it out in a top-notch action sequence in a flaming saloon. Richard Armitage (The Hobbit series) stars in the lead role, alongside Hannah John-Kamen of Ant-Man and the Wasp. Scott and Marvin have a proper quick-draw showdown. With the Union victory, he fears he is a wanted man and heads out West, closely followed by his long-time love Josie. Gallery of 12 movie poster and cover images for The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953). He takes a job on the stage line that Mourret is trying to steal gold from. The whole place looks as if nature had put it there to be used as a spectacularly realistic phony movie set. He was too silky in voice and manner. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Jeff Arnold 2023 All rights reserved Designed by. Thankyou, Verified purchase: He rides to Prescott, Arizona to start a new life again. Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine are on hand as heavies. After the war he narrowly escapes a gang looking for Quantrill's men thanks to Josie's (Claire Trevor) warning jumping off a river boat. It was the first thing I recall seeing Lee Marvin in. In 1953, 3D was a new fad, and De Toth made what many regard to be the best ever 3D film, the Vincent Price horror flick House of Wax. Ad Choices Apart from Manchester, The Stranger also features the backdrops of neighbouring cities like Bolton, Stockport and Eccles. It's not quite clear where the stranger is heading until a close pal is murdered by Jules' henchmen. Lee, on the other hand didn't need any "camera" tricks to make him look fast. Strip and The Westerner. The Stranger Wore a Gun is a Scott-Brown production for Columbia and a priori a cut above some of the Westerns Randolph Scott did. After obtaining his law The original setting for the story of The Stranger is America. He takes a job on the stage line that Mourret is trying to steal gold from. Directors Andre De Toth Starring Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon Genres Western, Military and War Subtitles English [CC] [1] Based on the short story "Yankee Gold" by John W. Cunningham, the film is about a war criminal wanted for the slaughter of women and children who moves to Arizona to join a gold robbery but reconsiders and decides to change his life. Jeff shoots Slager and escapes as the burning ceiling collapses on Mourret. But The Stranger Wore a Gun is not one of them. The star of the show Jennifer Saunders expressed her joy at becoming a part of the series and said: Im delighted to be playing Heidi in this new Harlan Coben drama. With Andre de Toth directing, it really should have been something. Guns are pointed directly at the viewer. A former spy moves to Arizona to join a gold robbery, but when he gets there decides that it's not for him and tries to change his life. De Toth followed that with a shared Oscar nomination with William Bowers for One-eyed director Andre De Toth had already tried the process with House . Some of the scenes have been filmed at the disused Moor Lane Bus Station in Bolton town centre. There is some really incredible architecture in the region that looks great on-screen.. Its a great place to shoot TV. Lets find out more about the The Stranger filming locations and how it fits into a different location than the one that the book started out in. His biggest commercial hit came with House of Wax (1953), the movie If you're wondering why characters are forever pointing gun barrels or throwing furniture toward the camera during The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953), it's because, in keeping with the early 1950s trend that was an attempt to lure Americans away from their newfangled television sets, the picture was shot in 3-D. Director Andre De Toth had a knack for conjuring something out of very little, but the "something" he managed in this case may be lost in a conventional print. Objects are thrown directly at the camera to the point of distraction. Jeff Travis: A man's only as good as his cards. Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Roscoe Ates, Herbert Rawlinson, Richard Alexander, . A former spy moves to Arizona to join a gold robbery, but when he gets there decides that it's not for him and tries to change his life. Ernest overacts with gusto, as usual. "The Stranger Wore A Gun" qualifies as a standard issue Randolph Scott horse opera from the 1950s, not as overall satisfying as the westerns that he starred in for director Budd Boetticher, but entertaining enough to watch if you consider yourself a completist Scott fan. !A former spy moves to Arizona to join a gold robbery, but when he gets there decides that it's not for him and tries to change his . A spy used in the infamous Quantrill raid on Lawrence, Kansas (Randolph Scott), flees to Prescott, Arizona, after the war and gets mixed up with a shady gang of stagecoach robbers (led by George Macready). a propaganda thriller about the Nazis wanting to bomb the Suez Canal. The Stranger Wore A Gun $3.99 $12.99 Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Andr De Toth directed seven of producer-star Randolph Scott's Westerns; The Stranger Wore a Gun is the most disappointing, especially since its original 3-D is now moot. After the war, Travis believes that he is a wanted man and he heads to Prescott, in Arizona, to start a new life. The film is watchable every Randolph Scott Western was but, to be brutally frank, a shade weak. "Harry Joe Brown was a very good, down-to-earth, nickel-and-dime producer," De Toth would say in an interview many years later. for depicting the Native Americans with more depth than contemporary He made his Hollywood directing debut with the 1943 feature, Passport to Suez, This situation, however, isn't as interesting as the rest of the film, since lovers in Westerns seldom fling items at the camera while coping with spurned affections. pre-owned Your email address will not be published. The rest of the movie, and the greater part, is a stage-line story as Randy inveigles his way once more into the confidence of an honest father and daughter, the Conroys (Pierre Watkin and a rather timid Joan Weldon) but this time cant bring himself to betray them. It is by no means an ordinary run-of-the-mill Western. Required fields are marked *. De Toth shot another, much more memorable 3-D picture in 1953 - the Vincent Price horror film House of Wax. Impressed with his ability, Harry Cohn, head of Columbia Pictures, put the Josie hesitantly admits that to keep Jeff dependent upon her, she lied to him about his being wanted for his association with Quantrill. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Released July 30th, 1953, 'The Stranger Wore a Gun' stars Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine The PG movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 23 min, and received a user score of. They've been making movies up there for years. | George Macready, who belongs in things like "Gilda" rather than oaters like this, kept getting shoved into Randolph Scott Westerns (four of them). Critics Association and the publication of his autobiography, Fragments: (from The Films of Randolph Scott by Robert Nott). NR. He did a lot of hard-boiled crime pictures and did not scruple to show violent scenes. The story starts in the Civil War when Jeff Travis (Randy) is a spy for Quantrill in Lawrence. C-83m. It has Randolph Scott as solid as ever surrounded by a rock solid supporting cast. (uncredited) Cinematography by Lester White . It stars Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and Pierre Watkin. 83m/C VHS, DVD . was If so, they were lost on me.It seems incredible that the experienced cast and crew made such a film but it is indicative of the fact that films, no matter who makes them, have elements that are beyond the control of their makers. Randolph Scott was always well worth watching, well when his acting style matured, especially his work with one of his most prolific directors Budd Boetticher (i.e. An ex-Confederate spy for the Quantrill's Raiders, torched and looted mercilessly for the "Confederate cause" during the Civil War. Newcomer Jules is holding a Mexican gang at bay led by the colorful Degas (Alfonso Bedoya). Free shipping for many products! Borgnine and Lee Marvin are both fun to watch, in these early career roles. The Stranger Wore a Gun 1953Hoping to remove a black mark against his name, Jeff Travis (Scott) goes to Arizona and ends up foiling a stagecoach robbery. I saw this movie in a naval base movie theatre, in, I think, 1956. Scott drank a lot a too sarsaparilla and they understood each other because instead of reading scripts, they read The Wall Street Journal. He loved Westerns and directed eleven Western movies, six of them with Randolph Scott. Condition: Alfonso Bedoya could act but here he is given the role of a stereotypical buffoon. Guardian of the Wilderness aka Mountain Man (Sunn Classic Pictures, 1976), Shoot Out at Big Sag (TV pilot, Brennan Productions, 1962). sculptor rebuilding his wax figure collection (destroyed by fire) by making statues out of When Jeff learns Quantrill intends to keep the spoils instead of using them for the Southern cause, he flees, enlisting in the Confederate Army, where he serves out the remaining war years. Aided by henchmen Dan Kurth and Bull Slager, Jules runs his competitor, the Mexican bandit Degas, out of town. Based on the short story "Yankee Gold" by John M. Cunningham (publication undetermined). Well take a look and remove the review if it doesnt follow our guidelines. Connections The jumbo-sized boulders seem made of stucco and the Sierra Nevadas in the background include Mt. (1944-1952) with whom he had two children. For more information on Quantrill's Raiders, see the entry for the 1940 Republic film Dark Command in AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40. | Born in Mako, Hungary to the son of a civil engineer, De Toth showed an ", Scott, Marvin, Borgnine: Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda. haunting character study of a killer (Gregory Peck) trying to live down his The stranger begins playing one gang against the other to almost be gunned down in the crossfire. He just did it to make a living. Oh well, there goes another prejudice. Jeff goes after Jules but the fire is too much, trapping Jules. In any case, this film has its own tale to tell, and the performances of Scott, Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine are solid. Manchester City Centre, Ancoats, St Peters Square and Whalley Range feature in some of the important scenes in the show. An ok western with a pretty good cast that's a little wasted (not in a Cheech N Chong way). Moments after Josie departs, Kurth and another Mourret henchman, Bull Slager, break into Jeff's room, demanding to know the location of the gold. Shortly afterward, an attempt is made to stop the stage by Degas' and Mourret's gangs, but Jeff gets the stage away safely. Beautiful scarab brooch. This guy just absolutely fascinated me. Green. The Stranger Wore A Gun (203) 5.9 1 h 22 min 1953 13+ A man whose life is saved by a bandit reluctantly joins in a conspiracy to loot the stage lines - and things get hairy when he decides to go straight. recognized with the 1995 life achievement prize by the Los Angeles Film When a fight breaks out between the men, Josie throws a kerosene lamp at Mourret, and the saloon bursts into flames. I sometimes like to watch films that just don't work because it shows you why other films work so well. hostage thriller that boasts some fine performances by Sterling Hayden and Despite the fact that Scott, Gamet, and De Toth worked together on several films, "The Stranger Wore A Gun" still ranks as one of their less luminous efforts. Holding the reins sat the stunt man while 20 yards away, sitting in a canvas chair, sat Scott, all dressed in his cowboy outfit, with legs crossed, reading The Wall Street Journal." The confrontation between Randolph Scott and Ernest Borgnine was also fun - with Mr. Borgnine throwing junk at the camera! One of them is Harlan Cobens best-selling mystery-drama, The Stranger. Randolph Scott plays the morally gray lead with Ernest Borgnine and a fully dark haired Lee Marvey as key heavies for George MacReady's outlaw kingpin, who wants to recruit Scott into his enterprise. Before their respective careers were over, De Toth and Scott would collaborate on Man in the Saddle (1951), Carson City (1952), The Stranger Wore a Gun, Thunder Over the Plains (1953), Riding Shotgun (1954), and The Bounty Hunter (1954). Entertaining. The script is so poor that even fine actors like Earnest Borgnine and Lee Marvin are uninteresting. From 1957 on, Gamet mostly wrote Casey Jones episodes for TV and that was probably his mtier. Jeff arranges to meet Mourret, whom he recognizes as the stranger who helped him escape the river boat. 5 star's seller. The location shooting was done at Movie Flats off Route 395 near Lone Pine, California, and, along with a lot of faces in this film, will be familiar to experienced moviegoers. Meanwhile, Jeff explains his entire past to the Conroys and, warned by Josie, evades Mourret and the vigilante group. He decides to settle in Prescott, Arizona, where he takes a job driving for the Conroy Stage Company. Andr De Toth wrote (in De Toth on De Toth): I believe Randolph Scott could have gone further as a performer. Jeff returns the gold to the Conroys, then in his hotel room confesses to Josie his distress about Jake's brutal murder and his life as an outlaw. In the early sixties film work became increasingly scarce for De Toth and he found himself The premise sounded interesting as was seeing how early 3D would fare. affair because he feels stifled in his picture-perfect home (a devoted wife, son, The Confederate guerrilla leader William Clarke Quantrill was all the rage at the time, having appeared in several movies, such as Kansas Raiders in 1950 or Woman They Almost Lynched the same year as The Stranger Wore a Gun, in both pictures played by Brian Donlevy, as well as on the page in Frank Grubers Quantrells Raiders (Quantrell was a frequent alternative spelling), also in 53. Something went wrong. (1944), launched his Hollywood career. He was a handsome man; took have seen several retrospectives and he enjoyed a renewed popularity at film 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 'The Stranger Wore a Gun' did have a good deal of potential. Both of those films, plus this film, all derive somewhat from The Glass Key, which was filmed twice before The Stranger Wore A Gun was released in 1953. Jeff Travis (Randolph Scott) had been a spy for the notorious Quantrill's Raiders who torched and looted mercilessly for the "Confederate cause" during the Civil War. from 1910 to 1913. "I believe Randolph Scott could have gone further as a performer," De Toth said. Mourret himself has to be held back for a dramatic death in a burning saloon. Entertaining. Of course Scott delivers in his usual understated but excellent style. On one trip, some men confront Jeff about his past connection with Quantrill, and with the help of a stranger, Jeff escapes. Sold by: Soundtracks, Although the film was another 3-D film by director Andre De Toth, he only had one eye and would never be able to see the result of the process. When his plan to have another gang get. 2023 Turner Classic Movies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. What is the French language plot outline for The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953)? Originally shot in 3-D, this is based on the novel "Yankee Gold" by John M. Cunning ham. | The Stranger Wore a Gun is a 1953 American Western film directed by Andre DeToth and starring Randolph Scott and Claire Trevor. Sign Up now to stay up to date with all of the latest news from TCM. )Those films were based on Dashiell Hammett's novel of 1931. Whitney, as colorful as a painted backdrop. In its slate of new content for 2020, Netflix has relied a lot on the book to screen adaptations of some popular books as well as some of the lesser-known ones. During the American Civil War, the Quantrill's raiders use the spy Jeff Travis (Randolph Scott) to plunder the city of Lawrence, in Kansas, and Travis leaves Quantrill when he sees the massacre of the town. If they can't lend color to a script, then you know it is a stinker. All in all, the film's offbeat style and great ensemble cast make this well worth watching a time or two. striking as one of the first films to examine the American dream gone sour. many, this film best articulated many of the recurring themes in De Toth's Randolph Scott Collection: The Stranger Wore a Gun / Western Union / 7th Cavalry ( The Stranger Wore a Gun / Western Union / 7th Cavalry ) Product details MPAA rating : Unrated (Not Rated) Package Dimensions : 7.64 x 5.43 x 1.73 inches; 7.05 Ounces Director : Andr De Toth, Fritz Lang, Joseph H. Lewis According to De Toth, Scott wasn't even all that interested in acting. When one of Mourret's men kills the driver of the wagon, Travis schemes a plan to get rid of the gang. The next day the Conroy stage arrives carrying Josie and Mexican bandit leader Degas, Mourret's rival, who also anticipates stealing the line's gold transports. If you go for a B grader, you at least get a watchable Saturday afternoon potboiler. its day. Randy rides his fancy palomino Stardust and on one occasion shoots Lee Marvins hat off. That night Jeff and Dan face off ready to draw but Jeff is faster. 80 minute western with a stacked cast and directed by Andre De Toth. festivals from Scotland to San Francisco. Was it supposed to be entertaining? See more The Stranger Wore a Gun (DVD, 2005), - eBay Money Back Guarantee - opens in a new window or tab, Report this item - opens in new window or tab. He takes a job on the stage line that Mourret is trying to steal gold from. (In 1935 with George Raft and 1942 with Alan Ladd. It stars Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and Pierre Watkin. Marvin is about the best actor after Randy. Somewhat of a mentor to him as well as lover is the soiled dove Josie Sullivan, played knowingly by Claire Trevor. Soon enough, he learns that the legitimate government has fled the former state Capital and the town is now in the hands of outlaw gangs. TV Shows. Producer Harry Joe Brown made multiple story eliminations in order to gain PCA script approval. Indeed, this sprawling outdoors action epic presents Scott in one of his least sympathetic roles, and the violence here at times turns unsavory courtesy of original "House of Wax" helmer Andre De Toth whose films often explore the dark side. The working titles of the film were I Ride Alone and Yankee Gold. Manchester has also served as the filming location of another Netflix series based on Cobens book starring Michael C. Hall, Safe. However, in its adaptation, Netflix takes it to the other side of the pond, which not only warrants a lot of change in the backdrop of the scenes but also in the story as a whole. Starring Dick Powell, Lizabeth Scott and Josie warns Jeff that he is wanted for the Lawrence raid and on her advice, Jeff jumps ship and heads West. The author of the book, Harlan Coben explained why the idea of transferring the mystery to a new setting felt great to him. Places in Stockport like The Plaza and the Market Place also feature in some of the scenes of the show. With Randolph Scott in his best outfit riding his best horse (Starlight) and looking and acting his dusty old best, and with Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine at their early villainous peaks, this could have been something. Macready was a great villain but not a western villain. In fact, none of the characters are at all interesting, compared to the endlessly interesting characters in the Boetticher films. The story is an odd one. The picture opens with the historically infamous attack on Lawrence, Kansas by Quantrill's Raiders in 1863, and the shadow of that event hangs over the character of Lieutenant Jeff Travis (Randolph Scott) for the remainder of the story. Conroy avoided being robbed by hiding the gold in a different location for each trip, never revealing the hiding place to the driver. It was not until recently that De Toth began to receive Mourret is unsuccessful trying to steal the money and gold transported by the company but is frequently lured by Jason Conroy (Pierre Watkin); he intends to use Travis to get inside information about the transportation of gold. For example, we have speeded-up film when horses gallop. Following a fracas on a riverboat, he ends up in Prescott, Arizona, just as the capital of the territory is being moved to Phoenix because of the lack of law and order in the town. Technicolor/3-Dimension production, music is by Mischa Bakaleinikoff and cinematography by Lester White. He decides to settle in Prescott . He rides to Prescott, Arizona to start a new life, and ends up working for the crooked saloon owner Jules Mouret (George Macready). The Stranger Wore a Gun is a Scott-Brown production for Columbia and a priori a cut above some of the Westerns Randolph Scott did. Jules shoots Degas and tries to rob the stage but is stopped when Jeff kicks Dan off and returns to town. | Jeff Travis, a spy for Quantrill's Raiders, leaves when he he realizes Quantrill's true nature. Having been a spy for Quantrill's raiders during the Civil War, Jeff Travis thinking himself a wanted man, flees to Prescott Arizona where he runs into Jules Mourret who knows of his past. Claire Trevor.. I thought, facetiously, "Boy oscar is written oll over that!" The rocks themselves are studded with bolts and adhesions of cement left over from early productions, which date back at least to "Gunga Din." The stars keep coming with super heavies Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin doing the bidding of fellow Raider Jules Mourret (George Macready). He has clearly just learned his lines and says them with an inane grin on his face. Quotes Originally photographed in 3-D, but often only exhibited in flat prints after its initial first and second run engagements. This is why I have chosen Manchester for a location, where the book might be set in New Jersey, he said. Randolph Scott probably was in more westerns than any other Hollywood star and some of those films were purportedly pretty good. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Free shipping for many products! He is one of the very finest Western movie heroes, period. In reality the stranger with gun savvy is working with a strong willed loyalist(George Macready) to the Confederation trying to discover where scads of gold is being hid. He was a gentleman villain whose evil was best expressed over a Chateaubriand and a fine red - not a whiskey. I have a feeling that a lot of The Stranger Wore a Gun was left on the cutting room floor and if someone's ever interested in a director's cut it might explain some of the holes in this story. Eventually, Scott gets rid of some of the baddies and makes it a nicer place to live. Condition: After the smoke clears, Scott and Macready remain, and they shoot it out in a top-notch . Theres also an anecdote about Ernest Borgnine. A strong cast comes to the aid of this implausible Randolph Scott western, originally released in 3D in the United States.