A man needs a reason to ride this country…
In Ride Lonesome (1959) the reasons are vengeance, bounty and amnesty. The penultimate Ranown western serves up all three but the focus remains firmly on the first. The notion of a lone man driven on by the pain of a past trauma is a recurring theme in Boetticher’s westerns, and is explored in depth in Ride Lonesome. Of the seven films Boetticher and star Randolph Scott made together, I would say this is the best; the plot, dialogue, imagery and performances all mesh to perfection. Nothing is wasted in this picture, where every shot, every gesture and every word is loaded with significance.
The viewer is immediately pitched into the action from the opening shot of the starkly familiar rocky landscape of Lone Pine, and the tension and pace never let up until the final credits roll. Ben Brigade (Scott) is introduced as a lone bounty hunter, and within minutes of appearing on screen has captured a young outlaw. Moving on to the nearest stagecoach swing station, with the outlaw’s brother in pursuit, he finds himself in another dangerous situation. The only occupants are the station master’s wife (Karen Steele) and two wanted men, Boone and Whit (Pernell Roberts and James Coburn), looking to find a way out of their current situation. Turning in the young prisoner would allow them to take advantage of an offer of amnesty, but that also necessitates their disposing of Brigade. The lone hero now finds himself part of an uneasy group and facing threats from three fronts; his new companions, the chasing pack of outlaws and a rampaging Mescalero war party. As the story progresses it becomes apparent that Brigade’s determination to see his captive to Santa Cruz, and an appointment with the hangman, is only part of his motivation. It’s fairly clear that the boy is merely the bait with which Brigade hopes to hook a bigger and more personal catch, although the exact reason for this isn’t revealed until the climax. In these moments, as Brigade stands and gazes impassively at the twisted hanging tree, the full power of the tale strikes home. The cold, unemotional hunter of men is no longer just a bounty killer but a figure lifted straight from classical tragedy.
Ride Lonesome offered Scott one of his harshest characters in Ben Brigade. There’s very little humour on display and even in those moments when he shows some modicum of tenderness towards Karen Steele it’s of the gruff and brusque variety. However, this is absolutely in keeping with a man who’s carrying around deep scars. Burt Kennedy supplied him with his finest, most distinctive dialogue and Scott delivers it in a suitably terse fashion. Pernell Roberts and James Coburn (in his screen debut) are excellent as the bad men who aren’t all bad – the real villain of the piece is Lee Van Cleef, and the only complaint that could be made about him is that he gets so little screen time. Karen Steele looks good and plays the typically tough and stoical Boetticher heroine whose only moment of weakness comes when she learns the fate of her missing husband. This was the director’s first film in cinemascope and he employs the wide lens to great effect. The action takes place exclusively outdoors and once again highlights Boetticher’s gift for disguising the limited budget he had to work with. There’s a Fordian quality to the tiny figures dwarfed by an expansive landscape which mirrors the scripts nods to the old master. Isn’t there something vaguely familiar about that story of the embittered, driven man on a vengeful quest only to find himself alone and apart from society at its end? There’s also a degree of religious symbolism in the climactic scenes with Scott standing before the hanging tree which resembles a crude cross. It’s as though he has borne his own cross for years and now returns to his personal Golgotha to lay the past to rest before the final cathartic act of burning the tree.
Ride Lonesome is another strong DVD transfer by Sony. Like the other titles in the Films of Budd Boetticher set, the colours are strong and true, and the picture looks suitably filmic. There is a commentary track provided, and another of those short featurettes with Martin Scorsese. As I said earlier, I think this is the best of the lot – Boetticher’s finest film, and a real treat for western fans.
Riding the High Country 
I’d quite agree; my favourite too – ‘Yes ma’am!’ I’ve mentioned previously Kennedy’s great script, it’s beautifully shot, a wonderful performance from Scott, Coburn gives us a glimpse of Britt (when he two fists his hand gun) and Adam Cartwright – what more do you want?
It’s been quite excellent to watch these so close together in sequence; they seem to resonate like passages in one great suite of music. One of the collections of the year.
Nice piece Colin.
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Thanks. I’ll put up pieces on the remaining two in the coming days but I deliberately left those to the end. They both have a slightly different quality; that’s not a criticism though.
I’m firmly convinced this is the set of the year for me – well worth waiting for.
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I bought this set based on the strength of Seven Men from Now, and I have to say I totally agree with your assessment. Ride Lonesome is hands down the best of the bunch. I like them all, but the tone and flow of Ride Lonsome is perfection.
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Thanks for the comment James.
Ride Lonesome is certainly the most accomplished film in the set, but there’s not really a dud among them. I honestly couldn’t say enough good things about this release and Sony deserve lots of kudos for putting it out there. In fact, I’d say they’re the most improved studio of 2008. Not only have they mined their back catalogue, but the presentation of everything they’ve released this year has been right out of the top drawer.
Let’s hope they keep it up.
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Other than the upcoming Michael Powell set, do you know any of the other sets Sony will be releasing in this series?
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Well, a Sony official has indicated that a Film Noir vol.1 is slated for 2009 (with further volumes to follow), and it was suggested that a Peter Lorre set was in the works for 2010 – whether this actually pans out or how they’ll be marketed I couldn’t say. I also understand that a Kim Novak box is under consideration.
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Earlier this year, Home Cinema Choice magazine also said there would be Rita Hayworth, Frank Capra & William Castle collections under his banner.
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Yes. Thanks John, those completely slipped my mind.
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It’s a good time to love classic movies.
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Nice review. I’m a big fan of the later Randolph Scott. Maybe in most of his Westerns he played pretty much the same type of guy, but why complain when he did it so well. Ben Brigade – how do they come up with cool names like that? – is really the essence of all (later) Scott roles. The ending with the burning tree was stunning.
I was a bit surprised that Pernell Roberts got the girl in the end and not Scott, but I guess Scott was at the end of his career.
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It’s very difficult to try to decide on the best of the Scott/Boetticher movies – generally, the best I can manage is shuffling between this, Seven Men from Now, The Tall T and Comanche Station. All of those are largely great and it’s simply a matter of which one strikes the right chords with me on any given day.
Actually, I’m glad Brigade didn’t go off with the girl in this one as it would not have been in keeping with the character and his spiritual journey, in my opinion. I think the imagery at the end of the burning tree and Brigade standing before it is so powerful that any concession to “Hollywood Happy” would have diluted it and hurt it badly.
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Good point about the ending, and Pernell Roberts was such a good-looking man anyway. 🙂
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That’s one of the great strengths of the Ranown westerns, in my opinion – their integrity in terms of resolution and not always taking the easier, crowd-pleasing option.
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I’d seen this fine film years ago. It was excellent then, but when I just recently viewed it in HD it was superb. For me the best of the Scott/Boetticher efforts coupled with Burt Kennedy’s dialogue and script. For those that haven’t seen it in HD equivalent or better here you go……………..
Ride Lonesome .Western.1080p. R Scott, James Coburn. #1959HD …
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I agree. A wonderful piece of cinema.
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Colin
A fine cast, fine direction and just one hell of a fine movie all around. One of Scott’s best.
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It really is right out of the top drawer. This movie alongside The Tall T, Comanche Station & Seven Men from Now shows Scott and Boetticher and Kennedy at their very best.
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Excellent review. I think its my favorite of the cycle. Watched it recently from the Mill Creek set and it looked superb in HD on a big screen. Played better than ever! That widescreen is masterfully used just like in ‘Comanche Station’.
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There’s not really a wafer’s worth of difference in quality between this film, Comanche Station, The Tall T and Seven Men from Now in my opinion. That such a high standard was attained and maintained in that way says a lot.
I got the UK Indicator Blu-ray set of these films a few years ago and certainly look wonderful.
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