The Tall T 4K 1957

Pat Brennan, a former manager for a wealthy landowner, now wants to acquire his own piece of land, raise cattle, and basically start an independent life. On his way back from town, where Brennan has just lost a horse to his former boss in a bet, instead of picking up a breeding bull, he is picked up by an old friend, the stagecoach driver Ed. Willard Mims and his wife Doretta, the daughter of the owner of one of the largest copper mines in the area, are on a sort of honeymoon in this stagecoach.

At the first stop, the stagecoach falls into a trap and is captured by three bandits led by a certain Frank Asher. It is unclear how things would have ended if the newlywed, who was quite frightened, had not immediately revealed who they had captured and how much money they could get for it.

Western films are, of course, genre films, and therefore the plot of such films is often predictable. The film ‘The Tall T’ is no exception. It is not difficult to guess who will be killed and who will emerge victorious. Nevertheless, the authors have tried to add a little variety. Not as much as one might have liked, but still. First and foremost, of course, is the main character, Patrick Brennan. Outwardly confident and respectable in every way, he is unable to break in a tribal bull—what kind of hero is that for a Western? And after a while, you even start to wonder if he'll do anything to save the woman, or even save himself. Or will he just let himself be killed, but with his head held high?

On the other hand, Doretta Mims is an unattractive woman who would probably have remained a spinster if it weren't for her father's mines. Usually in a western, the main character defeats the bandits and rides off with some beauty (or “dumps” her, but still, she's beautiful).

The result is not particularly original, but it is a unique, intimate film. I liked it. As I did the other two westerns directed by Bud Boetticher, co-written by Bert Kennedy and starring Randolph Scott.