7 Men from Now (1956)
directed by
written by
The first of seven Westerns Boetticher made with Randolph Scott. As much as I love most of them (The Tall T and Ride Lonesome are two of the best Westerns), 7 Men from Now is a disappointment on rewatching. Scott is great as a man hunting the seven men responsible for his wife's death. Lee Marvin is very good as a man of unclear loyalties. As is true of all these movies, it's tight and economical, but unlike the others, it's saddled with a soggy love story and a poor score. The ending is soft and detracts from the hardness the film otherwise strives for.
I never "got" Randolph Scott until I saw him in Sam Peckinpah's magnificent Ride the High Country (1962). I'll write about that one down the line, but suffice it to say, Scott retired after filming it, supposedly considering it a perfect way to end his career (he was also worth a reputed $100 million).
When I discovered the Boetticher movies, I really got Scott. He's the strong, silent Western hero apotheosis. Pushing sixty and still looking like he could snap most men in half, he's got power and dignity on the screen that makes his performances as strong-willed, driven men of experience completely believable.
Walter Reed is fine as the eager Easterner making his way with his wife to California. As his wife, Gail Russell is a little too teary-eyed and comes across as way too eager to jump Scott's bones the first chance she gets. It's all very cheesy and really detracts from the rest of the film.
verdict: we're going to keep it so I have all the Scott-Boetticher films, but it is flawed.
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| Randolph Scott |
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