A Lawless Street

4/30/2016

Yes, I know my rating for this is a tad high, but I just love both Randolph's work in general and Angela Lansbury at this really sexy juncture of her career. They have a really good chemistry together, even though the age difference is a shade on the 'Love in the Afternoon' or 'Lolita' side and can be a bit unnerving. Though I've enjoyed other Joseph H. Lewis films, such as 'Invisible Ghost' and 'Gun Crazy', he still doesn't have the touch for Western material that Scott would later enjoy in his collaborations with Budd Boetticher. It's not as dramatic a difference as comparing apples and oranges, but it is noticeable. At least when it comes to Westerns (I haven't seen other types of films by Boetticher), the guy's definitely an auteur, on the level of, say, an Anthony Mann, Howard Hawks o

2/9/2017

Funny how a man softens to another when once he's killed him. Marshal Calem Ware (Randolph Scott) is tired of Medicine Bend, tired of killing and tired of reprobates trying to kill him. He's also haunted by pain in his past. So when the past resurfaces and yet another scum-bag turns up to put out his light, Calem faces what he hopes will be the final day of reckoning. Brought to us by the Scott/Brown production company, A Lawless Street is directed by Joseph H. Lewis, adapted from a Brad Ward story (Marshal of Medicine Bend) by Kenneth Gamet and features cinematography from Ray Rennahan at French Ranch - Hidden Valley Road, Thousand Oaks in California. Joining Scott in the cast are Angela Lansbury, Warner Anderson, Jean Parker & Wallace Ford. This film came a year before Scott wou