The Naked Spur

Yet another movie I'd seen before at Film Forum. This one was just as great the second time. I love how sparse the setup is - basically there are only 5 actors for the majority of the movie.

Stewart plays a man on a mission in the post Civil War landscape. He wants to capture the outlaw played by Robert Ryan so he can collect the $5,000 reward. But he enlists the help of an old man and a wandering soldier (played by Ralph Meeker: Kiss Me Deadly, The Wild Bunch) along the way despite his best intentions otherwise. Ryan is traveling with a female companion played by Janet Leigh. For the most part, the movie is about the five of them traveling on horseback in order to deliver Ryan to the authorities.

Ryan is a bad mofo though so watch out Jimmy!

The script and pacing are perfect. Every 10 minutes or so, there's a new development in the proceedings. What is Jimmy's secret? Will Janet Leigh realize how bad Ryan is? Will Ryan escape? Will the wandering soldier do something stupid? Will the Indians get them? What about the old man?

I love this movie.

Directed by Anthony Mann
1953
TCM