MovieChat Forums > Rancho Notorious (1952) Discussion > My review of Rancho Notorious

My review of Rancho Notorious


I specialize in reviewing Westerns. See my all my user reviews at:

http://www.imdb.com/user/ur22999317/comments

Thanks for reading!!


Synopsis: Vern Haskell, a nice rancher, seeks out to avenge his fiancé's death when she is killed during a robbery. His revenge leads him to Chuck-a-luck, Altar Keane's ranch set up to hide criminals, and he finds more than he bargains for.

Personally, I find most European "art" movies unwatchable. However, Fritz Lang's Hollywood movies are different. They have this weird arty European vibe, but combined with basic American entertainment practicality. This is what makes "Rancho Notorious" so worth watching.

Here's a list of positives:

- I got wrapped up in this story. I cared about the characters and found it very tense and engrossing.

- This is just an great part for Marlene Dietrich. It fits her like a glove and she hits the ball way out of the park. Lang does a great job building Altar Keane's character with a series of flashbacks.

- Arthur Kennedy's lead character, Vern Haskell, abandons a posse and sets out on a solo epic journey to track down the killer/rapist of his fiancé. Six years later, a similar storyline formed the basis of the greatest Western ever made, "The Searchers". Unlike, Ethan Edwards, Verne travels alone, an alienated individual roaming the formless, vast West bent on revenge.

- Lang milks the concept of a community of outlaws, or brotherhood of outlaws to the maximum in this film. This is one of those arty European things that adds so much to the movie and makes watching it such a different experience from the average Western.

The movie is limited by the following problems:

- You have to look past the silly song narration to enjoy this film.

- This was shot completely in Burbank on some of the phoniest sets I've ever seen.

- Not a single Indian, Civil War or Mexican theme introduced, outside of some Mexican servants.

- Poorly developed heavy. Kinch, the rapist/murderer, has a very small part and is a blatant coward.

- No comic relief.

- Mel Ferrer seems very stiff and out of place against fine performances by Dietrich and Kennedy.

- Hey, I love Arthur Kennedy. Although he gets the most out of his acting ability in this film, he's just not a legit romantic lead, especially opposite Dietrich. Some more starpower in that spot would have elevated this movie substantially. Kennedy was a great supporting actor, see is role as Vic Hansbro in "The Man From Laramie", or as Emerson Cole in "Bend of the River".

"I don't deserve this. I was building a house"
"Deserves got nothin' to do with it"

reply

"Personally, I find most European "art" movies unwatchable. However, Fritz Lang's Hollywood movies are different. They have this weird arty European vibe, but combined with basic American entertainment practicality."

Lost me there, pal. Sounds like one hell of an ignorant statement.

I leaned on the wall - the wall leaned away.

reply

I didn't much care for Dietrich in this film.
Her performance seems to be a cross between her own Frenchy in DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, and Barbara Stanwyck's later Victoria Barkley in THE BIG VALLEY.

reply

Sounds like one hell of an ignorant statement.


How is it "ignorant" when it makes sense, generally speaking. He's saying that Lang had a way to bring the two worlds together in cinema -- Euro artiness and more straightforward American entertainment.

A good example of these two worlds can be observed in two similar movies that debuted around the same time, one American and the other European. I'm talking about "Season of the Witch" and "Black Death" respectively. Both flicks are dark, gritty and brutal in their depictions of Medieval Europe, but "Season of the Witch" is more of a stereotypical blockbuster with modish protagonists, amusing one-liners and CGI-laden climax. "Black Death" is deeper, more thought-provoking and realistic. "Season" is the more conventionally entertaining of the two whereas "Black" has more meat on its bones and leaves you scratching your head, which is why I slightly prefer it.

The OP was simply pointing out that Lang effectively brought these two worlds together in "Rancho Notorious."

reply

nice review



When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

reply