MovieChat Forums > Silver Lode (1954) Discussion > This is a great western!

This is a great western!

posted 15 years ago by wtl471629
5 replies | jump to latest

It may have been inspired by High Noon and Joseph McCarthy influence but it is a great suspenseful western made in beautiful color. I was fortunate to find a dvd on sale and see it but hopefully the Encore Western Channel, TCM or someone else will show this movie that has been neglected by tv. The entire cast is very good especially Dan Duryea who steals the movie as McCarthy. Also outstanding is Dolores Moran as John Payne's old flame and there is great chemistry in the scenes between her and Duryea especially the confrontation in her room even though brief.
Other actors in the movie include as Duryea's deputies Harry Carey, Jr. who made many movies with John Wayne, Alan Hale Jr. who later was the Skipper on Gilligan's Island, and great actor Stuart Whitman who was in movies and tv seeries Cimarron Strip.
The story takes place in continueous action on a Fourth of July and there is pleanty of action and suspense even though there is not a big fist fight as most westerns have. Hopefully tv will show this movie soon so everyone can enjoy it but it is worth the price of paying for a dvd. Enjoy.

[–] wtl471629 15 years ago

It is interesting that the movie was an Anti-McCarthy western and influenced by High Noon but I also agree with the review by bsmith that this movie stands alone as a great western with pleanty of suspense and action. In fact nowadays I would recommend people watch it as that type of movie. It is great.

[–] rudykawa 13 years ago

I just thought it was very non-believable the scene in the barn that threw everybody against him. Too much coincidences happening at the same time, and some of the actions a little bit without a sense. Like him picking up that gun for no apparent reason.

[–] amikelhenry 9 years ago

I am with you...regardless innocent people killed like the sheriff..there had to be a better way to handle it..I thought the volunteer posse would have worked..inconvenient yes..but certainly would have saved bloodshed in the town

[–] jriley555 (7060) 6 years ago

that's when i turned it off. john payne was a lousy actor, anyway. always scowling.

duryea, though, always gave good smarmy villain

how did lizbeth scott ever become a thing? homely.

the colors on the saloon lady's dress - dazzling!!!

[–] allen-406-128450 8 years ago

I absolutely agree and it is the archetype of so many of the television westerns that followed in the 60s. You see Payne and Duryea's characters repeated so often and with the same women supporting types too. A classic with great camera work. Sure it's a B movie with low budget sets but it showed television how to do it.

I had a hard time tracking this DVD down but got it through Netflix.