Sadly Over-hyped
Highly Overrated But Still Good
I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.
View MoreEasily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.
View MoreCopyright 1958 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at RKO neighborhood cinemas: 4 June 1958. U.S. release: 1 June 1958. U.K. release: 27 July 1958. Australian release: 17 July 1958. 100 minutes. U.K. and Australian release title: MAN HUNT (up to 150 feet censored).SYNOPSIS: Tod Lohman (Don Murray), a peace-loving man, is pursued across the New Mexico wastelands by Tom Boyd (Dennis Hopper), his brother Otis (Ken Scott), and a small posse who wish to believe Tod had murdered another brother when actually the brother had accidentally fallen on Tod's knife during a fight. Hunter Boyd (R. G. Armstrong), their father, a cattle baron who writes his own laws, seeks revenge. Tod meets Amos Bradley (Chill Wills), a rancher, and his daughter, Nita (Diane Varsi). Amos knows the Boyds are after Tod but he himself has no love for any of them.NOTES: One of the two best westerns of the 1950s, according to William K. Everson in his comprehensive study of the genre. (The other is "Shane").COMMENT: Disappointing. True, the action spots are most effectively staged and directed with all that customary Hathaway vigor. True also that the heavy is an appropriately strong, interesting character — "a powerful wicked man but with a peculiar sense of justice all his own" — forcefully played by R. G. Armstrong. But with the exception of Jay C. Flippen and John Larch (and these parts are not all that large), the rest of the characters are weak and uninteresting. And alas they are just as insipidly played by folk like Chill Wills and Diane Varsi. Admittedly Dennis Hopper is supposed to be weak — so he's excused — but when the hero Don Murray is tepid too it doesn't exactly make for gripping conflict. The Varsi character for all her gameness is still a pretty conventional heroine. As for Chill Wills, he's so stereotyped and so bland, he ends up just plain dull. The movie would impact more powerfully with a lot of trimming. One of the first scenes to leave on the cutting-room floor is a romantic interlude in which either Hathaway or his editor has experimented with odd angle cutting. It doesn't work. Also ripe for the shears are some boringly long-winded dialogue scenes with Murray, Varsi and Wills.Locations are well utilized, though their appeal is somewhat undermined by obvious day-for-night lensing and glaring process screen backdrops. And we're still saddled with that early CinemaScope fuzzy photography. Other production credits are no more than par.
View MoreThe stars, Murray & Varsi, are good if a little bland. The old-timers, Wills & Armstrong, steal the show & give the movie some extra flavor. Hopper plays the role of "the youngest son" with the usual angst we have come to expect from him. Nice scenery, simple plot, well-directed. Overall, an enjoyable adult western with lots of shooting. I rate it 8/10.
View MoreThis western has all the elements that make it highly watchable. It is fast paced and full of action, has interesting characters you care about and romance but not too much and good plotting. The casting is excellent especially with Murray in the lead and one has to wonder why it is sitting on a shelf somewhere while lesser films are on video and TV and shown repeatedly. The unavailability of this film and other good films make me wonder what the selection process involves and who makes the decisions that govern what we ultimately view. There are not many votes for "From Hell To Texas" but in my opinion that is because many have never had the chance to view it in the first place. On the other hand many mediocre films have many votes probably because they are available rather than of quality. I can think of at least half a dozen films that fall in the same category. There should be some better method of resurrecting films like "From Hell To Texas" so that generations behind me can at least have the opportunity to know that a film like this even exists.
View MorePerhaps it was because of the title changes, or the lack of availability, or lack of TV time but this fine Western has been all but forgotten. Too bad. It deals with obsession and stubborness and how these decisions lead inexorably to disaster - as administered by Don Murray who really is not the catalyst (that may be disputed by some!). It came out the same time as Bonanza did on TV and yes there is a patriarchical family here too with such as John Larch as the eldest son and Dennis Hopper as the youngest. They both put in their usual fine jobs. This is a disturbing and unpleasant adult movie. I saw it once and never forgot it - and I'm still looking for the VHS.
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