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Return of the Bad Men

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Billy the Kid, Bill Doolin, the Younger Brothers, and The Sundance Kid team up to rob Gabby Hayes' bank. They're seated in his office when the picture opens and Gabby doesn't recognize any of them. Randolph Scott does and is he mad when he finds out they've been to his ranch and murdered his foreman! Sundance (Robert Ryan) is the vicious dude who did the deed. He's ready to cut down everybody, including Billy.Tom Tyler and Robert Armstrong are supporting players, but its hard to take your eyes off Ryan, he's that terrific in this western. Where were the Oscars when he was around? Come to think of it, why were B-pictures snubbed by the Oscars? They were the studios' big money-makers.

Lawman Vance Cordell(Randolph Scott)is about to settle down with pretty widow, Madga Allen(Jacqueline White)Madgas father in banker(George Gabby Hayes).
Word comes that the West most notorious outlaws are getting together for a crime spree.The worst of them all is Sundance(Robert Ryan)
After a raid,Cheyanne(Ann Jeffereys)the only female in the gang is wounded.She makes her way to Cordells home where The Lawman takes her in and fixes her up with plans to later take her in.After telling her jail is no place for a pretty young lady and trying to get her straight Cheyanne changes her mind about outlaws and crime.Vance has his share of problems with the outlaws and their raids,Cheyanne and Madga not liking each other,and the brutal Sundance.Great Western.Dont Miss.

B westerns were all the rage from the late 40s through 1960, and no one symbolized them more than Randolph Scott. He averaged 3 per year from 1946 through 1957, making as many as 5 in 1951. His friend Joel McCrea averaged slightly less, with a peak of 4 in 1957. The A list actors were also busy. Jimmy Stewart and Anthony Mann produced more than half a dozen films in the 50s, most of them B westerns ("Winchester 73", "The Naked Spur") and Stewart managed a few without Mann ("Broken Arrow", "Carbine Williams", "Night Passage"). The Duke was busy too, although his westerns were usually considered A films ("Rio Grande", "The Searchers", and "Rio Bravo").

"Return of the Bad Men" is the quintessential B western. It was spawned by the success of 1946's "Badman's Territory", also starring Randolph Scott and Gabby Hayes and also involving a plethora of famous gunslingers.

Handsome and rugged Randolph Scott is the Marshal. Randolph Scott (1898-1987) started in silent films and his early career involved playing a variety of characters in a variety of films - "My Favorite Wife" (1940), "To the Shores of Tripoli" (1941), "Captain Kidd" (1945), "Home Sweet Homicide" (1946) - but by the 50s he was appearing exclusively in B westerns - "Sugarfoot" (1951), "Carson City" (1952), "The Bounty Hunter" (1954), "7th Calvary" (1956), "Westbound" (1958) - most of which were directed by Budd Boetticher (7 films) or Andre de Toth (6 films).

George "Gabby" Hayes" (1885-1969) plays a Bank President. Hayes was John Wayne's sidekick in dozens of films from 1933 ("Riders of Destiny") to 1935 ("Rainbow Valley") when Hayes moved on to partner with Hopalong Cassidy and later with Roy Rogers and then Gene Autry. Hayes made nearly 200 films between 1929 and 1950. This was one of his last films because he started his own TV show which ran from 1950 to 1954.

Robert Ryan is The Sundance Kid. Ryan (1909-1973) made nearly 100 films between 1940 and 1973. In his early years he often played a villain especially in film noir dramas ("Crossfire", "Act of Violence") then transitioned into the tough guy with a good heart role ("On Dangerous Ground"). My personal favorite Ryan role is Deke Thornton in "The Wild Bunch" (1969).

Anne Jeffreys (1923) plays Scott's love interest and the niece of one of the outlaws. She's best known from her TV series with husband Robert Sterling as the couple who are haunted by "Topper" (1953-5). She was nominated for a Golden Globe for "The Delphi Bureau" (1972) and played David Hasselhoff's mom on "Baywatch".

Robert Armstrong (1890-1973) will always be best known for his role as hunter Carl Denham in "King Kong" (1933), as well as "Mighty Joe Young" (1949) even though he performed in 160 films including "Palooka" (1934), "G Men" (1935). "Man of Conquest" (1939) and "Blood on the Sun" (1945). Armstrong plays Wild Bill Doolin (think of the Eagle's song "Doolin Dalton").

Steve Brodie (1919-92) is Cole Younger. He made more than 100 films between 1944 and 1988. In "Badman's Territory" (1946) he played Bob Dalton.

"Sexy Lexy" Lex Barker (1919-73) plays Emmett Dalton. He's best known for his 5 Tarzan films (1949 - 53) which he got on the basis of this film.

Ray Enright (1896-1965) directs. He made more than 70 films between 1921 and 1956, mostly for Warners, and mostly westerns.

This film came out in 1948, a year in which Bogart and Huston teamed up to make the #4 top grossing film of the year and went on to win two Oscars (Director, Supporting Actor). Other top 10 grossing films were "The Red Shoes", "The Three Musketeers", "Red River", "Easter Parade", "Johnny Belinda", "The Snake Pit" and "Joan of Arc". "Key Largo" came in at #12 and also won an Oscar for Claire Trevor.

1948 westerns included John Ford's "Fort Apache", Glenn Ford in "The Man from Colorado", Howard Hawks' "Red River, John Huston's "Treasure of the Sierra Madre", and Gregory Peck's "Yellow Sky". There was even a western comedy from Abbott & Costello- "The Noose Hangs High'.

"Return of the Bad Men" did so well that RKO put out a 3rd film, "Best of the Bad men" (1951) which starred Robert Ryan, Claire Trevor, and Jack Buetel with an all star supporting cast including Robert Preston, Walter Brennan, Bruce Cabot, Lawrence Tierney, and Barton MacLane.

If you're a fan of B westerns, this one is for you. But there really isn't anything special about it.

RKO Pictures presents "RETURN OF THE BADMEN" (1948) 90 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- Starring Randolph Scott, Robert Ryan, Anne Jeffreys, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Robert Ryan & Lex Barker --- Directed by Ray Enright and released in July 17, 1948, our story line and film, Randolph Scott plays US Marshal Vance, assigned to rid the Oklahoma Territory of outlaws ... This proves to be quite a challenge, inasmuch as virtually every frontier bad man has converged upon the territory. Led by the surly Sundance Kid (Robert Ryan), the rogue's gallery includes the Younger Brothers (Steve Brodie, Richard Powers, Robert Bray), the Daltons (Lex Barker, Walter Reed, Michael Harvey) and Billy the Kid (Dean White) --- The genesis of this film can be traced to the success of 1947's "Badman's Territory". RKO Radio decided to assemble another western about famous outlaws and this film was the result. The film posted a huge profit, spawning yet another famous outlaws western from RKO, 1951's "Best of the Badmen" --- Director Ray Enright keeps the film moving with plenty of action, including a final shootout involving a burning cart of hay --- George "Gabby" Hayes is a good-hearted leading citizen standing up for law and order, this time he helps Marshal Scott, and not the usual thorn in his side --- this oater is exciting and should please fans of B westerns of the 1940's along with any collectors of Randy Scott films

Under Ray Enright (Director), Jack J. Gross (Producer), Nat Holt -(Producer), Jack Natteford (Screenwriter), Charles O'Neal (Screenwriter), Luci Ward (Screenwriter), Roy Hunt (Cinematographer), Constantin Bakaleinikoff (Musical Direction/Supervision), Mort Greene (Songwriter), Harry Revel (Songwriter), Paul Sawtell (Composer (Music Score), Samuel E. Beetley (Editor), Ralph Berger (Art Director), Albert S. D'Agostino (Art Director), James Altwies (Set Designer), Darrell Silvera (Set Designer), Renie (Costume Designer), Gordon Bau (Makeup), Russell A. Cully (Special Effects) - - - - the cast includes Randolph Scott (Marshal Vance Cordell), Robert Ryan (Sundance Kid), Anne Jeffreys (Cheyenne/Jeanie McBride), George 'Gabby' Hayes (John J. Pettit - Bank President), Jacqueline White (Madge Allen - Pettit's Daughter/Cordell's Fiancée), Steve Brodie (Cole Younger), Tom Keene (Jim Younger (as Richard Powers), Robert Bray (John Younger), Lex Barker (Emmett Dalton), Walter Reed (Bob Dalton), Michael Harvey (Grat Dalton), Dean White (Billy the Kid), Robert Armstrong (Wild Bill Doolin), Tom Tyler (Wild Bill Yeager), Lew Harvey (Arkansas Kid), Gary Gray (Johnny Allen), Walter Baldwin (Muley Wilson), Minna Gombell (Emily), Warren Jackson (George Mason - Outlaw), Robert Clarke (Dave - Townsman), Jason Robards Sr. (Judge Harper), Ernie Adams (Leslie - Station Agent/Telegrapher), Hank Bell (Deputy), Lane Chandler (Ed - Posse Leader), Dan Foster (Outlaw), John Hamilton (Doc Peters), Earle Hodgins (Auctioneer), Kenneth MacDonald (Colonel Markham), Charles Stevens (Grey Eagle), Forrest Taylor (Farmer) - - - - Randy Scott had a quiet gentleman nature about him which is not seen in the films of today ... Randy took his job and his responsibility to his audience very seriously ,,, would not settle for anything less than his best ... same was true in his personal life.

SPECIAL FEATURES BIOS:
1. Randolph Scott (aka: George Randolph Scott)
Date of birth: 23 January 1898 - Orange County, Virginia
Date of death: 2 March 1987 - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California

Special footnote, George Randolph Scott better known as Randolph Scott, was an American film actor whose career spanned the sound era from the late 1920s to the early 1960s ... his popularity grew in the 1940s and 1950s, appearing in such films as "Gung Ho"! (1943) and "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" (1938); but he was especially famous for his numerous Westerns including "Virginia City" (1940) with Errol Flynn and Humphrey Bogart, "Western Union" (1941) with Robert Young and "Ride the High Country" (1962) with Joel McCrea (a coin was flipped to see whether Scott or McCrea would receive top billing, and Scott won despite having a slightly smaller role) ... his long fistfight with John Wayne in "The Spoilers" (1942) was frequently cited by critics and the press as the most thrilling ever filmed; they were fighting over Marlene Dietrich ... another smash hit film together that same year called "Pittsburgh" (1942) once again with Dietrich, Scott and Wayne --- Daniel Webster defines "Legend", as being a notable person, or the stories told about that person exploits --- well by the time Randolph Scott made his best films he had long established himself as a legend in the film industry --- they say practice makes perfect, if that is true by 1958 at 60 years of age he was the master with these oaters from the 50s ... "The Cariboo Trail" (1950), "The Nevadan" (1950), "Colt .45" (1950), "Santa Fe" (1951), "Sugarfoot" (1951), "Fort Worth" (1951), "Man in the Saddle" (1951), "Carson City" (1952), "The Man Behind the Gun" (1952), "Hangman's Knot" (1952), "Thunder over the Plains" (1953), "The Stranger Wore a Gun" (1953), "Ten Wanted Men" (1954), "Riding Shotgun" (1954), "The Bounty Hunter" (1954), "Rage at Dawn" (1955), "Tall Man Riding" (1955), "A Lawless Street" (1955), "Seven Men from Now" (1956), "Seventh Cavalry" (1956), "Decision at Sundown: (1957), "Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend" (1957), "The Tall T" (1957), "Buchanan Rides Alone" (1958), "Ride Lonesome" (1959), "Westbound" (1959), "Comanche Station" (1960) --- Scott's age seemed to matter little, they only came to see another Randolph Scott film and always got their money's worth --- Scott's films were good and getting better becoming classics --- so if you wonder "What Ever Happened To Randolph Scott", just rent or purchase one of his films and you'll see he's never left us.

2. Robert Bushnell Ryan
Date of Birth: 11 November 1909 - Chicago, Illinois
Date of Death: 11 July 1973 - New York, New York

3. Anne Jeffreys (aka: Anne Carmichael)
Date of Birth: 26 January 1923 - Goldsboro, North Carolina
Date of death: Still Living

4. George 'Gabby' Hayes (aka: George Francis Hayes)
Date of Birth: 7 May 1885 - Wellsville, New York
Date of Death: 9 February 1969 - Burbank, California

5. Ray Enright (Director)
Date of Birth: 25 March 1896 - Anderson, Indiana
Date of Death: 3 April 1965 - Hollywood, California

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc), Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") and Trevor Scott (Down Under Com) as they have rekindled my interest once again for Film Noir, B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out VCI Entertainment where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns and Serials --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 90 min on VHS ~ Turner Home Video ~ (9/12/90)

RETURN OF THE BADMEN is in reality a sequel that RKO released after Randy Scott's success in BADMEN'S TERRITORY and TRAIL STREET. It's full of solid action, good acting, and the special touches that "Gabby" Hayes always adds to his roles. TCM occasionally runs this film. Recommended.

RETURN OF THE BAD MEN was the third in a series of three RKO Westerns made in the late 1940s starring Randolph Scott (the other two were BADMAN'S TERRITORY and TRAIL STREET). It's a rip-snorting, old timey "shoot'em up," with every outlaw and bad man of the old West thrown in for good measure---for Randy Scott to deal with. Gabby Hayes adds great comedic value. Very entertaining actioner.

This is an excellent example of the westerns of Randolph Scott from the 1940s. Not as grim-faced as the classic westerns he made for Budd Boetticher in the 1950s, but, just as stalwart, our hero rides forth to take on a motley assortment of outlaws.

It has to be said that, as history, this film is total and utter nonsense, but it is also very exciting and action packed.

The comedy of Gabby Hayes is a matter of taste, but it probably adds to the film. However, the film is stolen by a truly evil performance from Robert Ryan as the Sundance Kid who is often portrayed as merely a loveable rogue. If faced with someone unarmed, he shoots them from the front: and if they are armed, he shoots them from the back!

The final fist fight between Scott and Ryan is very well staged.

I should point out that this is an official DVD-R download from Warner, but it's good quality and I had no problems with it.

I'd certainly recommend this to all Randolph Scott fans.