Customer Reviews

The Violent Men

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In The Violent Men, Glenn Ford plays a rancher who owns a small spread in a valley being consumed by a hardbitten, crippled rancher played by Edward G. Robinson. Robinson's character was a pioneer, and feels that he is entitled to get as much of territory as he can get his hands on, and is close to getting it all, except for Ford's ranch and a few other small ranches.

Ford is getting ready to sell out to Robinson when the movie begins, but quickly changes his mind when Robinson's tactics become more and more violent. Robinson is aided by a seemingly dutiful wife, play by Barbara Stanwyck (very different from the Helen Barkley character she would play years later on the television series, The Big Valley), and by Robinson's younger, hotheaded brother, played by Brian Keith. Robinson also has a daughter who is none too fond of his tactics.

When Ford decides to stay, he organizes the other small ranchers, and a fullscale range war begins, with scorched earth tactics employed by both sides. Complicating matters is the fact that Stanwyck and Keith are having an affair, and have their own plans for Robinson's cattle empire.

The Violent Men is a very enjoyable western with solid performances by everyone involved.

Lew Wilkison (Eddie Robinson) is a cattle crippled cattle baron who drives the small ranchers and farmers out of his valley............THE VIOLENT MEN, a superior Western has Brian Keith play Robinson's brother and Barbara Stanwyck play his wife Martha, a sort of Lady Macbeth of the plains, who helps her husband grab the land because she wants it for herself (this was before she married Tom Barkley!). Stanwyck also wants the brother - she entertains him rather regularly in her bedroom, and the two of them scheme for the day Robinson dies and they will own the whole valley. They make a splendidly unsavoury trio! Barbara Stanwyck is in full command of her characterization of the mean, power-crazed woman and she finally got a Technicolor Western she could be proud of. In England, the picture was aptly released as ROUGH COMPANY and it was admired for its action scenes: a horse stampede, a ranch fire, an ambush - plus much internal drama between the characters. Fascinating stuff. The direction by Rudolph Mate (who photographed Stanwyck in her classic STELLA DALLAS) is rather flat and uneventful. The cinematography (Burnett Guffey) and musical score by Max Steiner make this fun Western a first-class picture to watch.

This is not your average western. This more like a Western Noir Drama. The violent men features a top notch cast. Glenn ford, Edwarg G robinson and the queen of film noir Barbara Stanwyck starr in this Rudolph Mate (DOA) directed take on your standatre western. It's basically about a shrewd, crippled land tycoon (Robinson) his wife, (Stanwyck) and his hired goons who are taking all of the neighboring farmers land. He has almost all of the land he needs except for Glenn Ford's land. Conflicts and mayhem aboud.

Sounds like about 100 other westerns everyone's seen a million times. Well, not this one. This is coming from a director(Mate) who directed a film noir classic so you know that the story wouldn't be that simple. There are quite a few twists and turns and more than a few wrinkles thrown in for good measure. The violent men is well directed with very good performances throught with particular nods to Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G Robinson who work here for the first time since Billy Wilders classic Double Indemnity. Good Stuff.

I have a rapidly growing affection for all the great Western classics produced during the 1950's and while Columbia Studios' "The Violent Men", would never be at the top of anyone's list of classic westerns it has a real appeal on many different levels that makes it essential viewing for western fans. It combines an extremely interesting human drama with the usual rugged action scenes set against some of the most spectacular outdoor scenery photographed in beautiful colour and cinemscope that you will find in any western. The real strength in "The Violent Men", is however it's wonderful cast of seasoned veterans who give their all and make the most of the characters and the conflicts they all find themselves in. Veterans Glenn Ford, and in particular the legendary pair Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson, reunited again all those years after their classic teaming in "Double Indemnity", don't disappoint in this action filled story about greed and principle and the consequences that both bring into the main characters lives.

Based on the novel by Donald Hamilton, "The Violent Men", stars Glenn Ford as John Parrish, a Captain from the Civil War who was injured and travels west to recuperate. John finds himself farming a small spread in a valley slowly being eaten up by crippled land baron Lee Wilkison (Edward G. Robinson), who to fulfill a promise to his deceitful wife Martha (Barbara Stanwyck), uses fair means or foul to buy up all the surrounding properties so that his spread will include the entire valley. Goaded on by his anxious fiance Caroline (May Wynn) John is agreeable to sell to Wilkison so that he can marry and then go back east. However when Wilison's younger brother Cole (Brian Keith), comes on the scene things begin to get very dirty with hired killers taking out any opposition to their bosse's plans. The local sheriff is killed in cold blood and his replacement is in the pay of the Wilkison clan and doesn't oppose their unlawful activities. When one of John's cattle men is killed by one of Cole's henchmen Wade Matlock (Richard Jaeckel), and he cannot get any assistance from the law, John decides against selling and digs in to defend his land and refuses the motley sum that Lee Wilkison had offered him for it. Meanwhile Lee has other problems in that the scheming Martha resumes her earlier affair with Cole and daughter Judith (Dianne Foster), who learning about her mother's infidelity removes herself from any real contact with her family. The war against John Parrish and his men hots up with Cole burning down the Parrish ranch however John uses some of his cavalry experience to ambush Cole's men with many losing their lives. He then plans a counter attack involving a massive cattle stampede and succeeds in burning down the Wilkison homestead. In the attempt to escape the flames Martha finally reveals her true feelings for her husband by throwing his walking stick into the flames and escaping, leaving her husband to die in the burning house. Thinking him dead Martha teams up with Cole however Judith discovers her father still alive in the ruins of their house and John takes them along with him to finish the work of removing Martha and Cole from the scene. Martha and Cole make plans to rebuild the ranch however upon arriving back there they make the unpleasant discovery that not only is Lee still alive but that he has taken control again dismissing all the hired killers and ordering them off the property. John and Cole square off against each other and Cole is killed in a fiery showdown that also sees Martha meeting her maker at the hands of Cole's cast off lover. Reconciled now Lee and an admiring Judith offer John the opportunity of staying in the valley managing the entire property which he now happily accepts.

A "good old fashioned western", is the best way to describe "The Violent Men". The characters are all clearly etched so the bad guys and the good guys are plain to see. As mentioned the chief strength of the film is the key performers and Ford, Stanwyck, Robinson and Keith make an interesting and quite dynamic team when locking horns. Glenn Ford I believe delivers a most interesting "reluctant hero", type of performance here as the peace loving man forced by circumstances to take up arms to defend a principle. His transition from the placid gentleman intent upon marrying and moving back east and who in his own words "owes this valley nothing", into the ruthless action man that circumstances have made him is an interesting and highly believable one. Barbara Stanwyck in the role of the unlikeable and deceitful wife of Edward G. Robinson also excels and her performance still displays the expected Stanwyck magic in a decade where she unfortunately was finding it hard to get the meaty dramatic roles which she had previously excelled in. Her chemistry with Edward G. Robinson is still excellent however all those years after "Double Indemnity" and Robinson once again shows his versatility with a well thought out performance as the ruthless invalid land Baron who manages to largely transform from a villian to a partially sympathetic character before the film's conclusion. Brian Keith in an early role also has an interesting part as the cold blooded and opportunistic younger brother of Robinson's character who is having an affair with his wife. "The Violent Men", marked one of the first major roles for Keith and his growing confidence as an actor can be seen in every frame and his interactions with seasoned veterans such as Stanwyck and Robinson have a real electricity about them that clearly marked him down for better roles in the next decade. Often just passed off as yet another formula western by some the production values in "The Violent Men", are second to none with the superb cinematography used against the backdrop of the spectacular snow covered Nevada mountains giving the hotly disputed valley of the story a beautiful almost other worldly quality. Since never once does the action move out of this valley this isolated effect away from people and proper justice is superbly conveyed explaining why the main characters take matters into their own hands to get what they want. Max Steiner's well thought out musical score also combines well with both the action and the setting and provides a fine companion to the building tension as the story develops. Jean Louis, the famed clothes designer who is better remembered for designing glamourous clothes for many of Lana Turner's plush melodramas also displays his versatility here in the western genre with the authentic and beautiful clothes of the main characters. While there has been dispute about the authenticity of some of the hairstyles for this period used in the film the clothes with their historical accuracy more than make up for that lapse.

In a decade saturated with western themed stories both in the cinemas and on television "The Violent Men", still manages to have its own unique points that have allowed it to pass the test of time. Far from being the best western produced in the decade it still is a vivid examination of human greed and human endurance and the lengths one will go to defend what is rightfully theirs. That theme is just as timely today as it was back in the 1950's. Of course for any western buff or lover of classic Hollywood it's a joy to see old costars Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson strutting their stuff in a seemingly so effortless way in a tale full of passion, greed and deceit. Not up to their earlier "Double Indemnity" standards for sure but this is a different film with a different story and they help breath life into what in other hands wouldn't be half as good. For a nostalgia filled trip back to the golden decade of western film making "The Violent Men", with its trio of legendary performers makes great viewing in this new DVD release.

"The Violent Men" marked the finest collaboration of Rudolph Maté with Glenn Ford in an intensely satisfying drama of rugged primitive justice...

Ford is John Parrish, a former Cavalry captain who is itching to get married and start a new life... His fiancée Caroline Vail (May Wynn) is desperate to move east, and to see him selling his spread to Lee Wilkison (Edward G. Robinson).

Parrish is not even much of a cattleman... but he do understand that there is something big building up in the valley... In the Army, they used to call it 'enemy pressure.' First, Cole Wilkison (Brian Keith) comes back from Texas to help his brother run Anchor... Then a tough kid with a fancy gun (Richard Jaeckel) shows up on the Wilkison payroll... Then all the small ranchers are forced out, getting the same kind of offers... Parrish saw himself either running like they did, or stand and fight...

But can he easily deals with a man who sends six killers to shoot an old man in the back? Can he easily argues with a man who started with a few acres of land and now owns practically the whole valley?

All that grass and sand ever meant to the ex-Confederate Army officer the past three years... It was a place to regain his health... Out of habit of taking advice, Parrish affirms: "What happen in this valley is no concern of mine." And much to the disappointment of the remaining ranchers and farmers, who pressure him to stay on, he decides to accept Wilkison's offer to fulfill the promise he made to his fiancée...

When Lee's younger brother Cole made the wrong move, trying to push Parrish make up his mind by lynching one of his ranch hands, Parrish got mad and warns the two brothers that he is going to stay and will fight them for the privilege of being let alone...

Brian Keith plays the traitorous brother who's behind the killing... He dreams to have position and respect in running one day Anchor...

Lee's ambitious wife Martha (Barbara Stanwyck) secretly hates herself and her husband... Stanwyck plays the part of a loving wife who can't bear the touch of her husband's hands...

Edward G. Robinson is good enough as the Anchor's crippled owner who promised the whole valley to his wife, unaware that she is having an affair with his younger brother...

Dianne Foster is too sensitive as the unsociable adult daughter well aware of her mother's burdens...

"The Violent Men" uses the wide-screen technology to emphasize the scope and power of this harrowing action-drama, making it a perfect example of the genre's most enduring classics...

The title because in 1955 I was in Miami Beach, discussing a baseball scholarship at the U. of Miami. By coincidence two of my aunts showed up at the same hotel. We went to dinner at the The Fontainebleau Hotel and I ate 2 of their huge corned beef sandwiches and a giant banana split, both of which they bragged were the largest on the beach. As we wandered south on Collins, and turned onto Lincoln, there at a small movie house was playing The Violent men.

Glenn Ford played John Parrish, a small cattle ranch owner and former swashbuckling Confederate Cavalry officer with much Civil War combat experience under his belt. He was considering selling out to the Wilkensons, mega ranchers, who are plotting to take over the entire valley, by force if necessary. Cole Wilkenson, in a hurry, crosses the line with, the seemingly mild mannered Parrish, when the first wave of violence strikes underthe direction of Brian Keith (Cole Wilkenson), whose edgy relationship with his older brother, now crippled, Edward G.Robinson, the builder of Anchor Ranch, Lew Wilkenson, and Coles affair with the always brilliant Barbara Stanwick, puts pressure on everyone.

Ford, not used to being pushed around, begins guerilla operations, ala Rambo, in what is a range war neither Keith, Stanwick nor Robinson ever bargained for. Meanwhile Stanwick juggles, the husband on which she is cheating, her daughter, Diane Foster, suspicious of her relationship with Cole, who is also Juggling an affair with a Lady of the town and Stanwick (whattaguy!). The entire mess explodes into a war, within a war, within a war, and a plot of which the original script writer, William Shakespeare, would have been proud. Once the rapid fire action gets rolling it is almost non-stop until the final shoot-out and conflagration.

If it is action, corruption, smoldering, barely concealed 1955 version of sex, you are after, and gunslinging, old fashioned, twisted characters, contorted plots, circa post-April 26, 1564, the date of the Immortal Bards, birth, this movie is for you.

Extremely entertaining mid-1950's western that packs a whole lot into just a 96-minute running time. Most viewers will quickly get drawn into this story and will find the experience quite enjoyable. More than just a B-Western but not really an epic, the budget was modest and the cast affordable despite several big names. Glenn Ford was the only box office draw at the time. Edward G. Robinson and Barbara Stanwyck were past their primes and looking for work, Stanwyck was 10 years away from a new popularity in "The Big Valley". Brian Keith and Dianne Foster were just starting out.

Ford plays John Parrish, a small rancher who decides to sell out when the sympathetic sheriff is murdered by the big rancher's (Robinson) hired gunman. Parrish is a former Confederate officer who only moved out west for health reasons.

Robinson plays Lee Wilkison, who already owns most of the valley and intends to acquire the rest, making good on a promise to his wife Martha (Stanwyck). Lee was crippled in a land war he fought 12 years earlier; his brother Cole (Keith) has come up from Texas to help him run the huge spread. Lee has been turning a blind eye to obvious hookups between Stanwyck and Keith but sensitive daughter Judith (Foster) is understandably upset by what is going on in their home.

John Parrish has promised his fiancée Caroline (May Winn) that he will move back east. Caroline, who is modeled on Grace Kelly's "High Noon" character, breaks off the engagement at the first sign of trouble and simply disappears from the film. This leaves the way open for a John and Judith romance to develop.

The violence starts early and continues throughout the film, with Parrish able to apply military tactics against an enemy who underestimates his ability and determination. He has a very original confrontation with the main gunfighter about midway into the film. Ford plays one of his standard characters; the modest guy who disarms everyone with a self- deprecating manner, who is slow to take offense but brutal when finally provoked (very much like his role in "The Sheepman").

Robinson is likewise excellent as a man who maintains his personal integrity even though physically just a shadow of his former self. And he gets enough lines and screen time to adequately develop his character.

Stanwyck has the most difficult role and she is simply not convincing as the classic two-faced woman, a seemingly loyal wife who is scheming to replace her husband with his brother. In part this is because she is not allocated enough time to do anything more than superficially convey either side of the character. That said, a talented actress could have done a much better job even with these limitations.

Dianne Foster is a pleasant surprise. She should remind viewers a lot of Carroll Baker, both physically and in acting style. Although required to play Judith according to 1950's convention (she is allowed to be tough but then required to break into hysterics after each major confrontation), Foster shows a nice range. She conveys a growing attraction for Parrish but does it so subtly that it is only in retrospect that the various clues click into place.

The real problem with "The Violent Men" is that it tries to be both an action western and a character study morality play. Because so much has to happen on the screen much of the action is rushed and many of the characters get only a cursory treatment. This is neither fatal flaw nor a reason to avoid the film, but it could have been significantly better with another 20 minutes of running time or the absence of an unnecessary character like Caroline.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

If you enjoy the more psychologically driven westerns from the 1950s, you will probably like this above average film. Glenn Ford and Edward G. Robinson play ranchers at odds in a movie that deviates from typical formula in favor of a story which plays out more like a crime drama than anything else as other reviewers have noted (cross, double cross, triple cross). It is also surprisingly violent for the time and approaches the all time record for 1950 era western mayhem when the ranch war heats up. Good acting all around, nicely paced, well shot, and able to avoid the cliches so common in the genre at the time of the film's release. Picture looks a little rough during the opening credits but is extremely clean and relatively free of damage throughout. Extras are minimal. Well worth a screening.

I bought this western to see Glenn Ford. I had previously seen him in "Jubal" and enjoyed his performance there. I was not disappointed with this film. The plot was believable and the acting is not over played. I really enjoyed Barbara Stanwick as the devious, manipulating wife of Edward G. Robinson.

The plot itself has been discussed by several other reviewers. The action does move a bit quick at times, but the story is solid. I particularly liked the scene where Ford goes after the gunman who killed one of his hands. He approaches the gunman like a soft bunny rabbit, then strikes like a cobra.

All in all, a good film in the western genre.

This movie has a great cast and a great plot. I bought it because it had Glenn Ford in it and it was cheap. The picture quality is good. I think this movie is better than the description would lead you to believe.