Customer Reviews

Yellow Sky

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw this movie a few months back on AMC and wondered aloud 'why' it had not yet been released on DVD. I saw the movie in a theatre when first released (yes, I'm that old) and down through the years whether, Saturday Night At The Movies, or AMC, each time I see it again, enjoy it as much as ever.

It is a movie made during the years when Hollywood still knew how to make a decent western. I've been watching westerns from the 30's and 40's on the Western Channel lately, and have come to believe most of the better ones were made during those years.

Yellow Sky has a great feel to it, I read alot on the west, too, and everything in this movie has a touch of realism to it. One of the best parts of the movie is the trip across the alkalai flats prior to reaching Yellow Sky. They barely make it. But make it they do, and instead of being thankful for that alone with stolen bank money in their pockets, their greed returns to try to take the old man and "Mike's" gold.

But Yellow Sky is much more than a movie, it is just plain, flat out, good entertainment. Part of that comes from the solid cast contributing to the movie, and though it would have been great to have it shot in color, the starkness of black and white adds to the overall affect. As another reviewer says it is as good as Luke Short's STATION WEST, or numerous others such as MY DARLING CLEMENTINE, or TALL IN THE SADDLE.

If you have any interest in the older black and white westerns you cannot miss this one. And as is true prior to the later 1950's, the white hats win out in this one. No suffering, anti-hero in this movie; not much of a moral message here either, other than it is better to be good, than bad. Or pay for a woman's hat when you appropriate one for your best gal!

Semper Fi.

Yellow Sky is another in a growing list of great Westerns who are finally receiving their due by being released on DVD. This classic black and white Western was filmed before Peck's The Gunfighter, and some of his other great westerns, such as The Bravados and The Big Country.

Peck plays the leader of a band of outlaws who happen upon the seemingly deserted ghost town of Yellow Sky. As it turns out,the town does have two citizens, a prospector and his granddaughter. Figuring that the two have a stash of gold, the gang plans to rob the two, until Peck falls for the granddaughter, which pits Peck against his old gang, now led by Richard Widmark.

The scenes with Peck and the granddaughter, played by Anne Baxter, are marvelous. Widmark plays his typical sinister and shady desperado with aplomb, and the rest of the cast, including Harry Morgan and John Russell,
are great.

Check out Yellow Sky if you love good old B&W westerns. You won't be disappointed!

When it comes to the movies, in my opinion, craftsmanship trumps art most of the time. William Wellman's Yellow Sky is a movie with an intriguing story-line, strong characters in conflict, well-paced and dramatic direction, skillful acting and a satisfyingly good-natured conclusion...and without a "message" in sight. It's a small-scale and very well-made Western which, without DVDs, would probably remain as forgotten as it has been for the last fifty years.

James Dawson (Gregory Peck) leads a gang of bank robbers, a gang that includes Dude (Richard Widmark), a gambler with a bad lung, a taste for white shirts and a love of gold. It's a couple of years after the Civil War. They rob a bank and ride out of town with the money but find themselves pursued by a cavalry troop. Their only chance at escape is to head out over the salt plains, where it's deadly hot, there's no water and men and horses usually die. Half dead they manage to cross and find themselves in Yellow Sky, a broken-down ghost town filled with rolling brush and dust. They encounter the only people who live there, Mike (Anne Baxter), a tomboy who can shoot as well as most of the gang, and her aging grandfather (James Barton), an old miner. It doesn't take long for the gang to figure out that Grampa and Mike have been quietly mining and stashing away gold.

And that's the set-up. Dawson and the gang want the gold and will take it, but Dawson is prepared to share it with Mike and Grampa. Dude is willing to go along...until he has an opportunity to take all the gold for himself. And the rest of the gang? There's Lengthy (John Russell), mean and aggressive who plans to have his share of the gold as well as having Mike; Bull Run (Robert Arthur), a kid who may be too sentimental for his own good; Walrus (Charles Kemper), usually good-natured, not too smart and willing to follow along; and Half Pint (Henry Morgan), maybe he's okay, maybe not, but he's not one to break things up.

Before long Dawson realizes that Mike is someone special. He remembers that he wasn't always a bankrobber. But by then, in this blazing hot ghost town, it's Dude and the gang against Dawson, with Mike using her rifle to back Dawson. The resolution, which started as a good guy versus bad guy drama, ends up as a good guy versus bad guy versus bad guy shootout in the dark, deserted, broken-down saloon. Wellman plays it so we see no action inside, only Dawson walking in, then two or three gunshots and powder flashes. The movie ends with some good-natured bank robbery redemption on the part of Dawson, and a nice mixture of doubt at first by Mike and then trust.

The movie was shot in Death Valley and looks it. There is no shade, just burning hot boulders, dirt, dust and sand and the falling-apart buildings that were Yellow Sky. What makes this movie such a pleasure to watch is that Wellman knows his business. There are no false starts, unnecessary emotional anguish, over-acting, back stories or meaningful subtexts. Wellman shows us what these people are like, even the gang members, but he shows us just enough to keep the story moving forward. The story, with two attractive leads in Peck and Baxter and one creepy and untrustworthy bad guy (Widmark), is the important element. Wellman was one of the great craftsmen of Hollywood movie making. He was a pro. He directed such varied and excellent movies as Beau Geste, Nothing Sacred, Battleground, The Public Enemy, The Ox Bow Incident and Roxie Hart. Yellow Sky may not be in that category but it is a skillful and satisfying movie.

This is truly one of the great forgotten Westerns. Gregory Peck's solid performance, aside such notables as Richard Widmark and Harry Morgan, is a wonder why this movie was so long in coming to DVD. The B&W cinematography is amazingly reminiscent of John Ford's greatest works, and the sense of isolation captures your attention. Not to mention the great Shoot-Outs, the Beautiful Girl, the Wry Humor and nearly every other aspect that makes a great Western - this film has it all.

Gregory Peck stars in this William Wellman directed Western from Fox.Peck is very believable an as "good"-"bad man",he's the leader of the a gang of bank robbers which include Richard Widmark,as a gang member who just can't waite to take over as leader,Charles Kemper,Henry Morgan,Robert Arthur,and John Russell.After robbing the bank and escaping,from the law,thru salt flats,they come across a "ghost town",whose only residents are Anne Baxter and her grandfather,played by James Barton,both of whom MAY be hiding gold,fom a near by abandoned mine.The rest of the films deals with bandits and their cat and mouse game with Baxter-Barton fighting over "the gold",with Widmark(excellent) being his usual obtuse self(he doesn't want to share 50-40,as Peck had agreed to),and a budding romance is developing between Peck and Baxter,with some of the other "baddies" wanting Anne too.It seems to me that I read years and years ago that Paulette Gooddard was originally scheduled to have the Baxter part.Paulette certainly would have a more fetching lass,but Ms Baxter is OK.If Fox had wanted to release its REAL CLASSIC WESTERN COLLECTION,it should have released the great Peck-Henry King oater "THE GUNFIGHTER",before Yellow Sky.Nevertheless YELLOW SKY,is a very good Western under Wellmans'taut direction,with a fine Lamar Trotti script,derived from W.R.Burnett(Aspalt Jungle,High Sierra) work.Wellman and Trotti had earlier collaborrated on the Noir-Western classic "The Ox-Bow Incident",which also co-starred Henry Morgan.The DVD transfer is fine,but my one criticism of the DVD is that a commemtary is not provided ,and I believe ALL films on DVD should have commets by participants,historians,or experts in the field.Commentaries are usually a great addition and Fox has provided some excellent ones with its film-noir series.Otherwise a fine addition to your DVD-Western collection.

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment present "YELLOW SKY" (1948) (96 mins B&W), under director William Wellman, producer & screenwriter Lamar Trotti, short novel by W.R. Burnett., musical direction by Alfred Newman . . . . .cast includes Gregory Peck (Stretch), Anne Baxter (Mike), Richard Widmark (Dude), Robert Arthur (Bull Run), John Russell (Lengthy), Harry Morgan (Half Pint), James Barton (Grandpa), Charles Kemper (Walrus), Robert Adler (Jed), Harry Carter (Lieutenant), Victor Kilian (Bartender), Paul Hurst (Drunk),Hank Worden (Rancher), Jay Silverheels (Indian), William Gould (Banker), Norman Leavitt (Bank Teller), Eula Guy (Woman in Bank), Chief Yowlachie (Colorado) . . . . . our story begins with outlaws Gregory Peck, Richard Widmark, John Russell, Harry Morgan, Robert Arthur and Charle Kemper robbing a bank, fleeing for their lives only to take refuge across the desert in a ghost town located smackdab in the middle of nowhere...near death they find an old prospector James Barton and his granddaughter Anne Baxter who help them and then must fear them in finding and stealing their gold...the novel by W.R. Burnett is neatly written as the direction from William Wellman keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat...great cast and the black and white shadows and landscape bring out that vintage look in all the right places...the final scene has a classic showdown between Peck and his gang of thieves.

Specal footnote, actor Gregory Peck was not only a wonderful actor but a great human being, of his own movies, "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962) is Peck's favourite, his character from "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962), Atticus Finch, was voted the greatest screen hero of all time by the American Film Institute in May 2003, only two weeks before his death (beating out Indiana Jones, who was placed second, and James Bond who came third)...Brock Peters delivered his eulogy on the day of his funeral and burial, June 16, 2003. In To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), Peters played Tom Robinson, the black man accused of raping a white girl that Atticus Finch (Peck's character) defended in court....on his 1962 Oscar-winning role in "To Kill A Mockingbird", "I put everything I had into it, all my feelings and everything I'd learned in 46 years of living, about family life and fathers and children, and my feelings about racial justice and inequality and opportunity."

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Gregory Peck (aka: Eldred Gregory Peck)
Date of birth: 4/05/1916 - La Jolla, California, USA
Date of death: 6/12/2003 - Los Angeles, California
2. Anne Baxter
Date of birth : 5/07/1923 - Michigan City, Indiana
Date of death: 12/12/1985 - New York, New York
3. Richard Widmark
Date of birth: 12/26/1914 - Sunrise, Minnesota
Date of death: Still Living
4. William A. Wellman (Director)
Date of birth: 2/29/1896 - Brookline, Massachusetts
Date of death: 12/09/1975 - Los Angeles, California,

Want to thank 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment for releasing "Yellow Sky" (1948), the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage era of the '40s & '50s...order your copy now from Amazon or 20th Century Fox Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available, stay tuned once again for top notch wonderful character actors of the cinema brought back so many wonderful memories of the times when film makers cared about you who purchased a ticket and came back for more...just the way we like 'em.

Total Time: 98 mins on DVD ~ 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment #2234089 ~ (5/23/2006)

I first saw this gem of a western many years ago, but have never forgotten the stunning black and white cinematography and the great use of the Death Valley and Lone Pine locations. And then there's Gregory Peck at the peak of his youthful masculinity and charisma playing a bad guy -- something unexpected.

The supporting cast is especially memorable. A smirking Richard Widmark is a standout among the outlaws who invade the ghost town occupied by a young, sexy and feisty Anne Baxter and her old prospector grandfather. And the horde of gold they've spent years collecting.

The original story from A. R. Burnett is mean, tight and inspired.

It's fun to see this movie knowing nothing more about the plot -- which may be somewhat predictable but still full of delicious menace, growing tension and sudden twists and surprises. It all works.

From set-up to pay-off, William Wellman's masterful direction keeps every frame of this forgotten film on track. No filler and no padding. Lean and clean. It's close to perfect on every level and very satisfying.

This digital edition belongs in the home library of movies you'll enjoy more than once whether you like westerns or not.

One of Peck's best roles. And Baxter is incredible. Highest recommendation.

"Yellow sky" ( 1948 ) is an unusual and sober Hollywood western with an unforgottable climactic duel ( one of the various unexpected dramatic twists of the movie and filmed "off-shot" ) and an emblematic movie by the maverick, untameable and today almost forgotten american director William A. Wellman, responsible of some of the best "social conscience" films of the Depression years ( " Public enemy "; " Heroes for sale "; " Wild boys of the road " ). A band of bank robbers arrive to a ghost town named " Yellow sky ", only inhabited by a prospector and his cute daughter, while they try to flee of the cavalry through the desert. The suspicion that both hide a gold fortune in the deserted town divide the band. An excellent cast leaded by Gregory Peck and supported by Richard Widmark and Anne Baxter rounds this excellent western. Very good image quality of this DVD print.

William Wellman once more proves why he was one the most extraordinary filmmakers in this genre. From the first shot you will be involved when a bunch of thieves headed by Gregory Peck at last can arrive to a ghost town after having ridden days and days through the arid desert (a resemblance to "Greed"). Once they arrive they will meet a weird woman who lives with her grandfather and so, the dramatis will confront among themselves in search of gold.

Electrifying sequences, with an astonishing final conflict surrounded by stormy winds that accent still more the tension of the moment. Widmark is excellent too in this tour de force Western that must be part of your hard collection in case as I do are a collector of selected westerns.

YELLOW SKY(1949)---Gregory Peck, Richard Widmark, Anne Baxter
Although I'm not a particularly big fan of Gregory Peck, I do like him in this movie. It's a good little western, directed by William Wellman. Peck is the leader of a band of bank robbers on the run. They end up in a "ghost town" called Yellow Sky, which was once a mining center. There they encounter Anne Baxter and her grandfather, who still live in the town and have built up a store of gold. The movie is fast-paced and Widmark plays one of the gang who eventually challenges Peck for leadership of "the boys". If you like westerns, I think you'll enjoy this one.