Characters in Conflict
Believing that the Civil War is still in progress, eight Confederate raiders in Nevada, led by Matt Stewart (Randolph Scott), ambush a ten-man Union gold shipment. When the shooting is over, the Union soldiers are dead, along with three Confederates. Before a mortally wounded Federal trooper expires, though, he tells Stewart that the war ended over a month earlier. (The war in the East ended with the surrender of Lee's CSA army in early April 1865 and Joe Johnston's larger army later that month.) Stewart is concerned that his troop could be considered as outlaws and hanged for armed robbery and murder if no one believes their true circumstance. What is more, the men are split as to what to do with the gold, but they decide to keep it for the time being. Now Stewart and his remaining men are hounded by nine riders masquerading as deputies, but in reality they are lawless drifters after the gold. After capturing a stagecoach (with two passengers), Stewart's band makes a successful run for a stage depot, manned by an elderly man and his middle-aged daughter. They are pinned down by the marauders, and it is this large forthcoming time period that focuses on character development.The level-headed Stewart has a couple of problems: (1) the murderous thieves outside and (2) hostility brewing inside the station between three different groups. They include Stewart's men (one is a domineering trouble-maker), the two stage passengers (Molly Hull = Donna Reed and Lee Kemper = Richard Denning), and the two relay station attendants (Plunkett = Clem Bevans and Mrs. Margaret Harris = Jeannette Nolan). Margaret Harris lost both her husband and her son to the war, so she is understandably bitter; Plunkett is her father. Lee Kemper is a businessman whose marriage proposal was turned down by Molly Hull, a union nurse. To protect Molly, he tells Stewart that Molly is his fiancée; nevertheless he is not genuine. The rebel firebrand is the unhinged Rolph Bainter (Lee Marvin, in a standout performance). Of course, to the detriment of the drifters, tensions will build outside. The bad guys outside, led by Quincey (Ray Teal) and Smitty (Guinn "Big Boy" Williams), decide to tunnel under the station and burn the structure. While this is happening a fierce rainstorm ensues with lightening, clouding the action but making for an exciting gunfight at the denouement.
Hangman's Knot was made a few years before the famous collaboration between director Budd Boetticher and Scott ("Seven Men from Now," "The Tall T," "Ride Lonesome," "Comanche Station," etc.: they are all good), but Hangman's Knot is very well-crafted. It certainly packs a lot of action in its 81 minutes. There is one brief scene that involves a hangman's knot, but perhaps it is a metaphor for the potential fate of Stewart's Confederate squad. Dynamite is used although Nobel did not patent it until 1867. Square-jawed Randolph Scott, both tough and gentlemanly, is the second greatest western star of the silver screen (after the Duke, John Wayne, of course). Tom Mix and William S. Hart were of the bygone silent age. Donna Reed is appealing as usual although her role is not too demanding (catch her performance in another fine western, "Backlash," 1956). She picked up an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress in 1953 in "From Here to Eternity." Hangman's Knot is a good-quality western shot in glorious Technicolor with high entertainment value.
score 8/10
romanorum1 27 February 2015
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3192720/34825
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