Sadly Over-hyped

Good start, but then it gets ruined

The acting in this movie is really good.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Probably the one factor about "Saddle the Wind" that may attract modern day viewers is the fact that it was scripted by Rod Serling. But since Serling wrote the screenplay from a story by another writer, there isn't much of anything that makes this particular western different from most other westerns of this period. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad western. The filmed in Colorado backdrop is very pretty and easy on the eye, the acting (particularly by John Cassavetes) is professional and convincing, and while there isn't a terrible amount of action, the movie remains all the way through fairly compelling and not boring. On the other hand, the movie has some signs of production woes, particularly in the way of a significant number of shots being accomplished by (very unconvincing) rear projection. Also, the character played by Julie London has no real bearing on the story or other characters at all; it would take almost no effort to write this character out completely. And while the movie is not boring, it does move kind of slow at times, especially with the fact that you'll probably be a few steps ahead of the unfolding story at any point. As I said in my summary line, the movie ends up being an average western. If you like westerns, you'll probably find this reasonably enjoyable despite its weaknesses. Though at the same time, it's unexceptional, which probably explains why it took a long time to be released on home video.

SADDLE THE WIND - 1958I finally got around to this 1958 western headlined by Robert Taylor, John Cassavetes and Julie London. The film is sort of a psychological Western written by the great Rod Serling. It was helmed by director Robert Parrish with help from an uncredited John Sturges. Robert Taylor is an ex gunfighter who owns a ranch in a high mountain valley. The man had worked for the main land owner in the valley, Donald Crisp for years. Crisp, in sort of a mentor role, had softened Taylor's hard edges and turned him into a solid citizen. Crisp had even given Taylor a piece of land to start his own cattle ranch. Of course there needs to be something to upset this pleasant image. And that is Taylor's younger brother, John Cassavetes. Cassavetes is a wild rather unstable lad who does not like living in the shadow of his popular brother. Cassavetes, just back from a supply buying run to the big city, arrives back at the ranch with his pretty bride to be, Julie London. London, a former dance hall singer, believes that Cassavetes might be her ticket to the good life. Taylor sees London as a gold digger and tries to send her back. The kid brother has shall we say, developed an itchy trigger finger. Taylor knows full well how such a liking for the gun will end. He tries repeatedly to get his younger brother to relax. London soon clues in on the fact that Cassavetes is really jealous of Taylor, and is a rat at heart.Cassavetes, Taylor, London and a few of the boys ride into what passes for the local one horse town. It is the small general store, bar and livery stable type burg. Cassavetes hits the bar for a few. Soon a famous gunman, Charles McGraw, enters. McGraw is looking for Taylor. Taylor shot his brother in a gunfight some years before and McGraw has finally tracked him to the valley.Cassavetes calls McGraw out not knowing just how good McGraw is. It is only through a bit of luck and McGraw being distracted at the right moment that Cassavetes emerges the victor. Needless to say this gives Cassavetes a swelled head. This leads to more idiot behaviour from the kid. He soon kills again and finds he likes it. His actions literally start what could end in a range war, when he shoots the leader of a group of squatters, Royal Dano. He then really stokes the fire when he shoots and badly wounds, Donald Crisp. Taylor of course has to settle the issue, brother or no brother. A somewhat grim, but very well-crafted film with an ending I was not expecting. The rest of the cast includes Ray Teal, who seemed to be in every second western, Doug Spencer, Jay Adler and Stanley Andrews. London is very under used here but she does manage to get in a song. The film was shot on location in Colorado which adds a nice look to the production. Director Parrish is well known to fans of film noir as the helmsman on CRY DANGER and THE MOB. He also handled the reins on the top Robert Mitchum western, THE WONDERFUL COUNTRY. Veteran cinematographer George Folsey is at the controls as the director of photography. The 11 time Oscar nominated Folsey's work includes. MEET ME IN ST LOUIS, ADAM'S RIB, MALAYA, THE BIG HANGOVER, VENGEANCE VALLEY, ALL THE BROTHER WERE VALIANT, EXCECUTIVE SUITE, THE COBWEB and HOUSE OF NUMBERS.

A Sleeper that is one of the Better Westerns of the Fifties, an Excellent, slightly Off-Beat, and smartly Written and Directed Movie. There doesn't seem to be a bit of Filler or Padding in this sharply defined Picture. It also has an Ending that you won't see coming, although there is a Scene early on that is a foreshadow for those with a keen eye.The strong Cast is only eclipsed by Rod Serling's scathing, minimalist, Dialog Driven Script that is snappy and tough. It has a Widescreen, Colorful backdrop with unusually Authentic looking Sets and a sprawling Landscape. This is one from that Decade that was so proliferated with Westerns and just about all of them were Interchangeable. But not this one. Along with likes of Boetticher and Mann, this one belongs.If you need Name Dropping, aside from Serling, there is the fine, sometimes Cynical Director Robert Parrish, Pretty Songbird Julie London, Streetwise smoothie John Cassavetes as an Angst driven Hot-Head, Robert Taylor (never better), reliable Staff such as Donald Crisp, and Charles Mcgraw (with a great show starter Scene), and Roy Dano in a touching, heart wrenching significant Role. A must for any Western Fan and for those who wander in the Genre looking for the Best.

Saddle the Wind is the result of a creative conflict between golden era Hollywood and the cool method acting world of New York in the late 1950's. Both the writer, Rod Serling (of Twilight Zone fame) and John Cassavetes represented the new, "cool" world of New York. Robert Taylor, holder of the record for the longest employment by one studio) represented Hollywood with a capital "H." The director, Robert Parrish, was more on the New York wavelength.From what I've read, Cassavetes tried to antagonize Taylor with his difficult behavior and, when he failed, got even more outrageous. The New York crew regarded Taylor as incredibly "square." The result of all this is a fascinating conflict of styles. Taylor prided himself on not "mugging" and here his reserved style worked well as Cassavetes' older brother, a retired gunman. The pain of a man watching someone he brought up as son, not a younger brother, turn into an unstable, erratic killer is evident on Taylor's craggy face. The younger brother is in constant motion--he seems to mistake activity for accomplishment.Through a number of plot twists including disputed land ownership, romance (with Julie London) and brother-to-brother conflict, the film moves quickly and stylishly towards its inevitable end. The photography is excellent, making the best of the glorious scenery. Julie London is underused but does what she can.In the end, New York and Hollywood work well together to make a highly watchable film. Review by me for the IMDb.