7 Men from Now (1956)

Another expertly crafted Western from Boetticher and Scott.

Seven Men from Now is directed by Budd Boetticher and produced by John Wayne's Batjac Productions. Written by Burt Kennedy it stars Randolph Scott, Gail Russell & Lee Marvin. Music is by Henry Vars & William H. Clothier photographs out of Alabama Hills and Lone Pine, California.

Former Sheriff Ben Stride is on the trail of the seven men - who whilst robbing a Wells Fargo office - killed his wife in the process. Mentally tortured by having lost his job that resulted in his wife having to work at Wells Fargo, Stride is totally driven by hurt and anger. But along the way he helps a married couple who are stuck in the mud, who persuade Stride to ride West with them in case of further problems. They are then joined by a couple of suspect characters who have their own private agenda for tagging along with Stride - all parties seemingly heading for the day when the truth will out.

Director Budd Boetticher and leading Western star Randolph Scott made between 1956 and 1960, seven intoxicating and genre bending films. This was the first of their collaborations, and although it can be said they were merely honing their "Adult Western" bent here, all the traits that would make the upcoming The Tall T, Ride Lonesome and Comanche Station so worthy of genre classic status is evident here in this film. Though simple in plot - I mean man on a mission movies are not exactly rare are they? - Seven Men From Now is boosted by a smartly ambiguous turn from Lee Marvin as Bill Masters, while Boetticher's ability to raise his complex and hungry characters above and beyond the standard tale further gives the piece some kudos. Incidents dot themselves throughout the story to keep the film from ever drifting to the mundane, while the location captures are gorgeous, and this is where we should be thankful to cinematographer William H. Clothier for realising that Boetticher needs his vista to be another character in his play.

Originally intended as a vehicle for John Wayne, who took producing duties instead when his schedule wouldn't allow him the time to star, Seven Men From Now gave Randolph Scott a chance to show just what a fine actor he was. As the troubled Ben Stride he could so easily have played him as corny and grumpy, but Scott gives him the emotional depth that Burt Kennedy's script demands. Gail Russell (Annie Greer) is the lady of the piece, she ultimately led a sad real life, but at least here as the woman caught between two men, we get to see that she did have the ability when called upon - even if this didn't relaunch her career in the way that her friend John Wayne had originally hoped for. In fact Gail was to sadly succumb to the alcoholism that blighted her life just five years later, aged just 36. Thankfully this film stands up as a fine way to remember her beauty and for the efforts that she put into the Western genre.

Lacking the heavy cloud of doom of Boetticher & Scott's best collaborations, this one, however, boasts richly interesting characters that are telling a cunning moral allegory tale. It be an Oater for those who like intelligence over yee-haw like histrionics. 8/10

“Stride” (Randolph Scott) is a man conflicted. His own failings had led to his wife having to work in the Wells Fargo office and that’s where she was killed when it was relieved of $20,000 in gold. Now this former sheriff has to wrestle with his own grief and guilt as well as pursue the men whom he knew perpetrated the crime. As he chases them, he encounters would-be pioneers “John” (Walter Reed) and “Annie” (Gail Russell) and so teams up to help them. Then they are joined by the scheming “Masters” (Lee Marvin) - with whom “Stride” has some previous, and his chum “Clete” (Red Barry) who are also on the trail of the robbers, but who are keeping that to themselves whilst letting “Stride” do the all donkey work. With the scene now set, there plays out a little bit of mischief - usually caused by the on-form Marvin. He manages to act as a sort of sexual agent provocateur turned lethal weapon and proves the perfect foil to both the glamorous and engaging Russell and to the stiff as a ramrod Scott whose character here is presented with a rigidity that contrasts strikingly and honourably with most of those around him. There isn’t end-to-end action, but is still plenty going on to keep us guessing and thinking as the proud and the powerful don’t quite turn out to be the people we might have expected them to be a tautly directed eighty minutes earlier. Less is definately more, here, and it's well worth a gander.