The Stranger Wore a Gun

**_Randolph Scott is caught between good and evil in this action-packed oater_** A spy used in the infamous Quantrill raid on Lawrence, Kansas (Randolph Scott), flees to Prescott, Arizona, after the war and gets mixed up with a shady gang of stagecoach robbers (led by George Macready). Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine are on hand as heavies. "The Stranger Wore a Gun" (1953) is a 3-D Western, which can be discerned by objects constantly being pointed at the viewer. It was directed by one-eyed Andre De Toth, known for the more famous 3-D flick “House of Wax” from the same year, not to mention great Westerns “The Indian Fighter” (1955) and “Day of the Outlaw” (1959). While not in the same league as Randolph’s better Westerns, like “Ride the High Country” (1962) and “The Tall T” (1956), this is still a worthwhile Scott Western. There’s more action than most and some decent human interest is thrown in, including his wavering between two women, one older (Claire Trevor) and one younger (Joan Weldon). Meanwhile Alfonso Bedoya is amusing as a rival gang leader. The only issue I have is the way the protagonist confusingly veers between good and evil (and hypocrisy), which makes it hard to get a lock on the character. It’s just challenging to root for a duplicitous ‘hero,’ yet it could be argued that it’s core to the character’s inner conflict and potential redemption. It just could’ve been better written. Speaking of which, the story is based on the yarn “Yankee Gold” by the author of “High Noon.” The film runs 1 hour, 22 minutes, and was shot at Iverson Ranch in northwest Los Angeles and the Lone Pine area (Alabama Hills/Whitney Portal), which is about 200 miles north. GRADE: B-/C+

When an innocent man is gunned down during a robbery, "Travis" (Randolph Scott) flees to a small Arizona town where he adopts a different identity. Not long after he arrives, though, he encounters his old malevolent friend "Mourret" (George Macready) and is soon embroiled in that man's scheme to rob the local freight line of it's regular gold supplies. When a tragedy occurs, he swears vengeance and as he was a spy during the US civil war he is quite adept at double dealing as he works to entrap his former friends. Meantime, his long time associate "Josie" (Claire Trevor) has also arrived hoping to pick up where she left off with "Travis", only he has now taken a bit of a shine to "Shelby" (Joan Weldon) who just happens to be the boss who's getting his gold attacked. As the temperature rises, it's not clear where the greater danger lies for "Travis". Might he have more to fear from a scorned lady than from a vengeful criminal? It's all a fairly procedural drama this, probably only notable for early contributions from Lee Marvin and for a heavily choreographed fist fight with Ernest Borgnine that saw a great deal of furniture smashed up. Some of the photography (intended for 3D) can seem a touch aggressive as you watch things heading towards your head enthusiastically, but Scott is as pedestrian as usual and the story slips neatly into the well establish tram-lines that passes eighty minutes easily enough, but entirely forgettably.