Plantiana Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

WasAnnon Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

JohnHowardReid Despite the director's odd decision to over-use close-ups (maybe he anticipated a quick sale to TV), Dawn at Socorro turns out to be one of the more interesting westerns of 1954. In the U.K., the movie was even released as an "A" feature. Perhaps Universal's exchanges in other countries thought that the cast offered no box office lure. While it's true that Kathleen Hughes is confined to a disappointingly small role, the equally lovely Mara Corday is given a decent innings for once; the Alex Nichol character is intriguingly conceived and played; and I loved David Brian's lecherous saloon proprietor, even if he does rather let hate go to his head. Lee Van Cleef is also on hand, plus Skip Homeier, James Millican and Edgar Buchanan. Perhaps even more importantly, the movie offers scads of action with splendid stuntwork. And it's not only expansively produced in attractive color with arresting real locations backgrounds, but it features dialogue that is much blunter than we expect from the censor-ridden mid-1950s. So, despite the Kathleen Hughes disappointment, Dawn at Socorro is most definitely a film to add to the must-see list!

alexandre michel liberman (tmwest) Inspired by the OK Corral, and specially Doc Holliday this is an entertaining, colorful western. Rory Calhoun's character coughs a lot, because of a bullet that cannot be removed near his lung, which because of his lifestyle becomes inflamed. He has to move to Colorado Springs to get better but before that he becomes involved in a gunfight in a corral. Piper Laurie is the daughter of a religious man who throws her out of the house and calls her Jezebel. She gets a job offer at the Casino in Socorro by David Brian, the owner. After the gunfight Calhoun takes the stagecoach to Socorro where he meets Piper and falls in love with her. Lee Van Cleef and Alex Nicol, the ones who remained from the Ferris(Clanton) family after the gunfight will try to kill Calhoun. There is a good poker game between Calhoon and Brian. The final scenes were probably inspired by "High Noon".

Keith Kjornes Not bad little movie, shows up on TCM every so often. And darned if Rory Calhoun doesn't look exactly like GEORGE CLOONEY at times, or is it vice versa? Anyway, interesting turn on the gunfighter trying to go straight story with an appealing Piper Laurie and mean gambling hall owner David Brian. They play cards and throw dice for the girl, with fortunes going back and forth. Edgar Buchanan plays a nervous sheriff and not the usual dimwit he's known for and Alex Nicol chews the furniture as the edgy slinger waiting to gun down Calhoun. But then comes the typical Hollywood ending where none of the characters show even a lick of common sense. Sorry to see that ending, this isn't a half bad film until the last five minutes, and then it's Universal Studios back lot fireworks. Too bad.

minitrez I just saw this movie last night as I was channel surfing. I of course watched it as it is set in my quaint little city of Socorro, NM, right on the Rio Grande. I'd like to find out where it was filmed. Just made me even more homesick, as I work in Washington, DC and miss the quiet peacefulness of Socorro. Was a pretty good movie too. As far as westerns go, it is no "Big Jake" (though the director of this movie actually teamed with John Wayne to direct Big Jake") or Silverado, but I did find it an easy watch. Predictable, but when you've seen as many movies as I, not much surprises me, unless the writing is just down right amazing. Again, just amazed that my little seemingly insignificant hometown was ever featured or mentioned in a movie.