SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

BallWubba Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

Megamind To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

JohnHowardReid On his return to home studio, Columbia, after directing "The Tuttles of Tahiti" on loan-out, Charles Vidor asked to direct a Randolph Scott western, The Desperadoes (1943). Photographed in brilliant Technicolor by George Meehan (who, because of the Pacific Coast dim-out regulations, had to attempt night effects by daylight shooting with the use of filters, special make-up preparations, and the tripling of background lighting), the Robert Carson screenplay sets the old, familiar characters of Western folk-lore through their cliché-ridden paces: For example, there's the bold and incipient young outlaw (Glenn Ford) who comes riding into a Utah town, ostensibly to commit a hold-up, but actually to lose his heart to the local scoundrel's (Edgar Buchanan's) little girl-innocent (Evelyn Keyes). There's the lean and soft-spoken sheriff who realizes the kid is good at heart, and so helps him to evade the villains who try to pin a robbery and a couple of murders on him. There's also the local burlesque queen with a heart of the purest gold (Claire Trevor, naturally) and the inevitable crooked proprietor (Porter Hall). All this is enlivened by a couple of bar-room battles and a wonderful stampede. Alas, "The Desperadoes" is yet another golden oldie that seems to have disappeared!

MartinHafer As far was westerns go, this is a pretty good one. Despite some familiar story elements, there is enough new and different to set it apart from the crowd--even if it was a bit of a disappointment when it came to Randolph Scott (and I am a huge fan of this wonderful actor and his westerns).When the film began, I was a bit surprised. While it was produced by Columbia, it surprisingly was in full-color--something you wouldn't expect from this second-string studio. This is surprising also because up until this film, Columbia hadn't made any color films--why they chose to do this with a western and not one of their prestige films is beyond me.The film begins with a bank robbery in which several locals are shot. However, it turns out that the crooked bank owner (Porter Hall)actually staged it himself--so he could pocket much of the money himself. His friend (Edgar Buchanan) is in on this, but is angry that people were hurt and even killed in this staged holdup--but Buchanan can't tell anyone, as he was involved.A short time later, the Sheriff (Randolph Scott) is on his way into town when he is jumped and his horse is taken. Eventually, Scott makes it into town and he catches up to the horse thief--who he never actually saw face-to-face (and vice-versa). They start fighting in a dark corral and after Scott is beaten, something cool happens that almost never happens in film--sweet Evelyn Keyes is standing nearby during the fight. Instead of just standing there looking scared (a typical cliché), she smacks the guy (Glenn Ford) over the head with a bucket--knocking him out in the process! I love a woman like this in a film! Well, despite this klunk on the head, it turns out Ford is an old friend of Scott! And, soon Keyes falls in love with Ford! Now this is all complicated by Ford's past--he's a gunfighter who was forced to a life on the run. However, he isn't BAD--he was just forced into this by circumstances. And, now that he's in town, the baddies figure he's a convenient scapegoat for the robbery--and they do their best to get Ford hung. Scott is in a bind--he IS the sheriff but he can't just let them hang a friend. How all this is worked out is for you to see--I really don't want to spoil it.In the film, there are a few things to look for. First, as the stereotypical partner, we have Guinn Williams--a fella with an odd penchant for using nitroglycerin! Second, the film has one of the coolest shootouts I've ever seen between Hall and Buchanan. I certainly have NEVER seen a fight like this one and was probably more typical of a real old west shootout! Overall, not a great film but it looks nice in color, has some nice scenes and is enjoyable. The only major deficit is that although Scott receives top billing, he really is more of a supporting character and has little chance for character development--a definite negative for fans who want the Scott of his later westerns (where he has a lot more depth).

disdressed12 i liked this western Starring Randolph Scoot and Glenn Ford.it's got pretty much everything a western should have.there's gunfights,action,chases on horseback.there's a bit of a romance angle that's hinted at.there's some nice comic relief in the form of Edgar Buchanan,who plays Uncle Willie McLeod,a character who pretend to be a doddering old fool,but is actually aware of everything going on.Randolph Scott plays the town Sheriff,and Glenn Ford Plays Cheyenne Rogers/Bill Smith,a hunted outlaw who eventually tries to change his ways.i liked the different mix of characters in the movie.i didn't find it always fast paced,but i never found it boring either.even though the movie is in 1943,it is in colour. 8/10

aimless-46 "The Desperadoes" (1943) is a genuine classic, not for its story (which is fairly routine), but for its technical production elements. This was a landmark western, the biggest ever at the time of its release and all the more unique because it was a Columbia production-a lightweight studio with a bottom feeding reputation. Only Fox's "Jesse James" (also starring Randolph Scott) from a few years earlier gave anywhere near this lavish a treatment to the genre. Although it would be eclipsed in a few years by "The Searchers" and "High Noon", "The Desperadoes" was a ground breaking effort and a historical treasure. In 1863, the economy in the town of Red Valley, Utah is based on rounding up and selling wild horses to the Union Army. The script gets a little messed up here with references to the railroad (which was several years away in Utah's future) and Custer's Last Stand (Custer was busy fighting Stuart in Pennsylvania at the time) but these are not important plot elements. Red Valley has an honest sheriff, Steve Upton (Scott), but the banker and several citizens are corrupt; robbing their own bank each time the government pays for a herd of horses. The town is visited by Cheyenne Rogers (Glenn Ford), a famous outlaw who is an old friend Steve's. He wants to go straight, especially after falling for the pretty livery stable owner Alison McLeod (Evelyn Keyes). Cheyenne's partner "Nitro" Rankin (Guinn "Big Boy" Williams) is mainly there for comic relief as are Uncle Willie McLeod (Edgar Buchanan) and the town judge (Raymond Walburn who models his character on Frank Morgan's "Wizard of Oz" crystal ball faker). Taking no chances with their huge budget Columbia packed this thing with tons of action and every western movie element but Indians and covered wagons. There is the best wild horse stampede ever filmed, a spectacular barroom brawl, an explosive climax, romance, and three-strip Technicolor. All this stuff doesn't necessarily fit together but who would have cared back in 1943. Unity is a problem as it tries to be both a serious action western and a comedy. The cinematography was probably the best ever at the time of its filming. The indoor scenes are solid but it is the naturalistic outdoor photography that is truly impressive; both the lyrical static shots and the moving camera filming of the action sequences. Scott and Claire Trevor were top billed, but the studio clearly wanted to promote Ford, who would soon be their biggest star. And Director Charles Vidor utilized the film to showcase his new wife Keyes (whose portrayal of Scarlett's sister in "Gone With the Wind" had connected with audiences more than any small part in the history of films). The Ford-Keyes dynamic is "The Desperadoes" most unique and important feature. Rather than go for the cliché "love triangle" with Scott and/or Trevor (which it first appears will happen), the entire romantic focus is on the two younger actors. This was probably the best role Keyes ever got and she makes the most of it. Playing a tomboyish but extremely sexy young woman who looks great in both leather pants and dresses, and who rides and fights like Kiera Knightley's character in "Pirates of the Caribbean". This was revolutionary at the time and coincided with the 1942 formation of the WAAC for WWII military service. "The Desperadoes" is one film that has been well taken care of and the print looks like it is brand new. Unfortunately there are no special features on the DVD. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.