Shoot-Out At Medicine Bend

Fourth or fifth time I saw it and enjoyed it every time

It's curious that as of this date searching under the title of this film or under Randolph Scott (or James Garner), SHOOT-OUT AT MEDICINE BEND doesn't come up. Yet it is available....perhaps Amazon will rectify that soon, for it is a worthy listing.I suspect the main reason for Warner releasing SHOOT-OUT AT MEDICINE BEND is the early appearance of James Garner (before MAVERICK fame). The film was actually shot in 1955, but wasn't released until 1957, and it was the last of the Warner releases for Scott (the best of those was probably COLT.45 or SUGARFOOT). Apparently, the studio had lost interest by then, and, indeed, the film is in black and white (Scott's last b&w film before this had been THE DOOLINS OF OKLAHOMA back in 1949).And yet, before writing it off, bear with me. I just re-watched this Warner Archive DVD-R. First, some technical items: the b&w print is excellent, full screen on my TV, and production values are superior (it is, after all, a Warner product). The musical score fits nicely. The action is non-stop.SHOOT-OUT AT MEDICINE BEND has been more or less dismissed by some Western critics, including Robert Nott in his book on Scott, McCrea and Audie Murphy. But after re-watching it, I don't think Nott actually viewed it, or if he did, that he paid much attention to it. He calls it a "mess" and "perversely watchable," and declares that the plot is one of the weirdest in any Scott oater.I could not disagree more. SHOOT-OUT AT MEDICINE BEND, certainly, is not one the best of Scott's Westerns, but it ranks much higher than the ranking Nott gives it. And I think it better than most of the other Warner Scotts. Even Leonard Maltin (1990) calls it a "fair backlot Western." The plot involves three soon-to-be-retired cavalry troopers--Scott, Garner, and Gordon Jones (who offers some broad humor)-- who go undercover to investigate a spate of robberies. They do so by disguise as "brethren" of a religious group (possibly Quakers, maybe Mormons, it's not made clear). Nott seems to find this plot line perverse, and maybe by the late 1950s this might have seemed so. But that's the whole point: SHOOT-OUT AT MEDICINE BEND is really a rollicking throw-back to the classic actioners of the 1940s, and on that basis it works very well. Put it alongside TRAIL STREET or ABILENE TOWN from the 1940s, and it fits well and carries its own well enough.I mentioned humor: there is quite a bit of it mixed in with the non-stop action. Jones is the linchpin in most of it, but James Garner--in perhaps a warm up for some of his humorous moments in MAVERICK---is also quite capable of humor, as is Scott. Jones's "drunk scene" with chanteuse Dani Crayne is broadly funny, and he pulls it off well. The misuse of the "thees" and "thous" also is funny, and executed humorously. The episode with the buttermilk---another hilarious moment.But it is the action, and the solid acting, that lift this film above what some critics have said about it. Warner assembled a solid cast---in addition to Scott, Garner, and Jones, there is the young and beautiful Angie Dickinson, again right before stardom. Add James Craig as Clark the bad guy, Trevor Bardette as the sheriff (was there every a character role he did not handle well?), Don Beddoe (another great character actor), Myron Healey (another excellent bad guy), Robert Warwick (as Brother Abraham), and various others---Harry Lauter, Lane Bradford, Guy Wilkerson, etc.---all familiar faces and very dependable in the Western genre, and you have a solid ensemble cast, fun to watch and who know exactly how to pull this sort of thing off.Maybe this was the last Scott Warner production, but everyone acts with conviction, and at times, like they are having a great time. The dialogue is sharp and crisp, and, as I said, the action is non-stop from the very beginning.So, recall those fast-moving, fun Westerns of the 1940s, with a lot less psychology and more action. This is SHOOT-OUT AT MEDICINE BEND. It's worth the investment, and not only for James Garner (who is excellent) or Scott or Angie Dickinson, but for the sheer joy of watching this 1950s throwback to an earlier period of movie-making. Recommended highly.

I first saw the movie at the Majestic Movie Theatre in Montevideo, Uruguay. I was still attending elementary school, and yet I never forgot this little movie. I some times was complaining because I had to go to Sunday School and couldn't play in some soccer games my team was playing, but in this film Randolph Scott (one of the greatest movie cowboys) dresses like a preacher and when he goes to a bar with two friends equally dressed as "brothers" they have to order milk instead of whiskey. After seeing one of my favorite cowboys dressed like a preacher I gave my Sunday School and my pastor a lot more respect! This is not a top western, but like all westerns that have Randolph Scott in the cast, doesn't fail to entertain you. These were the days when there was a difference between right and wrong, and between good and bad people. Values were important then as they should be today to guide our youth to a better life. Give "SHOOT-OUT AT MEDICINE BEND" a try; you'll also get Angie Dickinson in this Warner Bros. 1957 entertaining western.

Good movie

Randolph Scott is great in every movie he made and this one disappoint you.

I watch Randolph Scott movies over and over again. What an amazing actor. I've watched Eastwood, Wayne, Stewart, Gable, Cooper etc. once. No one can match Scott. This one is exciting, fun and attention holding.

Randolph Scott in this classic from 1957 is real good movie he plays a preacher in this one lots of great action with an all star cast Angie Dickinson and James Garner before they were stars.

He loves this one too. It's WONDERFUL to be able to find somany CLASSIC MOVIES.

Good western with a very young James Garner and Angie Dickinson. Don't mind it being B&W since most of the westerns I saw when young were B&W since we had no colour TV. Randolph Scott is Randolph Scott, no need to say more. I never saw a movie of his not worth watching.

good Randolph scott / warner bros. western his penultimate for warners. his last being WESTBOUND 1959. This has the lovely angie Dickinson who had just signed a warner contract. It is also a timely release as it features james garner who passed away earlier this year. Good print in black and white. Can't go wrong with randy scott ......NOW IF ONLY WARNER ARCHIVES WOULD RELEASE SUGARFOOT AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER that would be great though the latter would need a good clean up other prints of the bounty hunter have been too dark over to you warners

Bought it because James Garner was in it...... nostalgic movie, dated but a good Saturday afternoon movie

excellent rapport qualité | prix

After watching this dull train wreck one might ask "Whatever happened to Randolph Scott indeed!" Made in 1957 near the end of his career Scott sure didn't need the money, so I can only assume it was intended as a tribute to all those trio B westerns of the 30s and early 40s: Hopalong Cassidy, etc. Why else in B&W after almost ten years of colour? And it has to classic trio formula of stalwart hero, comic old-timer and impetuous, girl crazy youngster (played here, poorly, by a young James Garner). But the 30s Bs had a certain charm and usually loads of action; this has neither. This has Randy posing as a priest and the sidekicks as travelling friars in a ludicrous, unfunny plot that seems like a rejected 'Maverick' scam. And I guess someone lost the footage with the title shootout 'cause it ain't in the movie. If, like me, you want to see every Scott western you'll want it, otherwise save your time and money. One star to the film and the extra one for Randy who. everyone knows, should ride alone.