Nonureva Really Surprised!

Helllins It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Ginger Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

TheLittleSongbird While the western genre is not my favourite one of all film genres (not sure which one is my favourite due to trying to appreciate them all the same), there is a lot of appreciation for it by me. There are a lot of very good to great films, with the best work of John Ford being notable examples.In the late 50s, starting in 1956 with 'Seven Men from Now' and right up to 1960 with 'Comanche Station', lead actor Randolph Scott collaborated with director Budd Boetticher in seven films. For me, 1959's 'Westbound' is one of their weakest along with 'Decision at Sundown'. By all means it is a long way from terrible, it has a lot of great elements and is actually pretty decent. It just isn't in the same league as the wonderful 'Seven Men from Now', 'The Tall T' and 'Ride Lonesome' and doesn't have enough of what made those two so good, they had far better scripts and characterisation in particular as well as better supporting casts.Starting with the strengths, while not the best-looking of their outings, being smaller in scale and slightly too compact in its setting, 'Westbound' still looks pleasing. It is very nicely filmed, with some nice colour and atmosphere, and handsomely designed, it just lacks the visual grandeur of their best collaborations. The music, wonderfully perky and one of the best scores of the Scott/Boetticher western films, has presence and fits perfectly, while not being intrusive.Boetticher directs efficiently and mostly the film goes at a pace that isn't pedestrian. Numerous parts are suspenseful and fun, with some well choreographed action. The ending is effective. Scott brings likeability, charisma and intensity to his role and he is well supported by Karen Steele, oozing glamour, class and charm in the far better written of the female roles, and the wonderfully arch Michael Pate.However, the rest of the supporting cast are pretty feeble, definitely the weakest supporting cast of the Scott/Boetticher westerns. Virginia Mayo is wasted with hardly anything to do in a nothing role. Andrew Duggan's charisma-free performance is just as weak, liked him in 'Decision at Sundown' so what happened.The script, very like that for 'Decision at Sundown', is too wordy, lacking the meat and tautness of the scripts of the best Scott/Boetticher films, and can preach and be too basic. There is not enough depth to the characters, with only Scott's hero being developed enough and even then his motivation should have been explored more and more gripping. Mayo's role is especially sketchy and could have been written out. The story has a lot of great moments, but there is also some credibility straining, overload of simplicity and lack of tautness.Altogether, decent but had the potential to be much better. 6/10 Bethany Cox

LeonLouisRicci Don't let the Fact that this is Considered the Least of the Seven Movies in the Budd Boetticher-Randolph Scott Westerns that helped Redefine the Genre, keep You from checking it out, because it is still Above Average among the enormous Amount of "Product" released in the Decade. The Director all but Disowned it and Reflected on it with Disdain. But Objectively and Apart from the Personal, it has some Powerful Scenes and Delivers the Goods. A True Auteur, Boetticher couldn't Make a Bad Film even when His Heart was Elsewhere.The North-South Conflict seems Familiar on the Surface. The Telling and Retelling of the Deep Divide is Part of the National Template. Here, the Story is Distilled to a Small but important Town that is Essential, We are Told, for the Union to Finance its part with Gold Shipments and Scott is sent "Westbound".Returning, He Finds it Sympathetic to the South and the Tension Begins. The Romantic Subplots are Supported by Two Stunning Blondes (Karen Steele and Virginia Mayo) who Light Up the Screen with Warner Color Beauty. Prejudices are in Full Display and a Rebel's Humiliation, in one of the very First and Unforgettable Scenes, makes it Clear where the Sympathy Lies. The Director's Visual Flare and Terse Violence are Evident, and a Stage Coach Crash is a Standout. The Musical Score is also Memorable.Michael Pate and Henry Duggan as the Lead Villains make Their Mark and Overall, the Film is a Suspenseful Entertainment and Respectfully, Despite the Director's Dismissing, in Retrospect, He Could be Proud.

rsda Sadly, this is an ordinary western so unlike the sterling SEVEN MEN FROM NOW. So many of the stories have a familiar classic ring to them so it really comes down to how well then are preformed. This entry in the Scott-Boetticher cycle is poorly performed by the supporting cast. Unlike "SEVEN MEN" with the brilliant Lee Marvin and also the wonderful Gail Russell, this oater lets us down by the stars. Also the script doesn't have the dynamic of their other films. The love feelings or sometime love affairs of Scott with his leading ladies in these films is a key to the total enjoyment. Unfortunately, this film has little of heartfelt emotion that Russell and Scott provided in "SEVEN MEN"

kenjha During the American Civl War, an Army captain is tasked with ensuring the safe transport of government gold in the Old West. This is perhaps the weakest of the seven Boetticher-Scott Westerns, thanks to a so-so script that fails to evolve into a compelling narrative. The best of the series featured the writing of Burt Kennedy, and he's absent here. Scott plays a character similar to the others in the series, an easy-going fellow pushed to fight by the bad guys. Mayo plays the love interest, although she has a small role. Featured in a more prominent female role is Steele, who also appeared in two other Boetticher-Scott Westerns.