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The Law and Jake Wade

In order to even an old score, town Marshal/reformed criminal Robert Taylor makes the mistake of busting old partner Richard Widmark out of jail, little realizing that the wily outlaw would not only be unappreciative the gesture, but track Taylor down and force him to go hunting for some stolen loot he got rid of before going straight, taking them and Taylor's girl right into dangerous Comanche territory. Personally, I always liked Widmark better when he played a heavy. Here, he's nasty, glib, and nicely matched up with psychotic Henry Silva and blustery saddle-tramp DeForest Kelly. The colorful villains threaten to steal the movie away from the heroes this time around! There's some nicely photographed panoramas and a hard-boiled script full of tough-talking and more than enough gunshots (and arrows), well directed by the great John Sturges. This also has a neat final act and a suspenseful climax in a ghost town.

Marshall Robert Taylor breaks bad guy Richard Widmark out of jail to even a score, but Widmark is still after the money that they stole and which Taylor has hidden. Enjoyable western thanks to a sharp, often witty script and the delivery of most of the best lines by Widmark who walks away with this movie, facing as he does another staid piece of acting by Taylor. Good support from nasties Silva and De Kelly and spectacular Sierras scenery add to the plus points in this stronger than average western.

How can a movie go wrong with a hero like Robert Taylor, a villain like Richard Widmark, glorious western scenery, and a director like John Sturges? It can't, until they put the music to it. I can't recall who the composer for this was, but he had definitely done better work. Music can make an excellent film a great one, take a marginal film and make it a memorable one, but occasionally the music drags it down. Sadly, this is the case with this one. For more than thirty years I've wished this was scored by Bernstein or Tiomkin or Goldsmith. They're all gone now. If there was a way to strip the music out and replace it with something by the likes of Bruce Broughton or James Newton Howard this could be one of the great westerns of the '50s!

Any movie that adds significantly to my lexicon is tops in my book. Richard Widmark is so good at being so bad. He doesn't do it any better than in this movie. And ever since I've seen this move (many years ago) I always say, "More of that doin' without thinking'" whenever I do something mindless and/or stupid. Watch the movie and you'll see what I mean! I read the comment about Robert Taylor being a bad actor. He is rather stiff, but it doesn't seem to bother me. I had a friend say the same thing about Tony Curtis. I guess it is a subjective thing. Either it bothers you or it doesn't. All I really had to say was in the first paragraph. The rest was necessary to fulfill submission guidelines. What's wrong with a short review. Sometimes less is more!

Robert Taylor stars as Jake Wade, former outlaw gone straight who must battle his old partner, Richard Widmark as Clint Holister, the leader of a band of outlaws wanting to find stolen bank money, the location of which only Jake Wade knows. Robert Taylor does a competent job in the lead, but Richard Widmark really steals the show as the menacing leader of the gang. The movie is exciting, fast paced and leads to a satisfying climax. Good solid western.

"The Law and Jake Wade" was made in 1958 and starred Robert Taylor as a former outlaw who gave up the life of crime and became Marshal Jake Wade. Taylor's character is chased by a former outlaw associate, Clint Hollister, eagerly portrayed by Richard Widmark, who returns with two intentions; first, to find the stolen bank money that Wade had hidden in a job they did together, and then kill Jake Wade for causing him so much trouble in the first place. The outlaw gang's portrayers are Henry Silva, Robert Middleton, Eddie Firestone, and before his days in "Star Trek" DeForest Kelley, and all set out to find the missing money. There is, however, some Comanche Indians on the warpath, and the trek where Taylor is leading them to is also in the territory controlled by the Indians. All the elements for a watchable western are included in this one, and the viewer can also take in some views of the western wildlands. A nice 7/10