Film Snail

6.5

Pursued

NR·1947·101m

Western

Drama

Romance

Western

Drama

Romance

Summary

A boy haunted by nightmares about the night his entire family was murdered is brought up by a neighboring family in the 1880s. He falls for his lovely adoptive sister but his nasty adoptive brother and mysterious uncle want him dead.

Cast

Teresa Wright

Thor

Robert Mitchum

Jeb

Judith Anderson

Mrs. Callum

Dean Jagger

Grant

Alan Hale

Jake Dingle

John Rodney

Adam

Harry Carey, Jr.

Prentice

Clifton Young

The Sergeant

Ernest Severn

Jeb, Age 11

Charles Bates

Adam, Age 11

Peggy Miller

Thor, Age 10

Norman Jolley

A Callum

Lane Chandler

A Callum

Elmer Ellingwood

A Callum

Jack Montgomery

A Callum

Erville Alderson

Townsman (uncredited)

Emile Avery

Townsman (uncredited)

Walter Bacon

Townsman (uncredited)

John Bose

Townsman (uncredited)

Rudy Bowman

Townsman (uncredited)

Virginia Brissac

Woman at the Wedding (uncredited)

Nora Bush

Townswoman (uncredited)

Jess Cavin

Townsman (uncredited)

Noble 'Kid' Chissell

Townsman (uncredited)

Della Clark

Townswoman (uncredited)

Russ Clark

Drill Master (uncredited)

Tex Cooper

Townsman (uncredited)

Ben Corbett

Juror (uncredited)

Adrian Crossett

Townsman (uncredited)

Jack Davis

Doctor (uncredited)

Lester Dorr

Dingle's Casino Boss (uncredited)

Harry Evans

Townsman (uncredited)

Tom Fadden

The Minister (uncredited)

Slim Gaut

Townsman (uncredited)

Bobby Hale

Townsman (uncredited)

Carl Harbaugh

Bartender (uncredited)

Scotty Hugenberg

Jed, Age 4 (uncredited)

Kathy Jeanne Johnson

Thorley, Age 3 (uncredited)

Jack Kenny

Townsman (uncredited)

Kay Koury

Townswoman (uncredited)

Al Kunde

Minister (uncredited)

Harry Lamont

Ticket Taker (uncredited)

Mickey Little

Adam, Age 4 (uncredited)

Ian MacDonald

A Callum (uncredited)

Charles Miller

Coachman (uncredited)

Kansas Moehring

Townsman (uncredited)

Jack Perrin

Townsman (uncredited)

Jessie Proctor

Townswoman (uncredited)

Jim Reeves

Townsman (uncredited)

Ervin Richardson

Jeb's Father (uncredited)

John Roy

Townsman (uncredited)

Sherman Sanders

Square Dance Caller (uncredited)

Paul Scardon

Juryman (uncredited)

Allen D. Sewall

Townsman (uncredited)

George Sowards

Townsman (uncredited)

William Sundholm

Juryman (uncredited)

Jack Tornek

Townsman (uncredited)

Dorothy Vernon

Townswoman (uncredited)

Louise Volding

Jeb's Mother (uncredited)

Eddy Waller

Ben McComber (uncredited)

Glen Walters

Townswoman (uncredited)

Crane Whitley

General (uncredited)

Chalky Williams

Townsman (uncredited)

Ian Wolfe

Coroner (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Raoul Walsh

Screenplay

Niven Busch

Reviews

Wuchak

October 12, 2024

**_Mitchum carries this moody Film Noir Western set in turn-of-the-century New Mexico_**

An adopted son at a ranch (Robert Mitchum) is haunted by something that happened in his childhood as he goes off to fight in the Spanish-American War. Upon his return, he romances Thorley (Teresa Wright) while dealing with the love-hate relationship of his brother (John Rodney). Meanwhile there’s the specter of a one-armed man in the background (Dean Jagger).

“Pursued” (1947) is a well-produced B&W Western with a huge reputation and infamously known for being the film Jim Morrison watched the night he perished on July 3, 1971. Mitchum was 29 during shooting and his towering, brooding presence makes the flick worthwhile, along with Raoul Walsh’s Orson Welles-influenced direction.

Unfortunately, there’s some bad writing, such as the poorly developed character of Adam, not to mention Thorley’s sudden emotional pendulum swings (Why Sure!). But I like the sad theme of adopted children never being as loved and trusted as biological ones.

It runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot in northwest New Mexico at Gallup and nearby Red Rock Park in Church Rock (the ranch), as well as Warner Bros. Ranch in Calabasas, which is 10 miles west of the Hollywood Sign, plus stuff done at the Burbank studio.

GRADE: C+/B-