The Tall T

This had both an excellent cast and was exciting from start to finish. I was curious about it when I saw it at #55 in my highly recommended copy of 'The Editors of American Cowboy Magazine's The Top 100 Western Movies of All Time'. Before I saw this, I had only seen a few of the Westerns Boetticher made with Randolph Scott; I had no other experience with the director. But this is marvelous--top-tier alongside the similarly great 'Buchanan Rides Alone'.

I noticed in the comments section that others noted the short running time, and that there wasn't an ounce of fat on the film. They're right. The vast majority of filmmakers today could easily learn a thing or two from watching these fine collaborations. It was very weird for me, after seeing the gorgeous Maureen O'Sullivan star in the daringly sexually provocative pre-Code 'Tarzan and His Mate' be considered by her co-stars here, 23 years later, a very plain-looking old maid, and it was both bizarre (since when I have seen him in these 50's Westerns, he hasn't really been the romancing type) and awesome seeing Randolph Scott take a shining to her on her wedding night (to another man, lol!). Oh, to be alive and make films in that fine filmmaking era!