"The Naked Spur" (1953)

“The Naked Spur" (1953)

Written by: Josh Lansky

TCM’s “The Essentials”

Hi everybody, and welcome to Turner Classic Movies. I’m Ben Mankiewicz. Our next film from the Mann-Stuart duo was a low budget western that went onto become a top-grossing film as the father of psychological westerns strikes again. From 1953, it’s “The Naked Spur.” “The Naked Spur” is the firth of ten westerns made by Mann during the 1950s and the third with Stewart. The film had tremendous success and in 1954 was nominated for three Academy Awards including best: ‘Writing,’ ‘Story,’ and ‘Screenplay.’ An incredible accomplishment for a genre normally deprived of such recognition. With thought provoking lines like: “Now ain’t that the way? A man gets set for trouble head-on and it sneaks up behind him,” and the response: “That’s life.” It’s no wonder the screenplay received the nominations and the nod of recognition. The film follows the story of Civil War Veteran, turned bounty hunter Howard Kemp (Played by Jamers Stewart ) who enters the Colorado territory in search of an escaped convict, Ben Vandergroat (played by Robert Ryan) wao has a $5000 bounty on his head. Along the way Stewart is coerced to team up with ex-union soldier, Roy Anderson (played by Ralph Meeker), and burnt-out gold paner, Jesse Tate (played by Milard Mitchell, who also appears in Winchester ‘73). The trio traps Vandergroat and his accomplice, Lina Patch, (played by Janet Leigh, mother of Jamie Lee Curtis) on a hillside and eventually take the two as prisoners. With assistance from Lina and with no better options, Vandergroat, and Patch attempt to systematically divide the group, turning them against one another. The group embarks on their long journey and along the way deals with the harsh wilderness and rugged landscape. Director Anthony Mann uses this landscape to add to the drama. Whether it’s climbing ridgid cliffs or wading through violent river rapids, nature is as much a villain as Vandergroat himself, a common theme in Mann films. This incredibly powerful film toys with the relationship between hero and villain, as Mann blurs the line of good and evil. With hidden motives in play and good and bad becoming somewhat arbitrary we are left unsure who to root for. When a hero does all their good for all the wrong reasons, are they still a hero? From director Antony Mann featuring James Stewart, Janet Leigh, Ralph Meeker, Robert Ryan, and Millard Mitchell, here’s: “The Naked Spur.”******