VENGEANCE VALLEY

 

Based on the 1950 novel by Luke Short, VENGEANCE VALLEY (1951) is a routine Western enhanced by the presence of Burt Lancaster, whose status as a major movie star was on the rise at the time the film was produced and released and some nice Technicolor cinematography by George J. Folsey.

The story revolves around foster brothers Owen (Lancaster) and Lee (Robert Walker) and their relationship with their crippled father (and wealthy rancher), Arch Strobie (Ray Collins). Young Lee is no good but older brother Owen has always looked out for him and covered up for his misdeeds out of respect for the old man.

Lee gets local girl Lily (Sally Forrest) pregnant before he marries Jen (Joanne Dru). When Lee and Owen return from a months long cattle drive, Lilly has given birth (with Jen playing nurse). Lilly's brothers Dick (Hugh O'Brian) and Hub (John Ireland), are out to kill the man who got their sister pregnant even if it means killing the wrong man, in this case, Owen, who is covering for Lee.

Lee schemes to take over the ranch and sets up Owen for a deadly ambush while on a cattle drive. Owen, of course, survives and the two brothers face off against each other in a final showdown.

Lancaster, as usual, is fun to watch and the supporting cast is solid. O'Brian went on to play Wyatt Earp on the television series THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WYATT EARP (1955-1961) and Collins spent years playing homicide lieutenant Tragg on the original PERRY MASON series. Ranch hand Mr. Willoughby, was played by Will Wright who (among other roles), was Ben Weaver, owner of Weavers' department store on THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW. Finally, Glenn Strange has a small part late in the film. Strange played Sam the bartender at the Longbranch Saloon on the long running GUNSMOKE television series and, most importantly for genre fans, played the Frankenstein monster in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKSENSTEIN (1948).

There's nothing here you haven't seen before but VENGEANCE VALLEY is a good little Western with first rate production values thanks to the folks at MGM. 

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