Over the hill former rodeo champ Jeff McCloud (Robert Mitchum) returns to the home of his youth where he meets rodeo aspirant Wes Merrit (Arthur Kennedy). Merrit convinces McCloud to train him for the big time much to the consternation of wife Louise (Susan Hayward) who views McCloud with a jaundice eye. Merrit becomes very successful on the circuit and the marriage teeters as well as the relationship between teacher and student.
Using significant amounts of documentary footage, the Lusty Men vividly depicts the crippling sport of bronc and bull riding as backdrop to this modern day western melodrama. Top billed Hayward holds her own as she goes toe to toe with Mitchum and Kennedy to keep their chauvinism in line. Kennedy transitions well into prima donna while Mitchum, in laidback fashion offers up a wonderfully understated shaman of the west performance.
A bit of an unusual vehicle for the noir, urban setting styling of Nicholas Ray and it shows in spots such with verbose rodeo announcers and dependence on aforementioned doc footage.
Using significant amounts of documentary footage, the Lusty Men vividly depicts the crippling sport of bronc and bull riding as backdrop to this modern day western melodrama. Top billed Hayward holds her own as she goes toe to toe with Mitchum and Kennedy to keep their chauvinism in line. Kennedy transitions well into prima donna while Mitchum, in laidback fashion offers up a wonderfully understated shaman of the west performance.
A bit of an unusual vehicle for the noir, urban setting styling of Nicholas Ray and it shows in spots such with verbose rodeo announcers and dependence on aforementioned doc footage.