Review of A Man Alone

Why was High Noon so popular, when many other westerns had the same theme and were infinitely better? If you want to see Ray Milland's version, check out A Man Alone, which he directed as well. I used to jokingly call him Ray Mi-bland because I thought he was boring, but that was before I'd seen his good movies. Who would have thought he'd pull off the role of a western gunfighter?

The common theme of an entire town turning against an innocent man is present in this drama. Ray comes across a stagecoach massacre, and when he rides into town on one of the surviving horses, everyone thinks he was the bandit who did it. When a beautiful woman with a lovely figure, Mary Murphy, believes in his innocence, she offers him shelter. As if he needed any more obstacles, Mary's father is the local sheriff, Ward Bond. Ward is very sick and Mary's caring for him while he's confined to his bed. I didn't like seeing him looking so old and ill, especially since I knew he died a few years later, but he still had his signature warm energy.

It's not the best western out there, but it's definitely worth watching. If you like Ray Milland, or if you like the storyline, you'll probably enjoy it. Next up, try Riding Shotgun or Silver Lode.