User Reviews

Saloon owner Richard Boone and cattle rancher Randolph Scott have had an uneasy rivalry for years. But the final straw comes when Scott's nephew starts sparking Donna Martell who Boone had considered his private preserve. Of course she never saw it that way and when she goes to Scott for protection, Boone starts a range war over it.

Richard Boone is presented to us as having a chip on his shoulder to begin with. But he truly goes over the top because of his hatred for Scott. He kills poor Clem Bevans to get possession of his ranch which is next to Scott's. Boone rustles Scott's cattle of course, he shoots Scott's lawyer brother, he imports several hired guns like Leo Gordon, Lee Van Cleef, and Denver Pyle. Pyle in fact tries to rawhide Scott's nephew, played by Skip Homeier, into a fight. That one doesn't work out to well for Pyle.

My favorite in this film is Leo Gordon. He's one mean man as he is in so many films. But what's funny here is the way he keeps slipping the needle to Richard Boone. Oh, he'll take Boone's money and Gordon's the sort who likes mayhem and violence for its own sake. But he does think Boone's motives a bit nuts and lets him know a few times in the film.

It's not one of the best of Randolph Scott's westerns and it does seem a mighty silly reason to start a range war.

Well I don't know if there were more than three or four of the ten wanted men of the title to challenge Randolph Scott in this mid 1950's Western, which played a lot more like an oater from a decade or two earlier. This was not Scott's finest hour, which probably explains only a single outfit change from a plaid shirt to the standard black with white kerchief to wind up the picture. Probably the best reason to tune in is to catch some of the premier Western henchmen of the day chewing it up at the expense of the Stewart (Scott) clan. I think I prefer Richard Boone as a heavy, even though Paladin was a favorite character of mine. The best villain title of the picture goes to Leo Gordon in what could have easily been the second lead in the story to Randolph Scott himself. Gordon's character even turns on his boss Wick Campbell (Boone), showing that you just can't trust a bad guy when it comes to money. Lee Van Cleef and Denver Pyle hadn't hit their peak yet as character actors, and it's cool to see them as part of Gordon's bad guy posse, even if they didn't last long. Skip Homeier makes quick work of Pyle, and Scott unceremoniously wastes Van Cleef's character in a quick gun battle.

As for the main protagonists, I would have to say that the showdown between Randolph Scott and Richard Boone takes the prize as the shortest range shootout ever - about three feet across a wooden table! They were so close they could have actually touched each other. Considering the way the picture started, that probably should have been the finale, but that was left to a Scott vs. Gordon confrontation that ended rather clumsily when the roof fell in. Seriously, Gordon went down under rafters and debris while Scott just stood there watching. I would have re-wound to see what I missed but I caught this on Encore Westerns, so there was no way for a do over.

Oh yeah, there were a couple of romantic angles going on (Homeier and Donna Martel, Scott and Jocelyn Brando), but the chemistry didn't seem right in either case. The picture ended with a double ring ceremony, but even that blew by pretty much off screen and you had to fill in the blanks yourself. All in all, a rather clumsy effort and not one of Randolph Scott's finest hours, though it might have been for Leo Gordon.

This is not a great western but it is not a bad one either. By this stage of Randolph Scott's career, he was serving as the co-producer of the films in which he starred. Made at major studios, these were not "A" budget pictures, but they were not really "B" pictures. Because of his reputation as a bankable lead, Scott could attract well-known directors, many that he had worked before like Bruce Humberstone who helms this effort.

Since Scott was still a good looking man in his 50s, he was able to continue playing romantic hero roles and be convincing. Seldom did he appear as a character with any villainous traits. As was customary during this era, he would be paired with pretty females who were usually younger than him. In TEN WANTED MEN, his leading lady is Jocelyn Brando (sister of Marlon).

Miss Brando is a stage trained actress who brings more substance to her role than other Hollywood starlets would have. She skillfully underplays most of her scenes, though we know she is a strong woman who is made to order for Scott in this rugged environment. While Scott and Brando share plenty of screen time, most of the story concerns the arrival of his young nephew (Skip Homeier).

At an outdoor fiesta Homeier meets a Mexican gal (Donna Martell) and they develop considerable affection for each other. This causes a feud that is waged by bad guy Richard Boone against Scott and Homeier and anyone else who stands in his way. You see, Boone desires the Latina for himself, and he intends to have her, even if she doesn't want him and would rather be with Homeier.

Sometimes Boone tends to overplay his villain roles in the western genre, and it could be argued that he does go a bit over the top here...but we do believe in the threat he poses. He's a dangerous man. Not only will he kidnap Martell for his own selfish pleasures, he also wants the hacienda and surrounding land belonging to Scott. In order to do this, he hires a group of violent drifters...hence the title of the movie.

These men are led by Leo Gordon, Denver Pyle and Lee Van Cleef. They quickly make their presence known on the streets and instill a sense of fear in the townsfolk. The sheriff (Dennis Weaver) is not happy about this turn of events. A bit later the men decide to get a drink and wait inside the saloon for either Scott or Homeier to show up. When Homeier comes in, Pyle is goaded by the others and challenges him to a duel. However, Pyle is not fast enough on the draw and Homeier guns him down.

The irony of the scene is that Homeier does not normally carry a weapon and is averse to this sort of confrontation and violence. After he kills Pyle in self-defense, the sheriff assumes this will be the end of it. But it's just the beginning. Pyle's death angers Van Cleef and Gordon who are upset at losing their buddy. Soon they put a scheme in motion that backfires and results in Van Cleef's death.

Boone learns Van Cleef is now dead and realizes the men he hired are incompetent. Meanwhile Scott is having troubles of his own keeping Homeier in line. Since his brother (Lester Matthews) is no longer around, Scott feels a sense of responsibility to show Homeier the difference between right and wrong. In one memorable scene, he gives Homeier a good punch to knock some sense into him!

Of course, they set aside their differences and band together with the rest of the townsfolk to do battle with Boone, who is on the warpath. There are some effective scenes where Scott, Brando, Homeier and the locals are able to outsmart Boone. Of course, they succeed in this highly climactic standoff, we wouldn't expect otherwise...but it is all quite entertaining. And the brief coda at the end, where Homeier weds Martell and Scott also says "I do"to Brando in a double wedding ceremony, is just a really nice way to wrap up the film's 80 minute running time.

The action starts in the opening seconds as a stage coach is hijacked and its two occupants, father and son, taken to a ranch... it turns out the hijack was staged; the two men have been take to the ranch belonging to the older man's brother; and he is holding a party in their honour. This man is John Stewart; the most successful rancher in the area who is proud of the work he has done for the town and its people. One of those people, Wick Campbell, isn't exactly grateful and when the woman he considers his decides to leave him for Stewart's nephew Howie he decides to ruin the Stewart family. To do this he hires a gang of gunslingers. First they rustle a couple of hundred head of cattle then they force Howie into a gunfight; he wins but they all claim he murdered the other man. Howie escapes from jail and Campbell decides he has had enough and goes after the Stewarts with the intention of killing them and anybody with them! If they are to survive John will have to pick up his gun belt once again and fight back.

The story isn't the most original but there is a lot of action packed into the film's eighty minutes; there are shoot-outs, chases on horseback, a cattle stampede and a final showdown where there is a lot of shooting and plenty of destruction caused by dynamite! Randolph was in his late fifties when he made this but was still believable in the leading role; in fact his age brought needed maturity to the role. Richard Boone did a good job as the bitter and jealous Wick Campbell; he was ably supported by a suitably unpleasant gang of ruffians. While there isn't really any doubt that good will triumph there are a surprising number of good men lost along the way. While it isn't a classic it is a good way to kill an hour and a half if it's on television.

Come on, guys, this a classic action western of high calibre. Its got a great plot that builds up to a satisfying climax. Its a kind of film that lets go and wants you to enjoy yourself. The Budd Boectcher westerns are great, but that can be a bit talky and long drawn out. But Ten wanted men is has solid acting, writing and I have seen a plenty of times and will do so. Randolph Scott, as ever, is dependable and solid which parries nicely with Boone's brooding persona. The scenery is superb and i liked the beginning of the film where Alfonsa Bedoya kidnaps Skip Homier and his father and you are fooled into thinking that the action will soon start. granted the film takes time to let loose but, boy, when it does its like a firecracker. A must see film! Forget the other reviews!

Randolph Scott (John Stewart), Jocelyn Brando (Corinne Michaels), Richard Boone (Wick Campbell), Alfonso Bedoya (Hernando), Donna Martell (Maria Segura), Skip Homeier (Howie Stewart), Clem Bevans (Tod Grinnel), Leo Gordon (Frank Scavo), Minor Watson (Jason Carr), Lester Matthews (Adam Stewart), Tom Powers (Green), Dennis Weave (Sheiff Clyde Gibbons), Lee Van Cleef (Al Drucker), Louis Jean Heydt (Tom Baines), Kathleen Croiwley (Marva Gibbons), Boyd "Red" Morgan (Red Dawes), Denver Pyle (Dave Weed), Francis McDonald (Warner), Pat Collins (bartender), Robert Ivers (John Stewart acolyte), Paul Maxey (cattle buyer), and George Boyce, Franklyn Farnum, Terry Frost, Edna Holland, Reed Howes, Jack Perrin, Carlos Vera, Julian Rivero.

Director: BRUCE HUMBERSTONE. Screenplay: Kenneth Gamet. Story: Irving Ravetch, Harriet Frank, junior. Photographed in Color by Technicolor by Wilfrid M. Cline. Film editor: Gene Havlick. Art director: Edward Ilou. Set decorator: Frank Tuttle. Music: Paul Sawtell. Technicolor color consultant: Francis Cugat. Special effects supervisor: Barney Wolff. Stunts: Red Morgan, Boyd Stockman. Set continuity: Dolores Rubin. Assistant director: Wilbur McGaugh. Assistant to the producer: David Breen. Sound recording supervisor: John Livadary. Sound recording: Jack Goodrich. Associate producer: Randolph Scott. Producer: Harry Joe Brown. A Scott-Brown Production. A Columbia Picture.

Copyright 1955. U.S. release: 1 February 1955. No recorded New York opening. Australian release: 15 July 1955. 7,187 feet. 79 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: John Stewart has carved out a cattle empire in Arizona. He is forced to defend himself against killers imported by Wick Campbell.

COMMENT: The story may be routine, and it's also true that the plot has some gaping holes, as many previous reviewers have suggested, but nevertheless I quite enjoyed this entry, thanks to the vigorous direction of "Lucky" Humberstone, the pleasing Technicolor hues caught by cinematographer Wilfrid M. Cline, and the efforts of an outstanding support cast led by the lovely and talented Jocelyn Brando (Marlon's sister).