The Naked Spur (1953)

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Stewart captures a wanted outlaw,Ryan, and runs across several other despicable, dangerous and untrustworthy people. So what does he do? Of course, he invites them to tag along with him and Ryan and enjoy the great outdoors, camping out, having fun and adventures along the way and just engaging in some good old fashioned fellowship. I mean, who wouldn't want to be in the company of a group of thieves and murderers? So along the way, Jimmy-Boy gets sleepy. So does he tie up Ryan and the others? No, why would he? No, Jimmy, stumbling along, why does Jimmy always incur some type of injury in his films, listens as Ryan tells him he has to sleep sometime, and surprisingly without fail, little Jimmy does and the bad guys take him prisoner. Who could have seen that coming? Feel free to throw up at this point in the movie.Typical, silly, "Duh I'm too stupid to take care of myself", Jimmy Stewart movie. Add in "The Mountain Road", "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence", "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and the list goes on and you get the picture.

This sharp, tense western has a rip-roaring premise that fascinatingly juxtaposes the claustrophobic psychology of a chamber piece with the wide-open expanses of a wild America.James Stewart plays a man on a mission, and that mission is to drag outlaw Robert Ryan back to civilization so that he can cash in on the bounty. On his way, he is accidentally assisted by Ralph Meeker, as a morally suspect ex-soldier, and Millard Mitchell, as a crusty gold prospector. Since the two men help, they want a share of the bounty too. Robert Ryan realizes that he can play the greed of each man off the other, planting suspicions in their heads and causing them to fight among each other, thereby increasing his chances of escaping. To top it off, Janet Leigh is along for the ride as Ryan's girlfriend, so there's the added tension that one woman in a group of keyed up guys alone in the wilderness naturally adds to any scenario.The cast is ace, and the chemistry between all of the actors is palpable. Ryan is one of my favorite actors, and his unique, giggly spin on the typical western villain gives the film some added punch. Meeker is also terrific as the macho alpha male who undresses Leigh with his eyes for the entirety of the film. And Jimmy Stewart is of course excellent in an against-type role as the would-be hero who has too many masculine insecurities plaguing him to be truly heroic.I don't much like how the film ended and wish the filmmakers had found something better to do with Janet Leigh, but this was the early 1950s, so one can't be too surprised by the role she's given.Sam Rolfe and Harold Jack Bloom were nominated for the Best Story and Screenplay Academy Award, which they lost to Charles Brackett, Walter Reisch, and Richard Breen for "Titanic." Grade: A

One of Mann's notable collaborations with Jimmy Stewart that captures the attention of the audience with enough action and good acting by many famed stars of those days such as Janet Leigh or Robert Ryan and, I need not mention, James Stewart. The film delivers an unforgettable story that teaches us lessons that have to do with greed and pure meanness. I shan't say more, alas I am perturbed that I will reveal important facts of the plot. Moving along, the scenery is quite dazzling and powerful, the film takes place on the rocky mountains so expect beautiful hills and valleys and streams. (Here start some info that could be called spoilers!) None the less I am still inclined to point out some dismal characteristics of the film that I did not enjoy. The film had a rather abrupt ending, like there wasn't enough time to film a couple of scenes more. I believe that instead of suddenly showing the brutal nature of a character there should have been some kind of transition or slower progression to make the plot a little more believable. Although the sudden ending might actually add to the brilliance of this western. Summarizing, This western has enough action packed scenes, good acting by very famous actors such as James Stewart and Janet Leigh, beautiful scenery and classic Anthony Mann cinematography. As such I believe this film deserves a 7/10 which is, by my standards, quite excellent

A bounty hunter (James Stewart) trying to bring a murderer (Robert Ryan) to justice is forced to accept the help of two less-than-trustworthy strangers.This film is an odd one. While very, very good and commendable for its focus on characters rather than gunfights (though we have those, too) it has an odd feeling about it. And I think that, for me, it is James Stewart.I love James Stewart. Just about everything he touches is gold. And I know he has done his share of westerns. But it is weird, I cannot see him as a bounty hunter. I see James Stewart as a man in a costume, where all the others looked like they belonged in their clothes. Especially the character of Jesse Tate (Millard Mitchell) -- you cannot be more stereotypically western than him.The music also left a little to be desired. Still a great movie, though. Even if Jamie Lee Curtis' mom is in it.