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THE DESPERADOES was Columiba Pictures first technicolor production, and the studio spared no expense to acquire this a truly signal event. Randolph Scott, a young Glenn Ford, Claire Trevor, and Edgar Buchanan head a incredible cast. THE DESPERADOES, in a sense, was Columbia’s retort to Fox studio’s JESSE JAMES, another yarn western. The results are very enjoyable–the dialogue crisp, the action speedy, and the acting well above average. And the technicolor print is superb; THE DESPERADOES is one of the best shot pics of its time. A classic.

“The Desperadoes” (1943) is a fine classic, not for its legend (which is fairly routine), but for its technical production elements. This was a landmark western, the biggest ever at the time of its release and all the more unusual because it was a Columbia production-a lightweight studio with a bottom feeding reputation. Only Fox’s “Jessie James” (also starring Randolph Scott) from a few years earlier gave anywhere reach this lavish a treatment to the genre. Although it would be eclipsed in a few years by “The Searchers” and “High Noon”, “The Desperadoes” was a ground breaking disaster and a historical care for.

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In 1863, the economy in the town of Red Valley, Utah is based on rounding up and selling wild horses to the Union Army. The script gets a cramped messed up here with references to the railroad (which was several years away in Utah’s future) and Custer’s Last Stand (Custer was busy fighting Stuart in Pennsylvania at the time) but these are not notable status elements.

Red Valley has an unbiased sheriff, Steve Upton (Scott), but the banker and several citizens are corrupt; robbing their believe bank each time the government pays for a herd of horses. The town is visited by Cheyenne Rogers (Glenn Ford), a notorious outlaw who is an outmoded friend Steve’s. He wants to go straight, especially after falling for the magnificent livery stable owner Alison McLeod (Evelyn Keyes) . Cheyenne’s partner “Nitro” Rankin (Guinn “Broad Boy” Williams) is mainly there for amusing relief as are Uncle Willie McLeod (Edgar Buchanan) and the town mediate (Raymond Walburn who models his character on Frank Morgan’s “Wizard of Oz” crystal ball faker) .

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Taking no chances with their grand budget Columbia packed this thing with tons of action and every western movie element but Indians and covered wagons. There is the best wild horse stampede ever filmed, a spectacular barroom brawl, an explosive climax, romance, and three-strip Technicolor. All this stuff doesn’t necessarily fit together but who would have cared wait on in 1943. Unity is a spot as it tries to be both a serious action western and a comedy.

The cinematography was probably the best ever at the time of its filming. The indoor scenes are solid but it is the naturalistic outdoor photography that is truly impressive; both the lyrical static shots and the attractive camera filming of the action sequences.

Scott and Claire Trevor were top billed, but the studio clearly wanted to promote Ford, who would soon be their biggest star. And Director Charles Vidor utilized the film to showcase his modern wife Keyes (whose portrayal of Scarlett’s sister in “Gone With the Wind” had connected with audiences more than any petite piece in the history of films) .

The Ford-Keyes dynamic is “The Desperadoes” most new and distinguished feature. Rather than go for the cliché “worship triangle” with Scott and/or Trevor (which it first appears will happen), the entire romantic focus is on the two younger actors. This was probably the best role Keyes ever got and she makes the most of it. Playing a tomboyish but extremely sexy young woman who looks gargantuan in both leather pants and dresses, and who rides and fights like Kiera Knightley’s character in “Pirates of the Caribbean”. This was revolutionary at the time and coincided with the 1942 formation of the WAAC for WWII military service.

“The Desperadoes” is one film that has been well taken care of and the print looks like it is sign fresh. Unfortunately there are no special features on the DVD.

Then again, what do I know? I’m only a child.
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