The Naked Spur
1950  NR  WESTERN  1h 31min
CAST— James Stewart, Janet Leigh, Ralph Meeker, Robert Ryan, Millard Mitchell
MUSIC— Bronislau Kaper  DIRECTOR— Anthony Mann

     Engrossing suspense film set in the olden days of the West. James Stewart gives an intense performance as a bounty hunter from Kansas out to nab fugitive Robert Ryan far from home. The reward: 5,000 bucks. Stewart’s unavoidable mistake: he encounters two men along his travels, a crusty prospector and a recently (dishonorably) discharged Army officer… and they want a piece of the action. They all saddle up (including the fugitive’s tomboy of a girlfriend, played by Janet Leigh) and begin the arduous trek back to Kansas. But Ryan turns out to be a slimy, conniving instigator who begins to turn the three reluctant partners against one another; and, my, does he do the job. Well plotted, with moments of tense action and affecting drama, this is sure to please the fans. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.
OUR RATING— ***