Along the Great Divide (1951)

Ah yes...the classic Western which when done right lives in the hearts of every Western lover. This one has it all. Cowboys, the law, a love story, outdoors, cattle and frontier justice. What we tend to forget but are reminded thanks to Westerns like these that it was no cake walk back then and life was not given to anyone on a platter. You had to work hard and long and even then who knows what can or would happen living out-there in the wilderness and on the edge of civilization. Kirk was made for Westerns as we find out in future movies as he went on to star in some pretty nice stuff. Walter Brennan is a guaranteed good time as the man captured every role he ever played no matter where you put him. Add some horses, some other familiar faces and we are being entertained no problem. Imagine going to see this for the first time in the big theater. Its a slow-popcorn eating movie with a tasty drink all the way to the end with some chair-gripping scenes along the way complimenting the title Along The Great Divide. Mount-up on this one and lets all head back to the ranch fore supper time. Enjoy pards

The 1950's brought us a lot of great Westerns - The Naked Spur, High Noon, Man of the West, 3:10 to Yuma, Shane, Vera Cruz and others. Unfortunately this is not one of them despite the hand of the Great Director Raoul Walsh. No it is not bad but overall this is a routine western - straightforward story - Old guy wrongly accused of murder (Walter Brennan), taken by Marshall (Kirk Douglas) for trial, chased by rich rancher (Morris Ankrum) whose son was killed, Marshall has hots for old guy's daughter (Virginia Mayo) despite all the tension between them. It does have its moments and a good cast despite all the western clichés and Kirk Douglas's clenched teeth. Enjoyable though and wrapped up in a tidy 88 minutes.

This was Kirk Douglas' first western and he did so well, that he could not stop making them after. Virginia Mayo, who used to be just another pretty woman, here, as in Colorado Territory, has a chance to show her talent and does very well, she still looks modern, when you see the film today. The story is about Kirk saving Walter Brennan from a lynch mob, and trying to get him to the nearest town without being caught by the mob. He chooses to go through the desert and falls in love with Brennan's daughter(Mayo). Raoul Walsh feels at home directing this film, he is as good as always. What I did not like about the film is the song that Douglas does not want to hear, and Brennan keeps singing, it's too sentimental and just one step from being ridiculous. Apart from that, this is an above average western

A marshal has to transport an accused murderer across the desert to the nearest town to face trial. A steady tension builds up along the trail, with Kirk Douglas as the marshal and Walter Brennan as the accused. Douglas's deputies, played by John Agar and Ray Teal, both add interesting dynamics to the situation, while Virginia Mayo, as Brennan's daughter uses all of her seductive powers on Douglas in order to free her father. Followed by a posse led by a wealthy rancher who wants Brennan hung, Douglas manages to capture the rancher's son played by James Anderson, and uses him as protection to get Brennan to the town. Anderson eventually wins over deputy Teal with a promised bribe, setting up the film's best dramatic element, that of a tired Douglas alone against Brennan, Mayo, Teal, and Anderson. The beautiful desert photography augments a tense storyline that is maintained up to the conclusion, which seemed a letdown in comparison to what was so well portrayed out in the desert.