Alan Ladd plays the humble hero befriending a pioneer family under attack by hostile forces. Where have we heard that before? So now you can see where everyone else got the idea.
Hollywood worked that plot long before "Shane" but director George Stevens carved out a niche for all time with this picture of conflict on the open west.
First of all, it's visually stunning, much of it shot on location in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Second, it's simple. Farmers want to farm; ranchers want open range. Result: problems.
Great cast helps capture viewer attention. Ben Johnson is a great bully while Van Heflin and Jean Arthur make for the perfect pioneer couple (although there's that little spark between Shane and Arthur). What sets "Shane" apart from previous westerns, of course, was the kid. Brandon DeWilde is the little guy who is just so darn earnest you've got to love him.
But let's not forget the other bad guys. Emile Meyer and John Dierkes play the rotten Ryker brothers with style--despite their low-down ways. Jack Palance is a grinning gunfighter you just want to slap. So it's all very clear--it's a great picture.
Hollywood worked that plot long before "Shane" but director George Stevens carved out a niche for all time with this picture of conflict on the open west.
First of all, it's visually stunning, much of it shot on location in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Second, it's simple. Farmers want to farm; ranchers want open range. Result: problems.
Great cast helps capture viewer attention. Ben Johnson is a great bully while Van Heflin and Jean Arthur make for the perfect pioneer couple (although there's that little spark between Shane and Arthur). What sets "Shane" apart from previous westerns, of course, was the kid. Brandon DeWilde is the little guy who is just so darn earnest you've got to love him.
But let's not forget the other bad guys. Emile Meyer and John Dierkes play the rotten Ryker brothers with style--despite their low-down ways. Jack Palance is a grinning gunfighter you just want to slap. So it's all very clear--it's a great picture.