Copyright 1956 by Sigmund Neufeld Productions. No New York opening. U.S. release through Associated Releasing Corporation: 1 September 1956. U.K. release through Exclusive: June 1958. Never theatrically released in Australia. 6,252 feet. 69½ minutes.
SYNOPSIS: A deputy marshal arrives in a frontier town to investigate the murder of a young woman.
NOTES: A re-make of "Laura".
COMMENT: Although mainly appealing as an uncredited re-make of "Laura", this minor western has some points of interest in its own right. Production values are fairly lavish by "B" standards, with skillful use of stock footage in the Indian attack and effective utilization of some appropriately colorless natural backgrounds.
Although the direction reverts to a less imaginative style once the initial tracking shots are over, it's still considerably above Mr. Neufeld/Newfield's usual humble level of competence.
The script follows the plot of the Caspary novel faithfully (the acid wit, not present in the book — only in the Otto Preminger film — is absent here also).
The change of setting can only be described as ingenious, but more fascinating still are the subtle changes Hampton has made to the characters. The heroine has been limned much less sympathetically, whilst the sardonic Lydecker columnist has been transformed into a personality much more human. Both roles are particularly well played. My congratulations to Miss Gray and Mr. Taylor. But, aside from Jim Davis, who essays the Vincent Price part with remarkable fidelity, the rest of the actors are distinctly second-rate.
Worst of all, I rate John Bromfield who tries unsuccessfully to breathe life into the Dana Andrews role. But even a normally reliable performer like Veda Ann Borg (who is cast as the Judith Anderson character) seems to paint her portrait with less than her usual level of vitality and skill.
On the whole, — despite carrying the additional burdens of too generous a serving of dialogue, plus a flashback introduced with all the subtlety of a Napoleonic cannonade — "Frontier Gambler" comes across as a reasonably fast-moving and interesting, if minor work.
SYNOPSIS: A deputy marshal arrives in a frontier town to investigate the murder of a young woman.
NOTES: A re-make of "Laura".
COMMENT: Although mainly appealing as an uncredited re-make of "Laura", this minor western has some points of interest in its own right. Production values are fairly lavish by "B" standards, with skillful use of stock footage in the Indian attack and effective utilization of some appropriately colorless natural backgrounds.
Although the direction reverts to a less imaginative style once the initial tracking shots are over, it's still considerably above Mr. Neufeld/Newfield's usual humble level of competence.
The script follows the plot of the Caspary novel faithfully (the acid wit, not present in the book — only in the Otto Preminger film — is absent here also).
The change of setting can only be described as ingenious, but more fascinating still are the subtle changes Hampton has made to the characters. The heroine has been limned much less sympathetically, whilst the sardonic Lydecker columnist has been transformed into a personality much more human. Both roles are particularly well played. My congratulations to Miss Gray and Mr. Taylor. But, aside from Jim Davis, who essays the Vincent Price part with remarkable fidelity, the rest of the actors are distinctly second-rate.
Worst of all, I rate John Bromfield who tries unsuccessfully to breathe life into the Dana Andrews role. But even a normally reliable performer like Veda Ann Borg (who is cast as the Judith Anderson character) seems to paint her portrait with less than her usual level of vitality and skill.
On the whole, — despite carrying the additional burdens of too generous a serving of dialogue, plus a flashback introduced with all the subtlety of a Napoleonic cannonade — "Frontier Gambler" comes across as a reasonably fast-moving and interesting, if minor work.