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• Bend Of The River on DVD (1952)
  Starring: James Stewart,  Arthur Kennedy,  Julie Adams
  Director: Anthony Mann
  Certificate:
  This is the 1950s version of the West: it's a Disneyfied American Dream for 'decent folk' where gals are just looking for the right fella and salt of the earth pioneers show kindness to dumb niggas and former merceneray killers (who are making a determined effort to go straight, bless'em). But that is just the way the West was portrayed then, by convention, and aint nobody was gonna give you no money to make a western any other way. Underneath the Mom's Apple Pie crust it's another story though. There are adult themes here of betrayal, greed and corruption - life is cheap and killing comes easy to those who know how. Ultimately its about the triumph of morality in the face of adversity - a message that stands repeating in these days. Anthony Mann has crafted an epic western here, with fantastic scenery, gorgeous technicolour photography and stunning studio sets, with not a special effect or CGI in sight. One just gawps in amazement as heavy, ricketty wagons are hauled across unforgiving terrain by foam-flecked horses. James Stewart prefigures Clint Eastwood as the deadly killer, tired of killing, who is forced by circumstances and the thirst for justice to kill again - but of course, being the 1950s, no blood is spilled, though the body count keeps on rising. The female lead does a passable impression of Joan Crawford and Arthur Kennedy is a nasty two-faced sunnavabitch. This is old-fashioned in many away, but its a damn fine film nonetheless.   1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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