The Tall Men

1955 "As Big and Spectacular and Exciting As The Mighty West Itself!"
6.7| 2h2m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 22 September 1955 Released
Producted By: 20th Century Fox
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Two brothers discharged from the Confederate Army join a businessman for a cattle drive from Texas to Montana where they run into raiding Jayhawkers, angry Sioux, rough terrain and bad weather.

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Reviews

Supelice Dreadfully Boring
ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre
Quiet Muffin This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.
Ortiz Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.
Freedom060286 I enjoy watching these colour 1950s westerns, more so now that they have been remastered in 1080p HD. This one is based on a novel by Heck Allen (as Clay Fisher).The cast performed very well, with Clark Gable and Cameron Mitchell as ex-confederate brothers seeking a better life after the Civil War, and Robert Ryan as a practical, intelligent businessman with big dreams. Jane Russell doesn't seem like an especially good actress, but she was okay for her role. The cinematography is beautiful to behold - director Raoul Walsh chose some ideal locations. The cost of making the movie was $3,115,000, a substantial amount for the time, and it made a profit with box office revenue of $6 million.
sol- Tension simmers between two brothers and a businessman working on a cattle drive together as the older brother and businessman compete for the affections of a woman accompanying them in this semi-comedic western. Clark Gable and Robert Ryan are both fine as the vying lovers in question, however, it is Jane Russell who truly makes the film as the mutual object of their affection. She has a knack for taking off her boots in public and bathing wherever and whenever possible - habits that cause quite a stir given the social mores of the day. At the film's most comical, a hotel clerk puts on his glasses to get a better look at Russell's legs until Russell calls him out on it, while her singing of traditional songs in her bathtub (oddly taken along on the cattle drive) are memorable. One of the songs also provides the source of the film's title. Russell additionally has an unforgettable scene in which her bathing in a local river is interrupted by a frog thrown in the water! Russell aside though, there is not very much to distinguish 'The Tall Men' as a unique western and it is consequently a rather flat viewing experience whenever Russell is not on screen. The love triangle stuff is extremely by the numbers, and while there are some spectacular shots of the cattle drivers leading their herd through dangerous and mountainous areas, they are few are far between. The film does look very good though, photographed in CinemaScope with bright, rich colours all round, and shot on location in Mexico, director Raoul Walsh admittedly gets all that he can from the picturesque locations.
Tweekums Set shortly after the Civil War two former Confederate soldiers, brothers Ben and Clint Allison ride into a town in Montana Territory hoping to make some money... they do this by kidnapping and robbing businessman Nathan Stark. While they are robbing him Stark makes a proposition... they can take the money and live the rest of their lives as hunted men or they can join him in a potentially very profitable venture; to drive 5000 head of cattle from Texas where they are cheap to Montana where hungry prospectors will pay top dollar for prime beef; they except his proposal and set off south. Along the way Ben rescues settler Nella Turner from a band of Sioux; it looks as if they will get close to each other but when he talks of his plans to live on a ranch in Texas she considers his dreams too small and they have a rapid falling out... she quickly appears to fall for Stark's charms, and wealth, though. Having got to San Antonio they purchase the herd and hire a group of Mexicans who have worked with Ben before to help on the drive. On the drive north they have to deal with people trying to force them to pay a 'tax' to enter Kansas, tensions between Ben and Nella and finally they must get through Sioux territory after the army warn them that the trail is closed.The first thing I noticed was the spectacular scenery; it may have been filmed in Mexico rather than between Montana and Texas but it looked great; especially on the way south when they were riding through deep snow. The story was told at a fairly slow pace but that isn't a bad thing as it reflects the fact that the action takes place over a period of months; it also gives us time to get to know the characters before the action starts. Clark Gable is clearly the star of the film and he does a fine job as Sam Allison, Robert Ryan also puts in a solid performance as Stark and Jane Russell was good enough as Nella although at times it felt as though she was in a different, more light-hearted film! The action, when it came was impressive; especially when they ran the cattle through a canyon during the attack by the Sioux... at one point a wagon broke and it was crushed to nothing by the stampeding cattle in seconds! They were obviously pleased with some of the shots as I'm sure I saw the same Sioux and his horse come crashing down three times! There is a little twist at the end when they get to Montana but I won't spoil that here. Overall I'd say this is a pretty good western; definitely worth watching if you are a fan of the genre.
kvnmsmth Despite a big name cast - including one of my personal favorites, Robert Ryan, and guidance by experienced director Raoul Walsh, The Tall Men disappoints.Jane Russell seems perplexed by her role which calls for comedic ability the shapely lady lacks. And don't get me started about all of her singing/disrobing. Add to the romantic mix Clark Gable on autopilot.Wasted in limited scenes, Cameron Mitchell and Ryan liven things up a bit but not enough to save The Tall Men. I wonder what happened behind the scenes of this dud Western.