The Law and Jake Wade

Reformed marshal helps former cohort escape from prison, but comes to regret it. Taylor is fine as the stoic marshal trying to escape his outlaw past. Widmark makes a terrific villain, without resorting to the giggling psycho persona that marked many of his earlier performances as bad guys. He even has some funny lines. The enigmatic Silva is notable as a member of Widmark's gang. Sturges made a number of Westerns during the 1950s. This is another solid entry in the director's Western filmography, although it's not as good as the one that preceded it (Gunfight at the O.K. Corral) or the one that followed it (Last Train from Gun Hill).

'Old' Westerns aren't my favourite type of film - never have been, but if I had to make an exception for a classic example, right now this would be it. One thing in its favour from my point of view is that it tells a simple story which really boils down to one man versus another. Sure, both the title character and the baddie have cohorts, but the crux of the matter is that there's a score to be settled between the two leads. Joyfully, there isn't a posse in sight (unless you include the Indian encounter.)

There's nothing' better than a man trying to atone for his past getting caught up once more with an old accomplice who won't let him forget it. What some call a wooden performance from Robert Taylor, I prefer to call 'relaxed'. I've seen him harshly judged in some quarters, but to me he was a likable presence - although it's true to say that of the two, Richard Widmark takes top honours. The final showdown is tense and competently strung out by Sturges. While it's not quite mano a mano, it IS one on one... To me, that's a good thing.

"The Law and Jake Wade" was made in 1958 and starred Robert Taylor as a former outlaw who gave up the life of crime and became Marshal Jake Wade. Taylor's character is chased by a former outlaw associate, Clint Hollister, eagerly portrayed by Richard Widmark, who returns with two intentions; first, to find the stolen bank money that Wade had hidden in a job they did together, and then kill Jake Wade for causing him so much trouble in the first place. The outlaw gang's portrayers are Henry Silva, Robert Middleton, Eddie Firestone, and before his days in "Star Trek" DeForest Kelley, and all set out to find the missing money. There is, however, some Comanche Indians on the warpath, and the trek where Taylor is leading them to is also in the territory controlled by the Indians. All the elements for a watchable western are included in this one, and the viewer can also take in some views of the western wildlands. A nice 7/10

Jake Wade (Robert Taylor) breaks his partner Clint Hollister (Richard Widmark) out of jail. Jake had buried their loot and refuses to reveal the location to Clint. Jake is actually the new Marshall of another small town married to wife Peggy (Patricia Owens). Clint and his new crew catch up to Jake, and he wants the loot.

It's a good if not great western. Robert Taylor is on the decline and he's a diminishing leading man. This one is all Richard Widmark. He is chewing up the movie the whole way through. He has all the swagger in the world. This has a fight with Indians. There is final shootout between the two leads in an abandoned town. It's all here.

Any movie that adds significantly to my lexicon is tops in my book. Richard Widmark is so good at being so bad. He doesn't do it any better than in this movie. And ever since I've seen this move (many years ago) I always say, "More of that doin' without thinking'" whenever I do something mindless and/or stupid. Watch the movie and you'll see what I mean!

I read the comment about Robert Taylor being a bad actor. He is rather stiff, but it doesn't seem to bother me. I had a friend say the same thing about Tony Curtis. I guess it is a subjective thing. Either it bothers you or it doesn't. All I really had to say was in the first paragraph. The rest was necessary to fulfill submission guidelines. What's wrong with a short review. Sometimes less is more!