The Outcast (1954)Jet Cosgrave returns home to claim the ranch that was stolen from him, after his father's death. Director:William Witney |
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The Outcast (1954)Jet Cosgrave returns home to claim the ranch that was stolen from him, after his father's death. Director:William Witney |
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Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
John Derek | ... |
Jet Cosgrave
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Joan Evans | ... |
Judy Polsen
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Jim Davis | ... |
Major Linton Cosgrave
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Catherine McLeod | ... |
Alice Austin
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Ben Cooper | ... |
The Kid
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Taylor Holmes | ... |
Andrew Devlin
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Nana Bryant | ... |
Mrs. Banner
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Slim Pickens | ... |
Boone Polsen
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Frank Ferguson | ... |
Chad Polsen
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James Millican | ... |
Cal Prince
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Bob Steele | ... |
Dude Rankin
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Nacho Galindo | ... |
Curly
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Harry Carey Jr. | ... |
Bert
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Bill Walker | ... |
Sam Allen
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Robert 'Buzz' Henry | ... |
Zeke Polsen
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Following an absence of eight years, Jet Cosgrave (John Derek) returns to his hometown of Colton, Colorado. His quest is for the recovery of his rightful heritage, the great Circle C Ranch, from his uncle, Major Cosgrave (Jim Davis), and to that end, he brings with him nine hired gunmen, headed by "Dude" Rankin (Bob Steele). His accusation that his uncle stole the ranch by a will forged after the death of his father brings instant reprisals. Judy Polsen (Joan Evans), one of a poor family of ranchers, falls in love with Jet after saving him from a bushwhacking by two Circle C gunmen, The Kid (Ben Cooper) and Bert (Harry Carey Jr.). She then vouches for him to her father, Chad Polsen (Frank Ferguson) and her brothers Boone (Slim Pickens), Asa (Nicolas Coster) and Zeke (Robert 'Buzz' Henry), Written by Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
A very good performance by a young John Derek, an outstanding performance by veteran Bob Steele, beautiful scenery stunningly photographed, and action-packed, razor-sharp direction by an old pro at the top of his form make this one of the best "B" westerns to come out of Republic Pictures, which specialized in them and did them better than any other studio did. Derek plays a young man who returns home after his father dies to claim the ranch that was stolen from him, and runs into more trouble than he bargained for. Steele, a major western star in the '30s and '40s, had aged out of leading man roles and settled into character parts, often playing--as he does here--a cold-blooded gunman (watch Humphrey Bogart's 1951 "The Enforcer" to see Steele as a hired killer par excellance). He was such a good actor that he was as effective in these roles as he was in his younger days as a cowboy hero. The cast is full of familiar western faces--Jim Davis, Ben Cooper, James Millican, Slim Pickens--and ace director William Witney uses them all to their best advantage. The blazing gun battles are expertly staged, and the film as a whole moves like lightning. All in all, an expertly made, thoroughly enjoyable little "B" western, more entertaining than many films that cost 50 times as much. Highly recommended.