The Man from Bitter Ridge ** (1955, Lex Barker, Mara Corday, Stephen McNally, Trevor Bardette, John Dehner, Ray Teal, Warren Stevens, Myron Healey) – Classic Movie Review 10,955

‘FLAMING DAYS of the Great Mountain Wars!’

Rather primitive acting and basic scripting hold back the interesting and pacy 1955 Universal International Pictures B-movie Eastmancolor Western film The Man from Bitter Ridge. But the political angle is intriguing and there is effective handling from sci-fi expert director Jack Arnold, with craftsmanlike work from photographer Russell Metty, music supervisor Joseph Gershenson and production designers Alexander Golitzen and Bill Newberry, and with enough stunts and action to keep the movie afloat.

It stars an intriguing bunch of actors: Lex Barker, Mara Corday, Stephen McNally, Trevor Bardette, John Dehner, Ray Teal, Warren Stevens, Myron Healey.

When undercover special investigator lawman Jeff Carr (Lex Barker) goes searching in Tomahawk for the outlaws who have been killing and holding up the stage, sheepman Alec Black (Stephen McNally) is suspected is suspected, but the two become a friends though both are in love with Holly (Mara Corday). The crooked Jackman brothers – Ranse Jackman (John Dehner), Linc Jackman (Warren Stevens) and Clem Jackman (Myron Healey) – control the town.

Jeff, Alec and sheriff Walter Dunham (Trevor Bardette) set out to arrest the real culprits and believe that ambitious political careerist Ranse Jackman (John Dehner) is the main bad guy, aiming to be sheriff and then governor, with brothers Linc Jackman (Warren Stevens) and Clem Jackman (Myron Healey) as his henchmen.

The screenplay by Lawrence Roman (screenplay) and Teddi Sherman (adaptation) is based on a novel by William MacLeod Raine.

The stunt double is future director Buddy Van Horn.

It was shot between September and October 1954 at Universal Studios, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California; Skeleton Canyon, California; and Conejo Valley, Thousand Oaks, California.

Also in the cast are John Harmon, John Cliff, Richard Garland, Jennings Miles, Jack Gargan, Frank Sully, Dan White, Billy Dix, Chuck Hamilton, Paul McGuire, Regis Parton, Lane Chandler and Henry Rowland.

Mara Corday.

Mara Corday was born Marilyn Watts in Santa Monica, California, on January 3, 1930.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,955

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