The Walking Hills *** (1949, Randolph Scott, Ella Raines, William Bishop, Edgar Buchanan, Arthur Kennedy, John Ireland) – Classic Movie Review 11,841

Randolph Scott stars as the anti-hero, escaped convict Jim Carey, in the swift, simple, very familiarly themed 1949 Western film The Walking Hills, with nicely measured performances and capable handling from cowboy movie expert John Sturges.

Cowboys join together to search for a wagonful of hidden gold treasure in Death Valley, but then fatally argue among themselves.

Alan Le May’s story and screenplay do not find many new tunes to play on the old fiddle, but that is not the point in this traditional kind of Western and it is certainly well enough done to hold the interest, anyway.

Scott gives a sturdy star turn, as usual, and familiar Western faces like William Bishop, Edgar Buchanan, Arthur Kennedy and John Ireland are assets.

The film was shot in the Alabama Hills of California and Death Valley National Monument, where Sturges returned for Bad Day at Black Rock.

The cast are Randolph Scott as Jim, Ella Raines as Chris, William Bishop as Shep/ Dave Wilson, Edgar Buchanan as Old Willy, Arthur Kennedy as Chalk, John Ireland as Frazee, Jerome Courtland as Johnny, Russell Collins as Bibbs, Josh White as Josh, Charles Stevens as Cleve, Houseley Stevenson and Reed Howes.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,841

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com