The Man From Laramie (1955, dir. Anthony Mann)

The Man From Laramie (1955, dir. Anthony Mann)

What Is It?: An angry revenge western starring the great Jimmy Stewart in a bitter lead role.

What About It?: The fifth and last of Anthony Mann's collaborations with Stewart (Bend of the River is another good one) defies a simple explaination, though we'll try. Stewart plays a wagon train runner who delivers goods to a dusty outpost at the "end of the West" -- beautiful New Mexico -- and stays on to find out who sold the guns to the Apaches that killed his brother. That, and they burned his wagons for stealing salt. Great, multilayered supporting work from Mann regular Arthur Kennedy.

Why Should I See It?: Mann's Stewart westerns are terrific, interesting and belie the notion that there were no complicated, interesting westerns prior to the revionist western movement of the 60's and 70's. Dramatic and entertaining.

What Else Is It Like?: Unforgiven, Forty Guns, 7 Men From Now.

Reserve it at the Multnomah County Library

--ddt/pdx