Wuchak RELEASED IN 1947 and written & directed by James Edward Grant, "Angel and the Badman" is a Western starring John Wayne as a gunslinger in Arizona who finds temporary sanctuary with some pacifistic Quakers. And maybe love too with the beautiful daughter (Gail Russell). Bruce Cabot plays the gunman's nemesis while Harry Carey plays the aged-but-still-formidable marshal. It's too bad that this was shot in B&W because the locations are spectacular. Wayne was facing his 40th birthday when this was filmed, which is funny because the daughter's mother (Irene Rich) keeps referring to how "young" he is. In any case, John was lean and relatively youthful-looking. On the other side of the spectrum, Gail is utterly stunning with her captivating eyes. Speaking of the feminine cast, saloon girls Joan Barton and Rosemary Bertrand are nothing to sneeze at. One problem is that the romance is too blatant and develops way too quickly. But there are a few praiseworthy action sequences. One notable scene involves a couple in a wagon going off a cliff into a body of water. The subtext relays three philosophies on violence: (1.) living it as a lifestyle, (2.) resorting to violence only when justifiable and more peaceful ways have been attempted or (3.) relying completely on nonviolent methods. Needless to say, the middle position is the best one and is, in fact, what the New Testament supports. THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hours & 40 minutes and was shot entirely in Arizona (Sedona, Monument Valley & Flagstaff). GRADE: B-

JohnHowardReid A prolific screenwriter, James Edward Grant directed only three or four films, of which this is the first and the best, The Quakers are observed most sympathetically and the characters for the most part hold the interest and are neatly etched, despite a certain superficiality of approach: Miss Russell is charming, Mr. Wayne more than adequate, and the predictable romance is not allowed to obtrude too much on the action, splendidly staged by 2nd unit director Canutt against some impressive natural backgrounds. Although not nominated for any big Hollywood awards, I thought Stout's black-and-white cinematography was certainly the best Hollywood effort of the year and definitely had the edge over the two American films that were nominated in this section: Lang's The Ghost and Mrs Muir and Folsey's Green Dolphin Street. And it's good to see that Republic have taken good care of the master negative. Current prints are just as beautiful as those struck in the year of release. For a debut director, Grant has handled the movie with gratifying assurance and flair. Admittedly he was helped out by action specialist and long-time Wayne ally, Yakima Canutt. But he has certainly drawn sympathetic and/or enthralling performances from all his players. Of course his writing and dialogue have considerable appeal too. But it's hard to imagine any other players but Wayne and Russell in the lead roles, Carey as the philosophical marshal, and Cabot as the irredeemably mean bad guy. And no-one but Olin Howlin could handle a cowardly blatherskite with as much conviction and personal charisma as Olin Howlin. And for his behind-the-camera debut, producer Wayne has actually invaded John Ford territory and has brilliantly succeeded in equalling the master on his own turf.

Leofwine_draca ANGEL AND THE BADMAN is a John Wayne western with a greater emphasis on character development than usual; I found it quite interesting, although not one of his most exciting vehicles. He plays the "bad man" of the title, a wounded gunslinger taken in and healed by a Quaker family who teach him the ways of peace at the same time. The story is quite tender in places, and Wayne seems to relish the chance to play a character who develops a little differently in comparison to his usual tough guy persona. There are still some western staples and action for the fans to enjoy.

Edgar Allan Pooh . . . in the Election Year of 2016, though ANGEL AND THE BADMAN is so ancient that not only is most of the cast deceased, but the vast majority of its original movie theater audiences, as well. While some Presidential Primary voters may misread this title as ANGEL VERSUS BADMAN (predicting a Hillary vs. Trump contest), this John Wayne flick actually is eerily accurate in outlining the main features of the on-going Water Crisis in Flint, MI. Playing the part of businessman-turned-governor is "Frederick Carson," who shuts off the Poor People's access to Fresh Mountain Stream Water, forcing them to drink from lead-contaminated wells. Rather than backing Carson as his long-standing adherence to Rich People Party Principles in Real Life would require, John Wayne's "Quirt" (rhymes with "squirt") talks Carson into a less lucrative policy of sharing Unpoisoned Water with the normal people. As if this weren't far-fetched enough for one flick, Quirt then gives up his six-shooter (like Montgomery Clift at the end of RED RIVER). Probably the vast majority of folks seeing this in the theaters expected Wayne to shout out "Just kidding, folks!" before the lights came up. It's as if Darth Vader has resigned his position to open a Petting Zoo.