aimless-46
"That dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard", the coward was Bob Ford and Mr. Howard was Jesse James. Ford murdered James, who was unarmed and straightening a picture when Ford shot him in the back. Ford had been promised amnesty (for another murder-he had never been involved with Jesse or the illegal activities of the James gang) and a $10,000 reward. In "Hell's Crossroads" (1957), they recreate the event, although this time Jesse James is hanging decorations on his Christmas tree. I mention this because it is about the only time the movie approaches historical accuracy despite claiming to chronicle the exploits or Bob Ford (Robert Vaughn) and a friend named Vic Rodell (Stephen McNally). What actually happened was that in 1882 Jesse James, living peacefully under the Mr. Howard name, recruited Bob Ford and his brother Charlie for one last robbery. Bob had never been involved with the James gang (which was long disbanded by that point) and the three men were living in the same house while planning the robbery. Unfortunately the producers of "Hells Crossroads" decided the true story was not good enough. So they replaced brother Charlie with friend Vic, threw in a romance between Vic and Bob's sister Paula (Peggy Castle) and made the two men longtime members of the James Gang. The film's climax takes place a few days after Jesse is killed. It features Frank James (Douglas Kennedy) and Cole Younger (Myron Healey) coming after Bob and Vic to avenge the 1882 killing; and Cole Younger is killed in the poorly staged climatic gunfight. In fact Cole was in prison from 1872 until 1901; and died of natural causes in 1916 (outliving everyone associated with the real James gang). The historical nonsense showcased in "Hell's Crossroads" is nicely matched with the film's poor direction and staggeringly bad acting. By 1957 Warner Brothers was cranking out several weekly westerns for television; most of which are now available on DVD. I challenge anyone to find a single episode of "Cheyenne", "Maverick", "Gunsmoke" or "Have Gun Will Travel" that is quite as lame as this film. Peggy Castle made a career out of appearing in these television westerns. What is sad is that the television casts she worked with were far stronger than the ensemble she must struggle with in this lame movie. If Stephen McNally is the leading man you can safely assume that they are pulling from the absolute bottom of the casting barrel. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
classicsoncall
With the Brad Pitt/Casey Affleck film (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) still in limited release at present, this picture managed to temporarily satisfy my curiosity about the death of Jesse James and see it from a 1950's perspective. Since the title of the picture doesn't hint at the story line, I was surprised to hear the names James and Ford used early in the picture. Putting two and two together came pretty easily at that point, and even better, the story managed to rise above the level of a lot of the Western genre output of the period.Oddly, the lead character in the film is neither James OR Ford, but an unknown member of the James Gang going by Victor Rodell (Stephen McNally). Rodell resumes a romantic involvement with Bob Ford's (Robert Vaughn) sister following a botched bank hold-up in Muncie, and the story continues to follow events that lead to the governor of Missouri offering clemency to Ford if he agrees to turn in Jesse. The climactic scene is similar to the finale of 1939's "Jesse James", with a Christmas tree scenario replacing that of Jesse hanging a picture on the wall.There's an interesting scene near the end of the movie when Frank James (Douglas Kennedy) and Cole Younger (Myron Healey) come gunning for Rodell. Bob Ford's father (Harry Shannon), expecting his son to help Rodell escape, frustratedly remarks when it looks like Bob won't interfere - "Why you coward, you dirty little coward". Fifty years later, the coward tag comes full circle to describe the man who killed the most famous and notorious Western outlaw.In addition to the players already mentioned, it was cool to see Barton MacLane on hand as a Pinkerton agent, and Peggie Castle in the role of Paula Collins, the sister of Bob Ford. A couple of years later, Castle appeared as a regular on the classic TV Western series "Lawman", as saloon owner Lily Merrill.It's always a treat to come across a movie I'd never heard of before, and even better when it exceeds expectations. Though I presume a lot of the film to be fictional, it's still an engrossing story and worthy of a recommendation.
silverscreen888
This by my standards is a very good B/W 1957 western, with several action scenes, strong dramatic confrontations, very good characters and unusually-fine acting and directing. However, I believe it to be very important because it stands between the older filmmakers' depictions of real western badmen and lawmen and the later, freer and less-historical treatments (made as partly-fictionalized biographies). Also, its theme, the attempt by a man to seek redemption from earlier crimes, became a staple item in films and not only in westerns, largely on the basis I assert of two films--"Bend of the River", and "Hell's Crossroads". This western was written from John K. Butler's story with Butler and Barry Shippman providing the taut screenplay. Franklin Adreon directed with unusual skill with cinematography supplied by John L. Russell Jr., art direction by Frank Arrigo and set decorations by Mowbray Berkely and John McCarthy Jr. Alexis Davidoff was costume supervisor, and did a creditable job. The story concerns two peripheral members of the Jesse and Frank James and Younger brothers gang. As Vic Rodell, handsome Stephen McNally wants to go straight; Robert Vaughn as Bob Ford has ridden only once with the James' gang. Returning home at risk, they find Peggie Castle who is the elder Ford's daughter eager to see Vic, and her brother. But they are wanted. The elder Ford, played very strongly by Harry Shannon, once intervened to make sure Rodell did not marry Paula. Now she wants him again, and he refuses to consent. They agree to wed anyway, since Vic has a plan. Mssouri's legislature is getting ready to pass an Amnesty Act; he may have to serve a year or two, but she agrees to wait for him. While he was gone with Quantrill's raiders and James, having killed no one since the Civil War, she had married her father's choice, a dull bank clerk shot in a bank raid--by the gang. But what she resents is the time they've lost together; and she knows he is a good man. On the trail of the James gang comes a Pinkerton Man, ably played by Barton Maclane and the County Sheriff, Grant Withers. They nearly catch Vic and do capture Bob Ford. This means that before he can try to meet Paula in the capital, and try to make a deal with the Governor (played with verve by Frank Wilcox) he has to try to kill no one but still rescue Bob from a lynch mob, one permitted to act by the corrupt town marshal Morris Ankrum and led by bitter townsfolk anxious to hang a former rebel without a trial. He is begged by Paula's father to help, and he does--by recruiting the James gang. Then he heads for St, Joseph, and is trapped in a hotel room by the wily Pinkerton man; he overcomes him, by knocking him out, and escapes. Soon Paula talks to the Governor--and learns the Legislature has narrowly defeated the amnesty measure. He offers her a deal for Bob and Vic--if either brings in Jesse or Frank dead or alive, he can earn a pardon. She tells him Vic is a boyhood friend of Jesse's, that he will not do it. Vic confirms this later, and leaves her, planning to hide out for a year until the Legislature reconsiders the bill. Then Bob comes to the Governor and takes to the deal, warning him he will have to kill the dangerous Jesse to do the job; the Governor agrees. On his way to hiding, Vic says goodbye to Jesse, played strongly by Henry Brandon and angering his volatile brother Frank, portrayed by fine actor Douglas Kennedy. Vic disappears; and Bob Ford has to wait while the gang plans and executes a raid on Northfield, Minnesota, which stirs up hatreds and proves bad for the gang also. Jesse has been calling himself Mr. Howard; Bob goes to his house and kills him as he decorates a Christmas tree for his children's holiday with his wife (Jean Howell) in the next room--shooting him in the back. This brings Vic out. Paula swears she had no idea this was to happen; he accuses her of having killed him--because the James gang will now be after both Bob and him. They soon capture Vic. This sets up an exciting climax; Vic escapes and hides behind some rocks. The James gang surrounds him, firing to kill. Paula has gone to her father who is won over, and they come in a wagon to save Vic; but cowardly Bob hesitates, until he reconsiders and joins them. A very satisfying climax to the film follows. For an unpretentious feature with stock music, B/W scenery and a small budget, this is a well-scripted, moving and well-acted film. This is I assert one of Stephen McNally's best parts; he is dangerous, award level, darkly-attractive, and his acting along with Shannon's dominates every scene he is in. Young Robert Vaughn as Bob Ford is attractive but not particularly powerful; as Paula, Peggie Castle is lovely and intelligent. A very underrated western, a clever and seminal fictionalization of historical western characters.
