Shane
1953
***
Director: George Stevens
Cast: Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon de Wilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan, Elisha Cook Jr., Emile Meyer, Douglas Spencer
A mysterious gunslinger named Shane ends up protecting a homestead farmer, his wife, and young son from a ruthless cattle baron, who wants to run all the settlers out of the valley. This iconic and influential Western tells a classic story of a reluctant hero who stands up for justice, and its effects can be seen in different types of films like Pale Rider and Logan. The stunning locations still look fabulous in Technicolor, but the life on the frontier never feels adequately gritty and the farmer's kid is quite irritating.
