The Badlanders (1958)

Directed by Delmer Daves. Starring Alan Ladd, Ernest Borgnine, Katy Jurado, Kent Smith, Claire Kelly, Adam Williams, Nehemiah Persoff, Robert Emhardt, Anthony Caruso.

A Western spin on The Asphalt Jungle details how ex-con Ladd plots a gold mine heist, with Borgnine as his reluctant partner and Smith as the untrustworthy “ore fence.” The double-crosses aren’t exciting enough to be spelled out so plainly in advance, and the story is over-plotted for a movie that otherwise moves so efficiently. Jurado does fine work as a sad Mexican woman with a shameful past; her purpose is as muddy as it is programmed, but at least it’s a few shades fresher than the dull romantic sub-plot between Ladd and Smith’s mistress (Kelly). Lots of action, but mostly routine in director Daves’ hands, and just whose idea was it to give this thing a happy ending? Scored with stock recordings from other films, resulting in several overbearing or outright inappropriate music cues.

49/100