The Tall T (1957)

Directed by Budd Boetticher. Starring Randolph Scott, Maureen O’Sullivan, Richard Boone, John Hubbard, Skip Homeier, Henry Silva, Arthur Hunnicutt, Robert Burton.

Workman-like Western with a lean roster and familiar premise done well through dialogue, action, and understated acting choices. Aging rancher Scott gets a ride on a stagecoach with passionless newlyweds O’Sullivan and Hubbard, but upon arrival at a way-station, they’re taken hostage by a trio of outlaws—world-weary leader Boone, amoral young buck Homeier, and trigger-happy sociopath Silva. “Budd” Boetticher outpaces himself, letting suspense simmer and parceling out the bursts of violence with straightforward efficiency, and some of the characters are more interesting than the archetypes they initially appear to be. Translated from an Elmore Leonard story (“The Captives”), which does a little explaining as to how this at-a-glance routine Wild West programmer packs a small but surprising wallop. Screenplay adaptation by Burt Kennedy.

73/100