The Law and Jake Wade (1958) User Reviews (47)

Brilliant and tense Western drama with marvelous use of locations and top-drawer cast

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 30 November 2014]

An awesome rugged Western masterfully directed by John Sturges including good main cast and agreeable secondary actors in which Marshal Taylor tangles with nasty bandit Widmark over a buried loot . It deals with outlaw Clint Hollister (Richard Widmark) getaways from prison with the help of a lawman with a dark past called Jake Wade , because once Clint did the same for him . Jake left Clint just after , but Clint finds him back and forces Jake by kidnapping his girlfriend called Peggy (Patricia Owens) to lead him to a loot Jake buried one year ago when he abandoned Clint . Hollister and his sidekicks (Robert Middleton, DeForest Kelley , Henry Silva) tie Jake and survey to no escape . Then Peggy learns all too quickly about Jake's dark past . When they arrive in the ghost little town where Jake hid the money, they have to fight off a bunch of marauding Indians .

This exciting as well as robust Western contains tension-filled , juicy atmosphere , thrills , suspense , gun-play and an impressive final on a dead little town which was one of filmmaker Sturges's best moments . Magnificent western from the John Sturges/Richard Widmark team and their second collaboration , after ¨Backlash¨ and considered one of their best . Colour , music , scenarios , landscapes all marks well in this thrilling story about a compulsive outlaw who contends his old friend as well as his nemesis . It describes a long journey in which there are extreme characters combined with psychological observations and enriched by eventual ambiguity and a tense picture about dishonesty and badness . This particular Western only starred by a few characters contains an interesting screenplay by William Bowers based on the novel by novel Marvin H. Albert . By that time (1958) the picture was considered quite strong , tough , surprisingly violent ; today is deemed a classic film . And seems to be a great influence of wide range such as violence , a hard battle of wits among gunslingers and scenarios . The two stars , Robert Taylor and Richard Widmark , make nice adversaries . They are accompanied by a good support cast such as Robert Middleton , Henry Silva , Burt Douglas , Eddie Firestone and intimate ¨Bones¨ DeForest Kelley of Star Trek . Filmed in Cinemascope in colorful cinematography by Robert Surtees who gets to take from nature the maximum impacts as deserts , valleys , mountains , being wonderfully photographed . Being filmed on location in Alabama Hills , Lone Pine, Death Valley National Park,California, USA . Breathtaking background scenarios , dramatic close-up along with shining illuminations , all of them perfectly mingled with a tale full of violence , tension , intrigue and shoot'em up .

This top-drawer Western drama was compellingly produced by William Hawkes and stunningly realized by the master John Sturges , infusing the traditional Western with psychological confusion , including his characteristic use of landscape with wonderful use of Natural Parks which is visually memorable . Sturges established his forte with magnificent Westerns almost always plenty of action , violence , and splendid outdoors . Sturges began his directing career at Columbia Pictures, where from 1946-49 he he worked on "12-day wonders" ("B" pictures shot on a 12-day schedule). From there he moved on to MGM where he filmed more "B" pictures, albeit on a larger budget . He established an independent production company in 1959, releasing through United Artists. From 1960-67 he worked under contract for United Artists. His first major hit was the western Dog Day at Black Rock (1955) , which he shot in just three weeks, wrapping up virtually every scene in a single take . He specialized in robust action pictures, particularly westerns. He excelled at bringing to life tautly written stories about tough characters facing difficult circumstances . Throughout his career he regularly alternated hits with misses . He has also been criticized for his lack of stylistic trademarks , though his best films remain exciting to watch . Sturges was expert on all kind of genres , but especially warlike such as : ¨Great Escape¨, ¨Ice Station Zebra¨ and ¨Eagle has landed¨ and Western such as ¨Last train of Gun Hill¨, ¨Magnificent Seven¨, ¨Backlash¨, ¨Law and Jake Webb¨, ¨Joe Kidd¨ and Chino¨, among others . This high-level and Western will appeal to Robert Taylor and Richard Widmark fans .

Classic western of good v. bad

[ar509 · 7/10 · 28 January 2000]

Robert Taylor stars as Jake Wade, former outlaw gone straight who must battle his old partner, Richard Widmark as Clint Holister, the leader of a band of outlaws wanting to find stolen bank money, the location of which only Jake Wade knows. Robert Taylor does a competent job in the lead, but Richard Widmark really steals the show as the menacing leader of the gang. The movie is exciting, fast paced and leads to a satisfying climax. Good solid western.

Solid Western

[kenjha · 7/10 · 14 January 2011]

Reformed marshal helps former cohort escape from prison, but comes to regret it. Taylor is fine as the stoic marshal trying to escape his outlaw past. Widmark makes a terrific villain, without resorting to the giggling psycho persona that marked many of his earlier performances as bad guys. He even has some funny lines. The enigmatic Silva is notable as a member of Widmark's gang. Sturges made a number of Westerns during the 1950s. This is another solid entry in the director's Western filmography, although it's not as good as the one that preceded it (Gunfight at the O.K. Corral) or the one that followed it (Last Train from Gun Hill).

Good standard western, but with no outstanding merits...

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 7/10 · 21 January 2001]

In his second Western of 1958, after "Saddle the Wind," Taylor again is a reformed outlaw who has deserted Widmark's gang, taking along the proceed from a bank robbery...

Taylor becomes a highly respected marshal of a small New Mexico town... He discovers that his old gang leader Widmark faces hanging nearly on a murder charge...

Since Taylor owes his companion an ancient favor, he decides to help him escape from jail, but lives to regret it...

Widmark kidnaps Taylor and his sweetheart Patricia Owens and he and his four confederates (Robert Middleton; Henry Silva; DeForest Kelley and Burt Douglas) force them across the Sierras to a deserted ghost town where Taylor has hidden a buried loot...

Taylor and Owens attempt to escape but Widmark drives them into the town to recover the money... The Comanches were there on their backs... A well-staged Indian raid follows plus the final showdown..

With good shots of the High Sierras and Death Valley, "Law and Jake Wade" is a good standard Western filled with irony dialog and sardonic humor, enjoyable throughout, but with no outstanding merits...

Taylor and Widmark as adversaries in a search for hidden bank money

[Mickey-2 · 7/10 · 1 August 2001]

"The Law and Jake Wade" was made in 1958 and starred Robert Taylor as a former outlaw who gave up the life of crime and became Marshal Jake Wade. Taylor's character is chased by a former outlaw associate, Clint Hollister, eagerly portrayed by Richard Widmark, who returns with two intentions; first, to find the stolen bank money that Wade had hidden in a job they did together, and then kill Jake Wade for causing him so much trouble in the first place. The outlaw gang's portrayers are Henry Silva, Robert Middleton, Eddie Firestone, and before his days in "Star Trek" DeForest Kelley, and all set out to find the missing money. There is, however, some Comanche Indians on the warpath, and the trek where Taylor is leading them to is also in the territory controlled by the Indians. All the elements for a watchable western are included in this one, and the viewer can also take in some views of the western wildlands. A nice 7/10

Greed over common sense

[helpless_dancer · 7/10 · 1 August 2002]

Seems to me Widmark's character would have been money ahead to simply knock off another bank rather than go into injun country where the chances of dying were pretty high. However, this probably wouldn't have made any better of a film. Plenty of shooting, flying arrows, nasty killers, and as usual Widmark gives a stellar performance as a psychotic gunman intent on having his way no matter what.

Always on the run...

[Howlin Wolf · 7/10 · 26 April 2007]

'Old' Westerns aren't my favourite type of film - never have been, but if I had to make an exception for a classic example, right now this would be it. One thing in its favour from my point of view is that it tells a simple story which really boils down to one man versus another. Sure, both the title character and the baddie have cohorts, but the crux of the matter is that there's a score to be settled between the two leads. Joyfully, there isn't a posse in sight (unless you include the Indian encounter.)

There's nothing' better than a man trying to atone for his past getting caught up once more with an old accomplice who won't let him forget it. What some call a wooden performance from Robert Taylor, I prefer to call 'relaxed'. I've seen him harshly judged in some quarters, but to me he was a likable presence - although it's true to say that of the two, Richard Widmark takes top honours. The final showdown is tense and competently strung out by Sturges. While it's not quite mano a mano, it IS one on one... To me, that's a good thing.

A decent enough western.

[MOscarbradley · 6/10 · 3 November 2016]

A so-so western from director John Sturges but then even a so-so western if often a lot more entertaining than many a better director's more 'serious' pictures and this one has the added bonus of Richard Widmark at his nasty best. It also features that great character actor Henry Silva as one of Widmark's gang. The star, however, is that plank of wood, Robert Taylor while the leading lady is the nondescript Patricia Owens. It has a reasonably decent plot, some great scenery and a fair amount of action which, in the end, is as much as you might want from any horse opera so while this is no classic by any stretch of the imagination, it is never less than watchable.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

[bkoganbing · 9/10 · 20 February 2005]

Some of the best westerns of the Fifties and Sixties were directed by director John Sturges. Sturges's films combined that rare blend of action for the kiddies with adult problems and issues.

Here the problem is a debt owed or at least that's what Marshal Jake Wade feels towards Clint Hollister. Before Jake broke with the Hollister, it seems that Hollister saved him from a hangman's noose back when he ran with Hollister's gang. Jake hears about Hollister being arrested and sentenced to be hanged so he rides a piece and breaks him from jail.

That squares it as far as the Marshal is concerned, but the outlaw leader has other ideas. Seems Jake ran off with the proceeds from the last job. No good deed goes unpunished in this life. Hollister re-unites with his gang and they kidnap the Marshal and his fiancée and force him to lead them to the money.

You have to watch the film for the rest of this. If you're any kind of a fan of westerns, I think you'll know how this turns out.

Robert Taylor plays the upright Marshal Jake Wade who could have let the whole thing slide and let outlaw Richard Widmark hang, but he feels a debt. It's a good part for Taylor as he was winding down his contract at MGM. Unfortunately Taylor doesn't figure that Widmark owed him something for running off with the loot. The two leads play well off each other.

Rounding out the cast is Patricia Owens who is your typical crinoline western woman and the rest of Widmark's gang which included DeForest Kelley, Robert Middleton, and Henry Silva among others.

Nice Saturday afternoon fare for all fans of the American western, like me.

Robert Taylor? Are You Sure?

[andy.marshall · 25 May 2004]

Made when the era of the western was coming towards its end, this hard working horse opera entertains throughout, despite its one flaw - Robert Taylor.

A good plot, some fine location shooting and well directed action scenes all contribute to this. Richard Widmark gives a truly convincing performance as the psychopathic Clint Hollister and Henry Silva is a standout as the equally nasty Rennie. The only problem is Robert Taylor's po faced and mournful effort in the lead role.

Thanks to TCM I have now seen quite a few Robert Taylor vehicles but I'm yet to see one in which he's any good. Who ever thought this guy could act just mystifies me.

The Law and Jake Wade

[henry8-3 · 6/10 · 16 June 2021]

Marshall Robert Taylor breaks bad guy Richard Widmark out of jail to even a score, but Widmark is still after the money that they stole and which Taylor has hidden.

Enjoyable western thanks to a sharp, often witty script and the delivery of most of the best lines by Widmark who walks away with this movie, facing as he does another staid piece of acting by Taylor. Good support from nasties Silva and De Kelly and spectacular Sierras scenery add to the plus points in this stronger than average western.

The Law and Jake Wade: Remembering Richard Widmark

[bonfirexx · 10/10 · 27 March 2008]

I just learned that Richard Widmark passed away at the age of 93. Widmark was on a short list of my all time favorite actors, sharing top billing with Fred MacMurray, George Peppard, and the brilliant (in my opinion) supporting actor Martin Balsam.

The best actors seem to adapt their roles to themselves, so that they never lose their off-screen persona. Frank Sinatra was always himself in his movies, as was John Wayne. And so was Richard Widmark.

Why do we like "bad guys" so much? Possibly because we get the feeling that in their private lives they are neither good nor bad, but rather, something even better: genuine. Richard Widmark never divorced. He outlived two wives, one marriage lasting 55 years until his first wife passed on. So we know he was not a loner, although his life style was private, as he never appeared on TV talk shows to promote his movies or himself. Buoyed by his inimitable personal qualities, he carved a unique niche for himself in film, and ran with it for a half- century.

The Law and Jake Wade made a strong impression upon me, seeing it for the first time, as a 16-year old, shortly after its release in 1958. This film had a 3-D quality, and a horror film quality which really grabbed its audience, at that time. By 1958 the 3-D fad was long gone, but, I swear, when the Indians attacked Widmark's gang at night with bows and arrows, it seemed like 3-D revisited as the arrows seemed to be coming right through the screen at the audience. Even knowing it was a movie, I was petrified, so realistic is this scene. Unfortunately, this realism cannot be duplicated via DVD or any lesser medium.

Abetting all this excitement is the contrast in style of Widmark and Robert Taylor. While Taylor had adopted family values and professional law man responsibility following his maverick Civil War renegading in partnership with Widmark, Widmark, as the years passed, would have none of the maturing and sobering process to which most men evolve, after having sown their wild oats. So that when Widmark and Taylor locked horns due to a conflict of interest and values, long after the war's end and the demise of their gang, there could be no reconciliation as their cross-purpose came to a head.

Widmark's upbeat, anti-social mores neatly bounce off Taylor's low-key, conventional manner, right up to their inevitable show-down. And it doesn't matter whether Widmark prevailed in the end, his is the character which makes this an enduring film-going experience.

*****

menacing Widmark

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 8 October 2022]

Jake Wade (Robert Taylor) breaks his partner Clint Hollister (Richard Widmark) out of jail. Jake had buried their loot and refuses to reveal the location to Clint. Jake is actually the new Marshall of another small town married to wife Peggy (Patricia Owens). Clint and his new crew catch up to Jake, and he wants the loot.

It's a good if not great western. Robert Taylor is on the decline and he's a diminishing leading man. This one is all Richard Widmark. He is chewing up the movie the whole way through. He has all the swagger in the world. This has a fight with Indians. There is final shootout between the two leads in an abandoned town. It's all here.

Skip this turkey

[doug-balch · 3/10 · 30 April 2010]

I got fooled into watching this because I'm a Richard Widmark fan and it was featured on Turner Classic Movies. My expectations were raised by the fact that TCM's host, Robert Osborne, even gave it a brief introduction. Apparently it was so honored because it was directed by John Sturges, who made some pretty good Westerns.

"The Law and Jake Wade" isn't one of them.

The main problem with the movie is that the basic motivations of the central character, the reformed outlaw turned sheriff, Robert Taylor, don't make any sense.

It's hard to believe Taylor would go to a town just a few days ride from his own town, brazenly walk into the jail house in broad daylight (unmasked!), and break out Widmark, a ruthless killer from whom he stole $20,000 seven years earlier.

The movie tries to explain that Taylor is motivated by a deep sense of honor. Widmark had broken Taylor out of jail once himself and Taylor feels obligated to "square" accounts with him.

We're supposed to like this guy right? Isn't honor supposed to defend some higher purpose? He's freeing someone he knows to be a ruthless killer. In the great balance of honor going on in Taylor's psyche, where does the dishonor of betraying his obligation to uphold the law fit in?

His actions are virtually suicidal also. If Widmark hadn't shot two of the law officers, Taylor would have been caught and exposed. Not only would this have deeply hurt and humiliated his fiancé, he surely would have been hung for trying to break Widmark out of jail or for his previous crimes.

OK, Taylor is willing to sacrifice his own life to stay true to his warped sense of honor. Why put his fellow lawmen in a neighboring town at risk? Two are shot by Widmark during the escape. Where's the honor in that? Come on, this isn't close to believable.

Also, how isn't he recognized by the neighboring townsfolk and law officers? The town is fairly close by to his own. When he returns, the news of Widmark's escape is the talk of his own town.

Next is the matter of the $20,000 he and Widmark stole from a bank. Taylor made off with the loot when he went "straight" and buried it in a secret location. Why? Apparently his honor would not allow him to spend it. Then why didn't he throw it away or anonymously return it to the bank he stole it from? Give it away to charity maybe? Nope, he buries it.

Even worse, for some unknown reason he tells Widmark that he buried the money and knows where he can get his hands on it. Why? How stupid is this guy? Is it his honor? Can't tell a lie? Then why has he been lying to this fiancé and the town he sheriffs for the last five years?

I don't think it's asking too much of a movie for the basic plot to be credible.

This movie had very few bright spots:

A couple of good shots from some high ridges in the Mojave desert.

Widmark desperately tries to save the movie by playing a charismatic outlaw. Nice effort, but he doesn't have much to work with and he is overwhelmed by the mediocrity of the plot and script.

DeForrest Kelly, "Bones" from Star Trek, is cast in the role of a heavy.

If you feel a burning desire to watch a reformed outlaw get kidnapped by his old gang, watch "Man of the West", which incredibly came out the same year. They churned out so many Westerns in the late '50's, here were two major productions released simultaneously with almost identical plots.

"Man of the West"'s plot also has some issues, but makes more basic sense. And the acting is much better, with Gary Cooper and Lee J. Cobb in the roles of Taylor and Widmark. Interestingly, it has its own supporting actor who would go on to '60's TV fame: Jack Lord playing the exact same gang hothead that Henry Silva plays in "Jake and Lawman", but doing a much better job of it.

A dark Western with big names but no oomph

[SimonJack · 6/10 · 29 April 2014]

"The Law and Jake Wade" is a dark Western with some big name actors. But for the scenery and acting by Richard Widmark, there's not much else going for this movie. The film is based on a novel by the same title that helped launch a successful fiction writing career for Marvin H. Albert. I don't know how well the script follows the book, or how well Albert fleshed out the "reformed" Jake Wade in the book. But the film leaves this as an unsettled, dark matter.

A couple other reviews have noted this. I kept looking for the film to explore the conflicts of Jake Wade over his past and present. In the beginning, that held my interest in the film. But as the movie progressed, and we never saw any resolution in the character of Wade, this became a nagging distraction from my enjoyment of the film. I agree with the few others who found fault with the plot and some of the scenes (Indian attacks) as well. But, I'd like to discuss this big hole in the story further.

The dark aspect of the film is the character of Jake Wade. Has he reformed, or hasn't he? The question is never resolved in the film, so I was left hanging. So, I disagree with reviews that saw this as a standard Western. Widmark, who plays Clint Hollister, asks the question point blank in the movie. Why did Wade bother to spring him from jail when he had been tried and was due to hang for murder? Does the simple answer suggested by some reviews answer the question? Was it a matter of honor for Wade, or a debt to be repaid as some think? If so, that means that Wade had not changed and did not put law and order first. Wade knows Hollister. They had been together for many years. Wade knows that Hollister plans to kill him. Wade freed Hollister knowing that he would go on robbing and killing.

So, the dark side of this film is that there is apparently no conflict in the person of Jake Wade. So, has he really reformed? Does he really believe in law and order? Does he really care about keeping the peace and protecting people? If he does, we don't see it, because any moral struggle over his actions never comes to the fore. Was it absent in the book? Or was it in the book but not explored in the film by the screenwriter, the director and/or the actor? Without exploration of Wade's moral conflict over his actions, we are left with a wooden marshal who has no thoughts about it one way or another. And in that lies the dark side of this film. The movie sets out to have us rooting for Wade as the bad guy turned good. But in reality, his bond to his former life was stronger than any moral sense and change of life for law and order.

Now, some reviewers seem to hold Robert Taylor up as a great actor; so I'll end here with some words about Taylor's acting and appeal. As a young person, I too liked the handsome, rough-hewn image of Taylor, the leading man. There's no doubt that he was a draw for me and many other movie buffs to see his movies. But, the last few decades as I've built up a film library for my family, I haven't found a single movie in which I thought Taylor was very good or excellent as an actor. At his best, he is just good or OK. Some of the films have been very good due mostly to the stories and support from others in the cast. Enough said on that – I still have a couple keepers in which Taylor stars. He's wooden in those as well, but the films are quite good.

"The Law and Jake Wade" could have been a great film if it had probed the character of Wade more deeply, and given him some conflicting emotions over his moral choices.

well photographed western, standard plot, but ridiculous Indians

[gaynor.wild · 6/10 · 25 December 2007]

The plot of this western, while not unusual, is reasonably well done. However, the love interest has very little to do. The scenery is excellently photographed, but the Indian attack is ridiculous. It makes no sense that the Indians did not burn the place. It was a ghost town, the wood was old and dry, and there was no one there but the people the Indians apparently were after.

The best part is the handling of Jake Wade (Robert Taylor) after he's caught and being transported to the place where the money is buried. The rest of the movie is fairly dull.

Altogether, a reasonable western, but it could have been a lot better.

gaynor wild

A Little R & R

[seveb-25179 · 7/10 · 6 October 2018]

Robert Taylor & Richard Widmark try their hand at a Randolph Scott movie. Robert Taylor has not been one of my favourites and isn't the greatest actor in the world, despite his great voice, however he's quite well suited for the Ranolph Scott "man of stone" part in this one. Which leaves plenty of opportunity for Richard Widmark to fill the void with one of his trademark nasty yet likeable villains. Robert Middleton, De Forrest Kelly (Dr McCoy) and particularly Henry Silva add further colour as other members of Widmarks gang. Very good

Better than average rope opera

[pmicocci-18908 · 7/10 · 21 August 2021]

This oater is better than average, perhaps because of a load of talent, from the leads, Taylor and Widmark, and a good performance from Patricia Owen, to a supporting cast including the ever-adaptable Robert Middleton, the nearly-always villainous Henry Silva, and, not so great, the pre-Star Trek DeForest Kelley (already chewing plenty of scenery).

A lot of the dialogue seems more suited for noir than western, but with Taylor, Widmark, Silva and Middleton, it doesn't seem so out of place. This film was perhaps a steppingstone towards later revisionist westerns, and, all things considered, not a bad effort, and a cut above most westerns of the two preceding devades (with the definite exception of Nick Ray's off-beat Johnny Guitar).

Classic Color Photography - Average Script

[DKosty123 · 7/10 · 23 May 2016]

John Sturges work behind the camera is solid, and the beauty of this film in front of the camera shows it. Robert Taylor is only three years older than Richard Widmark, though he appears much older. Even though the rest of the cast features De Forest Kelly, the focus here is almost entirely on the 2 big stars.

The love interest in Patricia Owens, is not just forgettable, but her role is really a minor one here. She is there as Taylor's love interest, but becomes more of a prop than anything in this movie. Owens is engaged to Taylor but is more of hindrance than help for most of the film, questioning him from the beginning. Then finding out to her dismay the whole movie who she is really trying to hitch too.

Widmark wants money hidden by Taylor after one of their heists. They were gang members together, as well as soldiers in the Civil War. They meet in the beginning of the film when Taylor saves Widmark from the noose to return a favor.

While their characters are filled out, most of the others are just there going along most of the movie. Think the script could have been better but it is an average film in an era where Westerns were being cranked out on an assembly line in films and on TV.

reviewer wrong

[mjc-9 · 10/10 · 11 October 2020]

To say that Robert Taylor did not like Henry De Silva because he was taller is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. Taylor was all CLASS and DeSilva had a common side to him and that is why. I worked on the whole film., I saw it.

"This town's not big enough for the both of us" (literally)

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 19 December 2014]

Released in 1958, "The Law and Jake Wade" stars Robert Taylor as the title character who was an outlaw after the Civil War, but is now a sheriff out West. A member of his former gang, Clint Hollister (Richard Widmark), won't let him start a new life and forces Jake and his fiancé (Patricia Owens) to lead him and a few other ne'er-do-wells to some buried money in a ghost town in the mountains. Unlike Jake, Clint is bad through and through and the new lawman is convinced he'll kill him after he gets the money.

This Western has a lot going for it: a solid cast, particularly Taylor as Wade and Widmark as the arrogant and no-good Clint (both are convincing Westerners); utterly breathtaking Western locations, shot in Alabama Hills , Lone Pine and Death Valley National Park, California; and some fascinating ruminations on the nature of morality, evil, law, friendship and rivalry.

As far as law goes, Clint argues that he killed and looted before and after the war, which society naturally considered evil, but he did the same thing during the war where the South viewed him as a faithful citizen. To him there's no difference, but Jake sees the difference in that the state of war may justify certain actions against enemies that aren't justified otherwise. Furthermore, Jake regrets his outlaw days whereas Clint has zero qualms about the evil that he wreaks.

Unfortunately, there are some problems on this front that are never answered. For instance, if Jake is now a "good man" and respects law and order (which explains the movie's title) why does he foolishly break Clint out of jail at the beginning of the movie? It's revealed that he's a man of honor who's paying back a debt, but – by doing this – he releases a serious criminal to continue to commit atrocities. He even admits that he's convinced that Clint will eventually murder him, which means he knows he's incorrigible.

Furthermore, in breaking Clint free of his death sentence a few guys get shot during the escape, although not killed. Isn't this a ridiculous risk even if Jake's being honorable by repaying a debt? It's not just a risk of innocent people potentially dying, but Jake's face was undisguised for all to see, which could potentially ruin his new life (more on this below). Everything points to nothing good coming from saving Clint from the hangman's rope but, then again, maybe Jake was holding on to the slightest possibility that Clint would see his good fortune and go straight. In other words, he was hoping for redemption for the man. In fact, it was presumably this very thing that turned Jake around.

An aspect about the plot that I liked was the friendship AND hostility of Jake and Clint's relationship. I've experienced one significant relationship like this where it's a close friendship, but with flashes of hostility rooted in the stoo-pid rivalry of the other guy, which he can't seem to deal with. Right now we're on negative terms because I dared to confront him about something he was doing that was wrong and he didn't like it. I'm about ready to call him and say (with a Western twang), "This town's not big enough for the both of us."

The main reason I'm not giving "The Law and Jake Wade" a higher rating is because of the contrived nature of certain aspects of the story and some obvious plot holes. For instance, at the beginning Jake enters the jailhouse early in the AM and the sole person guarding Clint doesn't even hear that someone entered the facility until Jake sticks a gun to his back. Why sure! Furthermore, as noted above, Jake doesn't seem to be doing a lot to disguise his identity when the town's a mere 60 miles or so from the town where he's the sheriff. Wouldn't law officers in one town be relatively known in other towns in the general region? So Jake's taking an unbelievable risk in openly breaking Clint out of jail without a disguise (a simple scarf hiding his face would've solved this issue). These types of problems in scripts – particularly old Westerns (pre-60s/70s) – insult the intelligence of viewers and loses their respect. There are numerous 50's Westerns that are guilty of these types of eye-rolling contrivances and plot holes.

Nevertheless, there's definitely enough good in "The Law and Jake Wade" to give it a thumbs up, especially the two strong leads, their love/hate relationship and the fascinating explorations of good and evil, law and outlawry, friendship and rivalry. Too bad the film's glaring negatives hold it back from greatness. Still, it's one of my personal favorite Westerns.

DeForest Kelley (aka Dr. McCoy) appears in a peripheral role as one of Clint's heavies.

The film runs 86 minutes.

GRADE: B

Close to a Top Ten Western

[mgtbltp · 9/10 · 5 October 2008]

I watched this out of the new Warner's DVD set tonight, I had caught it on TV about a month or so ago under a less that ideal setting. This time it had a proper viewing and my undivided attention. The film was Directed by John Sturges, and I can't recommend more that you see this alone for the gorgeous cinematography by Robert Surtees. Here is a Western that in outdoor locations and settings looks perfect. The sagebrush engulfed ghostown at the end is really impressive. Either they went to the trouble of building a partially collapsed wooden aqueduct to a water tank or the set was an actual real ghostown .

These locations are all in Lonepine, Death Valley, and The Alabama Hills. Why no recent Westerns in the last 30 years have not been shot there is beyond me, but using those locations would be like slipping into a comfortable old pair of shoes and would also give a certain cachet to a work. Those locations are not as singularly iconic as the Buttes of Monument Valley, but they actually represent even more the West as a whole because they provide an infinite variety of jagged peaks, flat plains, alluvial fans, eroded badlands, and boulder fields.

The film stars Robert Taylor as Jake Wade , a reformed outlaw, Richard Widmark as Wade's old partner in crime Clint Hollister from the Civil War Kansas/Missouri border war. Patricia Owens is Peggy Wade's fiancé who knows nothing of his past. Robert Middleton plays Ortero a member of the old Wade-Hollister Gang. Henry Silva is in one of his stock quasi lunatic hothead roles he played so well, as new gang member Rennie. De Forest Kelley (Bones from Star Trek) is again playing a heavy (very similar to what he played in Warlock) gang member Wexler, Eddie Firestone is I believe minor gang member Burke who rounds out the main cast.

The story is basically that a reformed Wade finds out that Hollister has been captured and held in a jail awaiting a hanging close enough nearby to allow Wade to break him out in order to pay back a dept owed (Hollister saved his life). After accomplishing this Wade splits with Hollister to go back to his reformed ways, things don't quite go as planned. It seems that on the last job Wade & Hollister pulled Wade disappeared with $20,000.

*note bene those who watch this the way they take no chances and bind this Wade's hands behind his back in stark contrast to the stupid remake of 3:10 to Yuma.

The only minor things keeping this Western out of a top ten list are that the night time scenes are all shot on obvious sets one of which has a ridiculous backdrop painting of Monument Valley, looking very out of place. Another is that though all the clothes of the actors who have been on the trail supposedly for days are suitably well dusted up, none of the actors have any stubble or the beginnings of beards. And finally the way Robert Taylor looks & plays his part seems just a tad off the mark (old Hollywood style), its like the difference between Sturges' "Gunfight at the OK Corral" and his "Hour Of The Gun" the way in the former Lancaster appears as Earp with the way in the latter Garner looks as Earp.

This is a definitely a Western to own.

Jake, Be Careful.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 18 April 2015]

In this Western, Robert Taylor as Jake Wade is the alpha male and wardrobe has dressed him in midnight blue from head to toe except for the silver bullets in his gun belt that function as a kind of accessory.

There was a time when Taylor and Richard Widmark rode on the wild side together. Widmark managed to break Taylor out of jail. Now Taylor has ridden miles to do the same for his former friend. After their escape, before they split up, Widmark wears an oily smile. He doesn't seem particularly grateful for what Taylor has done. In fact, the narcissistic Widmark demands to know what Taylor did with the loot from their last robbery. "I buried it somewhere and there it stays." Widmark genially asks Taylor for a gun so he can kill him on the spot. No dice. Throughout, Widmark gives a better performance than the ligneous Robert Taylor, whose default expression is a scowl, but that's not saying much.

Taylor rides off by himself and returns to the town where he removes his dark blue pea coat and reveals a dark blue shirt sporting another accessory, the silver badge of a marshal -- or maybe it's a sheriff's badge. I get the two titles mixed up because it never makes any difference which is the correct one anyway. A heterosexual, Taylor has a fiancée in town, the beguiling Patricia Owens, a red head with pupils like big black glistening olives. Over dinner, which is barely touched, as usual in these stories, they have an argument. Taylor wants to get married, pull up stakes, and move farther West, no doubt thinking about that smirk on Widmark's face. Owens sensibly asks why but of course he can't tell her without revealing his miscreant past.

Things go from bad to worse. Widmark and half a dozen compañeros show up in town and kidnap Taylor and Owens with the objective of forcing Taylor to take them to the place where the stolen stash is buried. There follows a long journey through forests, over mountains, through what appears to be Zabriskie Point in Death Valley, to the ghost town where the treasure is. There are snide remarks from Henry Silva and some of the other goons about Owens' figure but Widmark is thinking only of pelf, after the acquisition of which he intends to slaughter Taylor and do God knows what with Owens.

Of course, Taylor makes some plucky escape attempts but they only prove to be brief delays. Nice atmospheric shooting during some of these scenes. Death Valley is nonpareil. The ragged hills are tinted with lavender. On a chilly September night in Death Valley I stopped the car next to a sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes) who was curled up on the slightly warmer black pavement. He was sluggish enough for me to pick him up by the tail, whirl him over my head, and fling him off into the sand and out of danger.

When they finally reach the ghost town, it's beautifully bleachly dilapidated -- only a handful of empty weathered buildings and outhouses, a leaning water tower, a neglected cemetery, disarticulated wagons and other artifacts, and a main street with scattered creosote bush. It's the kind of setting that a child would be delighted to explore.

The child probably wouldn't like the fact that the place is surrounded by hostile Indians. The Indians stage an attack that was pretty brutal for its time, but they are finally driven away and all the thugs expect Widmark are killed by arrows. This leave Taylor and Widmark for the final shoot out on the desolate street. Guess who wins. Widmark wins! He ravages the girl, desecrates Taylor's body, ties it behind his chariot, and races around the walls of Troy.

The Law and Jake Wooden !

[school_account · 3/10 · 31 August 2010]

Let's face it, Robert Taylor is an awful actor. It just seems like somebody needed to fill this role quickly and grabbed a paunchy old stage hand from sweeping the floor, saying you'll do ! The guy just can't act ! How did he get by for so long in Hollywood with no talent, when there were other superb actors around like Spencer Tracy , Kirk Douglas, Richard Widmark etc... Robert Taylor must have read many scripts turned down by the proper actors of Hollywood just to get work.

He is actually billed as the lead in this movie ! Even John Wayne on a bad day could act this man under the table. The definition of a Superstar is the star that carries the movie. Without Richard Widmark's presence billed as second lead, this movie would have fallen completely flat.

Is this movie really directed by the same man who made "Bad day at Black Rock" and "The Great Escape" ? John Sturges must have been having an off day. Although he didn't have much to work with. The poor script and leading man to name but two. In Bad day at Black rock you have of course the master and arguably the best screen actor there has even been , Spencer Tracy. In this movie you have Robert (the statue) Taylor. Without a good leading man a movie is sunk before it begins.

John Sturges should have been more like William Wyler in his approach to directing Robert Taylor. To at least coax a mediocre performance from the man, rather than this exhibition of rocking horse excellence. Nice to see Dr McCoy though, playing yet another heavy, he is a very good actor, obviously, although he never liked beaming down to planets.

Death Valley Daze

[NeutrinoKid · 6/10 · 8 July 2020]

A reasonably engrossing film powered by steely Robert Taylor and wicked Richard Widmark, featuring some spectatcular Cinemascope vistas of Lone Pine, Death Valley, and the Alabama Hills. Taylor, now a Marshall, gives ex-gang partner villain Widmark too much rope, which he uses to kidnap Taylor and his lady and drag them to the desolate Death Valley ghost town where Taylor had stashed their bounty.