Shane (1953)
- Starring:
- Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, (more)
- Director(s):
- George Stevens
- Category:
- Westerns
Member Rating
My RatingSynopsis of Shane
The simple story of a Wyoming range war is elevated to near-mythical status in producer/director George Stevens' Western classic Shane. Alan Ladd plays the title character, a mysterious drifter who rides into a tiny homesteading community and accepts the hospitality of a farming family. Patriarch Joe Starrett (Van Heflin) is impressed by the way Shane handles himself when facing down the hostile minions of land baron Emile Meyer, though he has trouble placing his complete trust in the stranger, as his Marion (Jean Arthur) is attracted to Shane in spite of herself, and his son Joey (Brandon De Wilde) flat-out idolizes Shane. When Meyer is unable to drive off the homesteaders by sheer brute strength, he engages the services of black-clad, wholly evil hired gun Jack Wilson (Jack Palance). The moment that Wilson shows he means business by shooting down hotheaded farmer Frank Torrey (Elisha Cook Jr.) is the film's most memorable scene: after years of becoming accustomed to carefully choreographed movie death scenes, the suddenness with which Torrey's life is snuffed out -- and the force with which he falls to the ground -- are startling. Shane knows that a showdown with Wilson is inevitable; he also knows that, unintentionally, he has become a disruptive element in the Starrett family. The manner in which he handles both these problems segues into the now-legendary "Come back, Shane" finale. Cinematographer Loyal Griggs imbues this no-frills tale with the outer trappings of an epic, forever framing the action in relation to the unspoiled land surrounding it. A.B. Guthrie Jr.'s screenplay, adapted from the Jack Schaefer novel, avoids the standard good guy/bad guy clichés: both homesteaders and cattlemen are shown as three-dimensional human beings, flaws and all, and even ostensible villain Emile Meyer comes off reasonable and logical when elucidating his dislike of the "newcomers" who threaten to divest him of his wide open spaces. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 117 mins
Complete Cast of Shane
- Alan Ladd - Shane
- Van Heflin - Joe Starrett
- Jack Palance - Jack Wilson
- Edgar Buchanan - Fred Lewis
- Douglas Spencer - Shipstead
- Ellen Corby - Mrs. Torrey
- Edith Evanson - Mrs. Shipstead
- Ray Spiker - Johnson
- Martin Mason - Ed Howells
- Nancy Kulp - Mrs. Howells
- Beverly Washburn - Lewis Daughter (uncredited)
- Charles Quirk - Clerk
- Bill Cartledge - Ryker man
- John Miller - Atkey
- Jean Arthur - Marion Starrett
- Brandon de Wilde - Joey Starrett
- Ben Johnson - Chris Callaway
- Emile G. Meyer - Rufe Ryker
- John Dierkes - Morgan Ryker
- Paul McVey - Grafton
- Leonard Strong - Ernie Wright
- Janice Carroll - Susan Lewis
- Helen Brown - Mrs. Lewis
- Elisha Cook, Jr. - Frank Torrey
- Howard Negley - Pete
- George Lewis - Ryker Man
- Chester W. Hannan - Ryker man
- Steve Raines - Ryker man
- Director(s):
- George Stevens
- Writer(s):
- A.B. Guthrie, Jr., Jack Sher
- Producer(s):
- George Stevens, Ivan Moffat
- Categories:
- Westerns
- 1998 - American Film Institute - 100 Greatest American Movies
- 1992 - Library of Congress - U.S. National Film Registry
- 1953 - National Board of Review - Best Director
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