Count Three and Pray *** (1955, Van Heflin, Joanne Woodward, Philip Carey, Raymond Burr, Allison Hayes, Myron Healey) – Classic Movie Review 8586

Van Heflin and Joanne Woodward in Count Three and Pray (1955).

Director George Sherman’s 1955 Count Three and Pray is a very decent little Technicolor CinemaScope Western with a punchy performance by the sometimes too-quiet actor Van Heflin as the homecoming Civil War veteran Luke Fargo, a southerner who fought on the Union side, who finds himself branded a Civil War traitor by the townsfolk.

A reformed brawler and womaniser, he comes up against stiff opposition when he determines to rebuild the town’s church and become its preacher pastor, but has to shoot off town boss Yancey Huggins (Raymond Burr)’s bad guys.

The satisfying acting includes Joanne Woodward’s début as a tomboyish teenage orphan called Lissy, as well as Philip Carey as rich businessman Albert Loomis and Allison Hayes as Southern belle Georgina Decrais, in this unusual yet colourful and enjoyable Columbia Pictures Western, full of unusual incidents and oddball characters.

Count Three and Pray is written by Herb Meadow and based on his story Calico Pony. It premiered at the Paris Theatre in Woodward’s home town of Greenville, South Carolina.

It runs 102 minutes with the cut version running at 92 minutes.

Also in the cast are Myron Healey, Nancy Kulp, James Griffith, Richard Webb, Kathryn Givney, Robert Burton and Jean Wiles.

Joanne Woodward turns 90 on 27 February 2020. Her most recent movie appearance is in Philadelphia (1993).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8586

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