Rancho Notorious **** (1952, Marlene Dietrich, Arthur Kennedy, Mel Ferrer) – Classic Movie Review 2598

Director Fritz Lang’s splendidly baroque and brooding 1952 Western tale of frontier revenge is lit up by a mesmerising, breathtakingly camp star turn from a smouldering Marlene Dietrich (still looking stunning at 50). She plays Altar Keane, a matriarchal, ageing saloon singer who runs a bandit hideout called Chuck-a-Luck.

There’s bright and colourful acting all round, with Arthur Kennedy also helping to hold the film’s centre in a lean and sombre performance as nice rancher Vern Haskell, bidding to avenge his fiancée’s killing during a robbery. His quest leads him to Chuck-a-Luck, where he and gunslinger Frenchy Fairmont (Mel Ferrer) are rivals for Altar Keane’s attention.

Based by screen-writer Daniel Taradash on an original story by Gunsight Whitman by Silvia Richards, the tale is a touch routine and the budget is limited. But everything else is lavish, Hal Mohr’s Technicolor photography is eye-catching and Lang’s direction packs plenty of punch.

This is one clever, sophisticated movie, fun on the surface, and with the feeling that something deep and mysterious is going on underneath. It is Dietrich’s show, and she dazzles, as well as handling her song ‘Get Away, Young Man’ skilfully.

Also in the cast are Gloria Henry, William Frawley, Jack Elam, Lisa Ferraday, John Raven, George Reeves, Frank Ferguson, Francis McDonald, Dan Seymour, John Doucette, and John Kellogg. Lloyd Gough’s name was removed from the credits due to his being blacklisted during the McCarthy witch-hunts. Let’s mention him honourably here, in the role of Kinch.

The original title The Legend of Chuck-a-Luck was changed at the insistence of Howard Hughes, head of RKO Pictures.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2598

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