Rough Night in Jericho ** (1967, Dean Martin, Jean Simmons, George Peppard, John McIntire, Slim Pickens, Don Galloway) – Classic Movie Review 7430

Despite an interesting set-up and the strong efforts of the very good cast, director Arnold Laven’s 1967 Rough Night in Jericho is a tediously unsurprising Western that recycles the tired old stereotypes yet again, with the only shock being that the always-amiable Dean Martin wanted to play the especially foul bad guy. Though that certainly is shock enough and it is entertaining watching Martin playing against type like this. It is very much a late-Sixties time of change Western.

Obviously relishing the chance, Dean Martin throws himself lip-smackingly into the unlikely role of Alex Flood, the evil controller of the wild backwater town of Jericho, who clashes predictably with former lawman and gambler Dolan (George Peppard) and the town bosses Molly Lang and Ben Hickman (Jean Simmons, John McIntire).

Also in the cast are Slim Pickens, Don Galloway, Brad Weston, character actor Richard O’Brien (1917–1983), Carol Andreson, Steve Sandor, Warren Vanders and John Napier.

Simmons makes her presence felt as the strong-willed widow Molly Lang, who attracts Dolan (Peppard).

It includes some exploitative scenes of violence, not least when Alex Flood roughs up Molly Lang. In the UK the original rating was an A, passed only with cuts. In 2012, it has a video rating of 12.

Martin’s son Dean Paul Martin (1951–1987) appears briefly as a cowboy.

Rough Night in Jericho runs 104 minutes but it was cut to 95 minutes as the lower half of a double bill.

Rough Night in Jericho is directed by Arnold Laven, runs 104 minutes, is made and released by Universal Pictures, is written by Sydney Boehm and Marvin H Albert, based on the novel by Marvin H Albert, is shot in Technicolor and widescreen by Russell Metty, is produced by Martin Rackin, and is scored by Don Costa.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7430

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