The Brass Legend **½ (1956, Hugh O’Brian, Nancy Gates, Raymond Burr) – Classic Movie Review 10,357

Director Gerd Oswald’s 1956 independently made black and white Western film The Brass Legend stars Hugh O’Brian as Sheriff Wade Adams, who sets out to rescue his fiancée Linda Gipson (Nancy Gates)’s kid brother, the young Clay Gipson (Donald MacDonald), who is captured after informing on the vengeful outlaw and multiple murderer Tris Hatten (Raymond Burr).

Stalwart hero O’Brian (TV’s famous Wyatt Earp) and splendid bad guy actor Burr, on his best villainous form, keep this slightly above run-of-the-mill, not specially imaginative Western alive and alert. And, though the script is fairly pedestrian and uninspired, Oswald’s handling is intense, energetic and impressive.

It is the clash between Burr and O’Brian, plus Oswald’s direction, that elevates this from being just another quickly made, low-budget, B-movie double-feature Fifties Western film.

The screenplay is by Don Martin, from the story by George Zuckerman and Jess Arnold.

It co-stars Rebecca Welles as Millie Street (billed as Reba Tassell), Donald MacDonald as Clay Gipson, Robert Burton [Bob Burton] as Tom Gipson, Eddie Firestone as Shorty, Willard Sage as Jonathan Tatum, Robert Griffin as Doc Ward, Stacy Harris as George Barlow, Dennis Cross as Carl Barlow, Russell Simpson as Deputy ‘Pop’ Jackson and Norman Leavitt as Deputy Cooper.

Raymond Burr stars in The Brass Legend (1956)

Also in the cast are Vicente Padula as Sanchez, Clegg Hoyt as Bartender, Jack Farmer as Earl Barlow, Michael Garrett as Deputy Charlie, Charles Delaney as Deputy, Paul Sorensen as Burly Apache Bend Townsman, Sam Flint as Old Apache Bend Townsman and Rick Warick as Deputy.

It is shot in April 1956 on location at Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California; Iverson Ranch, 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles; and Monogram Ranch, 24715 Oak Creek Avenue, Newhall, California.

The Brass Legend runs 79 minutes, is made by Robert Goldstein Productions, released by United Artists, is written by Don Martin, from the story by George Zuckerman and Jess Arnold, is shot in black and white by Charles Van Enger, is produced by Herman Cohen and Bob Goldstein, and is scored by Paul Dunlap.

Films directed by Gerd Oswald: A Kiss Before Dying (1956), The Brass Legend (1956), Crime of Passion (1957), Fury at Showdown (1957), Valerie (1957), Paris Holiday (1958), Screaming Mimi (1958), The Day the Rains Came (1959), Brainwashed (1960), Storm Over Ceylon (1963), Agent for H.A.R.M. (1966), 80 Steps to Jonah (1969), Bunny O’Hare (1971) and To the Bitter End (1975)

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,357

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