The Raid *** (1954, Van Heflin, Anne Bancroft, Richard Boone, Lee Marvin, Tommy Rettig, Peter Graves) – Classic Movie Review 10,447

Director Hugo Fregonese’s 1954 Panoramic Productions/ 20th Century Fox Western film The Raid stars Van Heflin, Anne Bancroft, Richard Boone, Lee Marvin, Tommy Rettig and Peter Graves. It is shot in beautiful Technicolor colour by Lucien Ballard.

Six Southern soldiers, led by Major Neal Benton (Heflin), attempt an attack on the Vermont town of St Albans to smooth the way for the Confederate army.

Benton (Heflin) masquerades as a businessman, saying his name is Neal Swayze, to stay at Katie Bishop (Bancroft)’s boarding house, where she lives with her son Larry (Rettig).

The intriguing, capable cast works hard to keep the intricate plot (taken from a true story) above average and the bursts of action are neatly done in a generally well handled, welcome Western.

The screenplay by Sydney Boehm and story by Francis M Cockrell are based on Herbert Ravenel Sass’s story Affair at St Albans, which in turn is based on a true event from October 19, 1864.

Also in the cast are Douglas Spencer, Will Wright, John Dierkes, James Best, Claude Akins, Paul Cavanagh, John Dierkes, Helen Ford, Robert Easton, Dolores Fuller, Harry Hines, Simon Scott, and William Schallert.

It is made at Sherwood Forest, Lake Sherwood, California, and RKO-Pathé Studios, 9336 Washington Blvd, Culver City, California.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,447

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