The Ride to Hangman’s Tree ** (1967, Jack Lord, James Farentino, Don Galloway, Melodie Johnson, Richard Anderson) – Classic Movie Review 13,165

Outlaws Jack Lord, James Farentino and Don Galloway rob stages, try to evade the law, and fall for lovely ‘half dancer, half devil’ Melodie Johnson.

‘Half Dancer…Half Devil… She drove men to the wrong side of the law.’

Director Alan Rafkin’s 1967 double feature low budget Western film The Ride to Hangman’s Tree stars Jack Lord, James Farentino, Don Galloway, Melodie Johnson, and Richard Anderson.

A trio of rough but charming young outlaw desperados (Jack Lord as Guy Russell, James Farentino as Matt Stone and Don Galloway as Nevada Jones) robs stages, tries to evade the law, and falls for the wiles of the lovely Lillie Malone (Melodie Johnson) – ‘half dancer, half devil’ apparently.

An uninspired and tediously over-familiar Western nevertheless has some entertaining moments, though none better than the well-staged initial heist sequence.

The three amigos are engagingly winning in their naughty but nice manner, but the plot lollops down a trail which leads nowhere fast. But Universal Pictures ensure a smart production. The score by Frank Skinner, the Technicolor cinematography by Gene Polito and the location shooting are all commendable assets.

It is a remake of Black Bart, Highwayman (1948) and contains extensive archive footage from that film.

It was released on April 19, 1967 (New York City) and April 23, 1967 (UK) by Universal Pictures.

It was shot in August 1966 in the studio at Universal Studios, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California. There was also location shooting at Cedar Breaks, Strawberry Valley, and Strawberry Point in Utah.

The Ride to Hangman’s Tree is directed by Alan Rafkin, runs 90 minutes, is made by Universal Pictures, is released by Universal Pictures, is written by Luci Ward, Jack Natteford and William Bowers, is shot in Technicolor by Gene Polito, is produced by Howard Christie, and is scored by Frank Skinner (Joseph Gershenson supervising).

The cast include Jack Lord as Guy Russell, Melodie Johnson as Lillie Malone, James Farentino as Matt Stone, Don Galloway as Nevada Jones, Richard Anderson as Steven Carlson, Ed Peck as Sheriff Stewart, Robert Yuro as Jeff Scott, Robert Cornthwaite as T.L. Harper, Paul Reed as Corbett, Fabian Dean as Indian, John Pickard as Pete Claudia Bryar as Mrs. Harmon, Robert Sorrells as Blake, Richard Cutting, and Virginia Capers as Teresa Moreno.

Melodie Johnson was born on October 23, 1943 in Los Angeles

Melodie Johnson was signed to a seven-year contract by Universal at 21. She married record producer Bones Howe on March 27, 1965. They have three children. She adopted her husband’s children from his previous marriage. She studied creative writing and became the author of mystery and detective novels.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,165

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