The Proud Ones
The Proud Ones

Movie spotlight

The Proud Ones

1956
Movie
94 min
English

Robert Ryan plays an aging sheriff responsible for law and order in a frontier cattle town. Virginia Mayo plays his fiancee. As if handling wild cattle drovers isn't enough, a crooked casino operator from Ryan's past comes to town. An early scuffle in the casino leaves Ryan with vision problems that interfere with his duties. Jeffrey Hunter who came to town with a cattle drive encounters Ryan, who killed Hunter's father when Hunter was young. Feelings of animosity soon change as Hunter begins to sense Ryan is telling the truth about his father. What follows is a plot that continues to thicken to the inevitable showdown.

Insights

IMDb6.4/10
Director: Robert D. WebbGenres: Western

Plot Summary

In the untamed West, Marshal Cass Todd maintains law and order in a rough frontier town. He faces a difficult challenge when his own son, Gil, becomes involved with a group of outlaws led by the ruthless Blackie. Todd must confront his personal feelings and uphold justice, even if it means bringing his son to account.

Critical Reception

The Proud Ones was a moderately successful Western that received a generally positive reception for its classic genre elements and solid performances, particularly from Robert Ryan. While not groundbreaking, it was seen as a competent and engaging entry in the Western canon of its time.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its traditional Western narrative and action.

  • Robert Ryan's performance as the conflicted Marshal was a highlight.

  • Seen as a solid, if not exceptional, entry in the genre.

Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for this film is not readily available.

Fun Fact

The film was shot in CinemaScope, a widescreen process that was popular in the mid-1950s, giving the expansive Western landscapes a grand visual presentation.

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TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

“Cass” (Robert Ryan) is the sheriff of a frontier town who just about manages to keep law an order. Then a blast from his past arrives to upset his carefully crafted equilibrium. “Barrett” - rather anachronistically called “Honest” (Robert ...

John Chard

John Chard

A thriving town sells its soul. The Proud Ones is directed by Robert D. Webb and adapted to screenplay by Edmund H. North and Joseph Petracca from the Verne Athanas novel. It stars Robert Ryan, Jeffrey Hunter, Virginia Mayo, Robert Middl...