Rancho Notorious

Spectacle and action. That's what this Western offers to the fullest degree. It's a revenge tale, and ordinarily might be run of the mill, but for some incredible cinematography. The spectacle is great. Arthur Kennedy plays the man looking for his fiance's killer. There is a mystery first as to where the killer is, and second a mystery of whom the killer is. Two men commit a robbery. The albino man waits outside while the culprit robs and kills the hero's fiance. Later, the killer argues with the albino over where to go. A place called "Chugalug", but the albino wants to part ways. He is shot in the back. The hero finds the albino and wants to know where the killer is. "Chugalug". That part is solved about a third of the way into the film. It's a ranch run by Marlene Dietrich who hosts bandits and gives them haven for a cut of their loot. Outlaws like Mel Ferrer, who plays her lover, Jack Elam, who is angry over the way Marlene takes advantage of him. George Reeves, who is not superman here. And many other interesting outlaws,including the killer, but our hero doesn't know which one. Like I say, this is "style over substance", a real spectacle, but the characters are endearing. Mel Ferrer plays a romanticized outlaw who cares about his comrades more than most outlaws do. He even stops to bury his best friend while on the run from the law. (His best friend is dead).