Yuma (1971)

That was an excellent one.

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Best movie of this year hands down!

Ted Post directed this Charles A. Wallace story which was created most likely as a pilot for a T.V. Series. I suppose that's why Clint Walker was selected. He looks tall and Majestic in the saddle. The story as Wallace wrote it has Marshal Dave Harmona (Clint Walker) arriving in town and no sooner does he arrive, when a couple of rowdies challenge his authority. Unable to talk one cowboy out of his gun, the Marshal is force to kill the other which does not sit well with the older brother. (Morgan Woodward) In addition to taking charge of the law in town, Harmon is given a murder mystery to solve and some restless Indians who are threatening to go on the warpath to placate. Finally, there a hotel owner who is set on winning a place in the marshal's heart. All in all the series would have begun as part western, part who-done-it, had the option been picked up. As it is, the movie moves into the what-if category and Walker rides into the sunset. It would have been interesting to see the film pan out as several other notables were included in the cast. Such actors as Barry Sullivan, Edgar Buchanan and Peter Mark Richman as Major Lucas. Otherwise, it's a good movie which never ever matured. ****

Having just arrived into the town of Yuma, Arizona, "Marshall Dave Harmon" (Clint Walker) tries to arrest two rowdy cowboys who happen to be brothers. One is killed in a shootout and the other is taken to jail. That night the cowboy is killed for mysterious reasons. A third brother named "Arch King" (Morgan Woodward), who is in charge of a cattle drive headed to Yuma, thinks the Marshall did it and he comes into town to exact justice. But there is more to the story and rather than spoil the movie for those who haven't seen it, I will just say that it has several interesting subplots which play out rather well. It has cowboys, Indians, the cavalry, a savvy marshal and a pretty gal named "Julie Williams" (Kathryn Hays) to boot. What more could you ask for? About the only criticism I have is that it is a made-for-television movie and as a result it is a bit tame in order to satisfy a general audience. Likewise, the length of the film is slightly abbreviated to fit within a certain time allocation. It could easily have gone on longer and would have probably been much better if it had. Even so, it was still enjoyable and I recommend it for anybody who likes this particular genre.

Yuma is passable enough entertainment but something directed by Ted Post (Hang 'Em High) and produced by Aaron Spelling (who made some of the best low budget TV movies of the seventies) should have been a bit better. This seems like a television pilot that never materialized into a series.Clint Walker, the new Marshall of Yuma is forced to deal with the two brothers of a powerful cattleman, shooting one in self defense and jailing the other. Later, two mystery men break him out and shoot him in the back, framing Walker for the death and leading to a confrontation with the cattleman and the uncovering of a larger conspiracy.Some familiar stars and a good bit of intrigue make this worth watching if not a must-see.

Former "Rawhide" TV director Ted Post helmed the ABC Made-For-TV movie "Yuma" with Clint Walker between the time that he called the shots for Clint Eastwood in "Hang'em High" (1967) and the second "Dirty Harry" thriller "Magnum Force" (1973). Aaron Spelling of "Charlie's Angels" fame produced this standard-issue, law & order oater about a tough, deep-spoken lawman who tames the town. Undoubtedly, this movie was a pilot for a series that failed, despite its slick production values, good acting, and occasional bloodletting.Dutiful David Harmon (Clint Walker of the "Cheyenne" TV series) finds his hands full the first sun-scorched day that he arrives in bustling Yuma, Arizona. The free-wheeling King Brothers steal an empty stagecoach from the depot, careen it onto Main Street, and turn it over, creating a nuisance and a hazard that Harmon refuses to tolerate. When our hero demands that Rol King (Bing Russell of "The Magnificent Seven") and Sam King (Bruce Glover of "Diamonds Are Forever") surrender their firearms in a local bar, Rol ignores Harmon's orders and starts shooting. Harmon lets Sam have both loads and the impact knocks the villain off the bar, down behind it and kills him. Rol survives the shoot-out, and Harmon lodges him in a cell in the marshal's office.Harmon checks into a hotel room and flirts with the apparent owner, Julie Williams (pretty Kathryn Hays of "Ride Beyond Vengeance"), when he gives her a month's rent in advance. She points out that the last two marshals didn't last a week. Meanwhile, Harmon makes friends with a young, homeless Hispanic teenager, Andres (Miguel Alejandro of "Badge 373"), gives him money for new clothes, and allows him to sleep at the marshal's office. Two men awaken Andres—Captain White (John Kerr of "Tea & Sympathy) and Saunders (Robert Phillips of "Hour of the Gun")—spring Rol from captivity and then let him escape, only to drop him with a shotgun blast on the street where he dies. They flee the scene, and Harmon shows up too late to catch them. Local cattle buyer Nels Decker (Barry Sullivan of "Forty Guns") finds Harmon holding the shotgun that killed Rol and accuses the new lawman of the crime. As it turns out, Andres clears Harmon of any wrongdoing. All Andres can remember is that one of the men wore shiny boots. Harmon deduces that the 'shiny boots' belonged to a U.S. Cavalry officer. He rides out to the fort and demands to see fort commandant Major Lucas (Peter Mark Richman of "Pool Hal Junkies"), but Lucas' orderly explains that the commander has retired for the evening. Nonplussed, Harmon draws his revolver and fires enough shots in the air to rouse every soldier on the premises. Harmon gets his interview with Lucas about Captain White. Later, Harmon learns from the local reservation Indians that they are being cheated in regard to the amount of meat that the Indians require. Eventually, Sanders and Harmon cross paths again when the lawman catches the killer sneaking into his office. Harmon literally shoots the six-gun out of Sander's holster when the villain tries to double-talk his way out of an arrest charge.Ted Post directs with competence and assurance. "Yuma" emerges as a neatly-made, but formulaic little western with enough twists and turns as well as a surprise ending that it ranks a notch above the usual "Gunsmoke" clone that it clearly was. The point of view shots during the opening scene when our hero rides into town are excellent. Clint Walker could walk sleep walk through this role. He gives his usual strong performance and his David Harmon differs significantly from the aimlessly drifting hero in "Cheyenne." Unlike Cheyenne who wore his six-shooter on his right hip, Harmon wears his Colt's .45 with the plow-handle turned backwards in a holster wore for an across-the-waist draw. Not surprisingly, violence is held to a minimum, since it was made for television. Harmon guns down Sam King in the opening scene and later he takes out both Sanders and Nels Decker. Barry Sullivan is adequate as scheming cattle buyer Nels Decker who cares not a whit what happens to the reservation Indians that he is cheating. Morgan Woodward is good as the elder King who wants vengeance. Edgar Buchanan is—as always—superb. Meantime, John Kerr is shamefully squandered in an inconsequential role as a corrupt cavalry officer.