Strange Lady in Town (1955)

Simply Perfect

Just perfect...

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Low marks for too many reasons.. Mis-casting all around..plodding and talky at times..with unbelievable dialogue from top to bottom..how a person (in this case a woman doctor) can move from Boston to Santa Fe,New Mexico and expect things to be socially the same as in Boston is beyond belief and not try to adapt to her surroundings or new customs..Dana Andrews and Greer Garson sparring continuously and he supposedly falling for her enough to propose marriage..-and still be squabbling beyond the proposal..Dane Clark as a third-rate Cavalry officer (Greer's brother) very fancy clothes to wear in the southwest..but this was Hollywood..and this was not well done..some will say this was a good performance or this was a unique story.. I wish this was the case..but a poorly written script cannot coax a superb performance from A list stars..it just sounds contrived and in itself, the story-telling is dis-jointed and badly directed..regardless of what you may want to believe..this movie is contrived and not worthy of a viewing..unless you feel sorry for the cast..

Western with Greer Garson is very uneven. She almost has a love-hate relationship with fellow doctor, Dana Andrews. He is miscast here.She plays the western doctor who left Massachusetts because of the hatred there of men of women becoming doctors. She comes to Sante Fe, New Mexico since her brother Cameron Mitchell is in the army there. He is quite a rogue.The unevenness of the film can be shown that after a blow-up between the Garson and Andrews' character, in the next scene he has arranged a surprise birthday party for her.There are so many sub-stories in the film that would have played better-the blind boy whose sight is restored by Garson and the battered young woman; instead, they are merely skirted over.

From the onset, you will probably notice how strange the casting is on this one. After all, of all the actresses to be in a Western, Greer Garson is probably the last you'd expect to see! It gets even weirder when you see she's playing a lady who was born in Boston, as her accent is as much Boston as Brigitte Bardot's! Why didn't they just say she was from England...now THAT would have made sense! And, to make it worse, her brother in the film is played by Cameron Mitchell--who is NOTHING like Greer...NOTHING.The film is set in Santa Fe during the late 19th century. It begins with a plucky female doctor (Garson) arriving there not only to see her no-good brother but also to live there. However, there already is one doctor in town (Dana Andrews) and he's a sexist who insists that women aren't cut out for 'man's work'. Not surprisingly, the pair eventually fall in love. However, it's the stuff in the middle that makes the film interesting...but I'll let you see that for yourself."Strange Lady in Town" is a great example of a decent film despite insane casting decisions. While the film is far from a classic (as it's awfully predictable in some ways), it never was dull and is worth seeing. Plus, while miscast, Garson tried her best and Andrews was, as always, excellent.By the way, the film shows an insane cliché. When a guy is getting a tooth pulled, his 'friend' bashes him on the head with his gun butt to knock him out!! Kid's DON'T try this at home...all you'll really achieve is brain damage!

While not a classic, a truly enjoyable film with a favorite star of mine, Greer Garson. Dana Andrews is also a fine actor and plays his part with convincing sincerity. Mitchell is also a fine actor but does seem to be acting, more so than Greer Garson or Dana Andrews. The Billy the Kid segment is a bit over the top, but OK. The young lady is GREAT!Wish I had been able to see more of her. The theme song is a fine one. Frankie Lane never acquired the acclaim he should have had, either. However, it was evidently a forgettable tune, but one I know by heart. Dana Andrews is a doctor, soured on life since the death of his wife. He is raising a daughter, while being the only M.D. in a small village, in the old west. Into town drives Greer Garson. A brilliant woman who has studied medicine in Europe and has several new techniques to try to update the staid, older doctor. Sparks fly and so do the tempers.