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This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

The Worst Film Ever

Fresh and Exciting

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

With his square-jawed determination, Scott (Danning) makes a riveting screen presence. So, by golly, he's going to get whoever is responsible for his fiancé's death and nothing's going to stand in his way. Not even the comely Chapman (Kate) or the Big Guy in the Sky. But he's got a tough bunch to deal with, especially blond bruiser Tucker (Ernie), who would rather grind hands than seeds. That fist-fight with Danning may be a stretch, but it's sure imaginative. Then there's that arch baddie Macready (Miles) and veteran sneer merchant Douglas Fowley (Stew). So Danning's got his work cut out for him. You gotta love those red rock Sedona AZ locations. They turn up in so many horse operas of the time. Speaking of turning up and lending color—yes indeed, there he is, old gravel- voiced grouch Edgar Buchanan as the sheriff. No western of the day worth its salt was without his particular brand of character color. And, guys, there's not just the usual one good-looking woman in the movie. There're three, so which one will Scott end up with.Can't help noticing that Harry Joe Brown produced this film along with Scott's later The Tall T (1957). Then too, the plot here is similar to many of the Scott-Buddy Boetticher classics of a decade later. But then, Scott was so good at grim determination, it's hard not to make him a revenge-seeker. Anyway, better than most six-gun directors, Enright knows where to put the camera, helping to make this one of Scott's more memorable westerns that even non-fans may enjoy.

The opening scene to this Randolph Scott suggests it is going to be an old fashioned cowboys versus Indians film as we see a group of Apache attacking a stage coach; it turns out that they are working for a white man though and once they force the coach to stop this white man kills the men and takes the one female passenger away with him. After this prologue we meet the films protagonist; Chris Danning. He is trying to find out what happened on the stage and learns a few facts about the man responsible; he is blond, blue eyed, has a scar on his face and can speak fluent Apache... he also learns that the woman later killed herself.At this point we don't know his connection to the woman but it is clear that she meant a lot to him as he sets off to find the man responsible. He tracks him down to the town of Coroner Creek; here he learns the man's name is Younger Miles and he is the dominant rancher in the area; doing what it takes to force rivals off their land and getting away with it because his father in law is the sheriff. Danning doesn't go gunning for Miles; instead he starts to provoke him; getting a job with Miles last rival and letting the whole town that he helped Miles' drunk wife get home. It doesn't all go Danning's way though a fight with Miles' gang leaves him with a badly broken hand and several hundred of his employer's cattle are killed when Miles' men set fire the undergrowth in the canyon they were grazing in. This doesn't stop Danning of course and ultimately he will have his revenge and we will learn why he was determined to see Miles dead.I found this to be a surprisingly gritty western; the fight between Scott and Forrest Tucker was particularly brutal for a film of this era; with the latter stamping on Scott's hand then when the tables are turned Scott does the same to him; showing that our hero is only out for revenge. An even bigger surprise came earlier in the scene when Scott bit Tucker's arm; I don't recall seeing any western hero fight that dirty before! Scott puts in a fine performance as Danning; he may have been fifty when he filmed this but he was believable as a man who could handle himself in a dangerous situation. George Macready, played Younger Miles, was suitably villainous; we even see him slapping his wife hitting a man across the face with a spur just to prove how bad he is! Director Ray Enright keeps the action moving along well enough and for the most part makes the fights look good... one early fight did include a very obviously sped up section though which didn't work for me.If you enjoy B westerns this is definitely worth checking out if it is on TV and is a must if you have enjoyed other Randolph Scott westerns.

In this western made in 1948 you see all the elements that would show up in the great westerns that would follow, in Anthony Mann, Budd Boetticher and Peckinpah. There is no western without violence, but if it comes in the form of a cliché, it does not reach the spectator, also if it is overdone like in many spaghetti westerns. But the anger you feel in Randolph Scott's face when he fights against Forrest Tucker (mentioned by other reviewers) will definitely reach you, his fight will become your fight. And that's what makes a good western. The fact that such a good film comes in the package of a B western makes it even better and shows the way for future westerns to be made. Also the three women in the film have very important parts, one that drinks to escape the horror of her marriage, another that tries to hide from reality and another who tries to convince Scott to follow what religion says, "Vengeance is Mine", to which he replies "one eye for an eye". The end of the film will show which one is right. Wonderful western!!!

Out in the remote Southwest a stagecoach his held up by renegade Apache Indians led by a mysterious white man. All bar one of the passengers are killed, the other, a female, is taken as captive but takes her own life rather than suffer any more indignities. That woman was the fiancée of cowboy Chris Denning, who upon learning of the news vows revenge and goes in search of the mysterious leader. A search that takes him to the small town of Coroner Creek...Coroner Creek doesn't mess about, it's a tough, no nonsense Oater that may have flecks of humour, and pretty gal familiarity's, but most assuredly thrives on its darkly revenge driven core. Directed by Ray Enright and starring genre supremo Randolph Scott as Denning, Coroner Creek is adapted by Kenneth Gamet from the novel written by Luke Short. Very much following the old biblical thematic of "an eye for an eye", Enright's film, produced by Harry Brown, boasts rousing fist fights, simmering sexual tensions and a riveting finale.Scott is terrific, as he mostly always is in these genre pieces. Denning's sense of pain and hunger for revenge is perfectly brought home to the viewers by Scott, an actor who has the ability to express so much with darkened eyes and a down-turned mouth. And of course more crucially, Scott brings believability to his characters. You really wouldn't know he was 50 years of age whilst making this picture, such is the gusto he puts into the role. He's backed up by George Macready doing a solid line in scar faced villainy, the always enjoyable Wallace Ford as Denning's newly formed confidante Andy West, while Sally Eiles and Marguerite Chapman fill the important female roles with professional turns.On the minor downside is the use of Cinecolor, a two colour process that fails to bring Fred Jackman's cinematography to life, whilst simultaneously giving the actors an odd looking sheen. DVD and TV viewers may find they have to tone down a couple of hues on this one to find a decent colour balance. Still it be a fine genre entry and one that is a must see for Randy Scott enthusiasts. 8/10