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Simply A Masterpiece

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Straight-arrow lawman William Conrad heads south-of-the-border to capture gunfighter Anthony Quinn. Heading north with Quinn, they find themselves stalked by a murderous band of renegade Indians, complicating the ride back and Quinn's repeated escape attempts.A gritty western-noir, this strives to be a bit more artistically relevant than the average black-and-white western and despite some less than original plot elements, it largely succeeds, thanks to a deeper psychological approach to the two main characters and muscular performances by Conrad (who also produced) and Quinn, whose character hides a soft side beneath his macho exterior.It's all nicely shot as well, with some bold for it's time depictions of murder victims, lying in a pitiful, undignified manner.listen up for the film's neat theme song, sung by TV star Eddie Albert!

The Ride Back is directed by Allen H. Miner and written by Antony Ellis. It stars Anthony Quinn, William Conrad and Lita Milan. Music is by Frank De Vol and cinematography by Joseph Biroc. Sheriff Chris Hamish (Conrad) tries to extradite popular gunfighter Bob Kallen (Quinn) from Mexico to stand trial for murder in Scottsville, Texas. A good and meaty psychological Western that is more interested in exploring the two main characters than merely portraying a good versus bad parable. The sheriff and the gunfighter must travel through dangerous Apache territory and quickly find themselves up against the odds. As the two men continue onwards they naturally bicker and Kallen obviously wants to escape, but surely they must work together to survive? As they learn about each other and come across a dreadful scene that finds them in the company of an orphan girl, the film plays its hand as the characterisations switch in tone. It's a very understated picture, sombre in mood in spite of the beautiful outdoor locales. Dialogue is sparse so there's no pointless filler, while the Apache threat is not forced, we only get glimpses of them and they become more threatening by just being ghosts out in the terrain. Conrad and Quinn make for a good polar opposites pairing, the black and white photography of Biroc (Run of the Arrow/Forty Guns) is crisp and tight to the mood of the narrative and Miner (being overseen by Robert Aldrich) directs in an unfussy manner. Actor Eddie Albert warbles the title song. As a formula it has been done better elsewhere, as with 3:10 to Yuma released the same year, but this is a better than average entry into the psychological Western pantheon and it deserves to be better known. 7/10

Extremely BORING (and I mean it) and slow Western, redeemed in the last 10 minutes by a serviceable, nice enough ending. Even the humdrum song sung by the noted actor Eddie Albert delivered a nice touch at the ending. Boring even though the famous Robert Aldrich is one of the producers, as is William Conrad, who also co-stars in it with Anthony Quinn. I can't repeat enough how BORING it is, save for the last 10 minutes. Very inexpensive black and white Western. Conrad is the lowly lawman who travels to Mexico to bring Quinn back for trial. After a lot of useless talk in Spanish and no action, Conrad takes his prisoner on the trek back. They encounter some Indians and a young orphan girl. It's just the two of them filling the screen most of the time. Did I say it was so BORING? Don't be fooled by the unanimous laudatory other reviews here. I know what the producers were aiming at. That was laudatory, but the execution was tedious IMHO.

I may have missed someone, but by my count only six actors have lines in this ultra-spare Western. The production comes from respected director Robert Aldrich's independent company with William Conrad himself producing. That may account for Quinn's appearance in a cheapie so soon after his Oscar for Lust for Life (1956)—plus, the likelihood that the streamlined production could be shot in less than 2 weeks.As a Western, it's an offbeat concept— Sheriff Conrad returning fugitive Quinn from Mexico to stand trial. The narrative is basically two nervous guys riding across the great outdoors with some drunken Apaches lurking in the background. No wonder the sheriff can't relax. However, the movie comes across as more interesting than suspenseful, mainly because crucial compromises are made with Quinn's character. He's simply made too likable and respected to generate the kind of tension needed, which may have been the price of putting a headliner like Quinn in the lead. It's really Conrad's resolute sheriff that holds interest as a number of surprising self-doubts begin to unfold. His nicely shaded performance shows how much more than a great radio voice Conrad was. Anyway, it's an entertaining little programmer with a rare distinction. It's the only film I've seen with more untranslated lines outside English than in English—an unusual effect. So, unless you speak Spanish, you may have to do a lot of inferring. (In passing—it's probably a matter of taste, but to my ear the title tune may be the worst of the era, bellowed out by a decidedly untuneful Eddie Albert.)