Strong and Moving!

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

best movie i've ever seen.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The basic plot much reminds me of at least 2 of Scott's later, better remembered, films. both directed by Budd Boettricher: "Seven Men from Now" and "Ride Lonesome". In each of these films, Scott is obsessed with engineering vengeance upon the killer or tormentor of his wife or , in the present case, betrothed. Don't expect much in the way of humor or music. In strict keeping with Chris Danning's(Scott) creed of 'an eye for an eye', and yet , in keeping with admirer Kate's alternative creed of "Vengeance is Mine. I will repay", neither his betrothed nor the man(Younger Miles)Scott blames for her death technically die at the hands of another. The one is a suicide (presumably a reaction to being molested by Miles and perhaps his Apache accomplices), the other an accidental fall while Scott is hunting him in a dark livery stable. Otherwise, there are a goodly number of mostly senseless murders, mostly clustered near the beginning and ending. Yes,, the coroner of Coroner Creek should have been quite busy for a little while. In the beginning, Scott doesn't know the name or looks of his fiancée's tormentor. However, he finds one of the Apaches involved in the stage hold up, who gives a sufficient description, but minus a name.One of the distinctive physical characteristics of this man is a long scar on his right cheek. this didn't have to be faked, as George Macready already had such a scar. It's never explained why he seems to have an affinity with the Apache, learning their language, to the point that his thoroughly inebriated wife mumbles something in an Apache language, giving Scott an important validation of his presumption of Miles as the man he's been looking for. Scott keeps everyone guessing about the reason for his dislike of Miles until their finale confrontation. Forest Tucker plays Ernie: Mile's right hand man, who gets into several altercations with Scott. In one, he breaks Scott's right hand while Scott is out cold. After just a little while, , with the help of his friend, Scott turns the tables and breaks Ernie's right hand(now making Ernie Miles' left hand man?) Relating to their shooting accuracy, shouldn't be that big a deal from fairly chose range. Ironically, although it's Miles that Scott wants to hurt, it's actually Ernie whom he periodically tangles with physically, and the only one of the gang whom Scott kills directly. In this shootout, Scott has female admirer Kathy with him. She contributes to the proceedings by firing a pistol while looking away, managing to hit something that falls on the other badman(Stew), knocking him out, thus enabling him to be used as a human shield in confronting Miles, while conforming to her creed of letting God take the lead in the business of vengeance.Miles is your stereotypical 'town boss', who has stooped to much more crooked means of obtaining his position than anyone is aware off. Actually, his empire seems to consist of land and cattle, rather than town-based operations. Judging by his behavior in the stage hold up, he reveals himself as a senseless murderer, as all the men on or in the stagecoach are shot dead, even without resisting.(Strangely, Miles doesn't cover his face with a mask, although we are not given a look). Later, he orders or carries out the murder of several men who want to get in the way of his operation or plans.There are 4 women who play significant roles. Ironically, the one whose fate precipitates the rest of the story goes nameless, and is not even included in the credits at this site. Danning's(Scott) fiancée is very briefly seen in the stagecoach and utters not a word.....Kate is the manager of the hotel where Scott initially hangs up his hat in Coroner Creek. Clearly she very soon marks him as a very unusual and trustworthy cowboy, trusting him with driving the inebriated Mrs. Miles home from the hotel. Seems Mrs. Miles is distraught over her husband's suspected infidelities and criticisms. Her father(played by Edgar Buchanan) is the stereotypical bought sheriff, who looks the other way when confronted with one of Miles' transgressions. the inimical Buchanan had played a very similar role a cowardly lawman in the previous Scott western "Abilene Town" . ..The 4th woman is Della Harms: a redheaded widow who runs the next biggest ranch in the area, hence is an object of Miles' illegal activities. Although she makes a play for Scott, whom she quickly makes her foreman, clearly he favors the younger, blue-eyed, raven -haired Kate.As with the previous Scott western released in '48 : "Albuquerque",this was filmed in the budget "Cinecolor", which cost much less to film than Technicolor, for example, but has some off-color issues. Scott's '50 "The Nevadan" was also filmed in Cinecolor. George Macready and Forest Tucker returned for their roles as Scott's chief nemesis, albeit in a more complex plot setting. I somewhat prefer that film over this one.As in the case of "Albuquerque", this film was partly shot in the spectacular -looking Sedona, AZ region and partly in southern CA, and both were directed by Ray Enright.

"Coroner Creek" is a Randolph Scott film that combines two typical western themes--revenge and the evil power-grabbing boss. It begins with a stage coach being attacked by Indians. However, these Indians are only working for the evil unknown white man. During this attack, the folks on the coach were murdered and one of them is Chris Danning's fiancé. Scott plays Chris Danning--a man determined to exact justice. After a montage showing Chris going town to town looking for a blond man with a scar, his trail leads to Coroner Creek---and to an evil boss-man named Younger Miles (George Macready). But, like a typical western baddie, Miles has hired a bunch of thugs (including Forrest Tucker and Joe Sawyer) and Chris is going to have to go through all this guys before his ultimate showdown with Younger. In the process, will Chris be able to hold on to his humanity? As I mentioned in the summary, this film, though reminiscent of other movies, handles it all very well. Scott managed to make it all seem very realistic and was at his best here. Well worth seeing.

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.

"Coroner Creek" marked a departure for Randolph Scott in the character he plays. He usually played square-jawed righteous heros with a clear set of moral values. In this film he plays a character bent solely on revenge, even to the point of almost shooting the villain in the back as he tries to escape. He is driven by hate and has few if any redeeming qualities. Scott is on the hunt for the person responsible for his fiance's death. He finally tracks him down in the town of Coroner Creek and sets out to force a final showdown. True to the Hollywood Production Code of the day, Scott's character sees the error of his ways at the end. "Coroner Creek" boasts an excellent cast. George Macready plays the chief villain in a cold, cruel and calculating manner. Marquerite Chapman is the nominal heroine who tries to get Scott to change. Sally Eilers as a rancher and Barbara Read as Macready's alcoholic wife are the other female characters. Edgar Buchanan plays the spineless sheriff who eventually finds his courage and Wallace Ford plays Scott's only real friend and ally. The rest of the cast is made up of many veterans of "dusters" both of the "A" and "B" variety. On the wrong side of the law are Forrest Tucker, Douglas Fowley and Joe Sawyer. On the right side of the law are Russell Simpson, William Bishop and Forrest Taylor. Charlie Stevens appears as (what else?) an Apache who provides Scott with information on the killer. And if you look close you'll see Joe DeRita (of the Three Stooges) and Dewey Robinson as bartenders. "Coroner Creek" was a grim, realistic western for its time. Don't miss the brutal encounter between Scott and Tucker about half way through the film.