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

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

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

I came across this recently on TCM and watched it, soon realizing that I had seen it before previously. It definitely sustained a repeat viewing. For some reason, only with the second viewing did I realize what a superb movie this is, ranking right up there with "My Darling Clementine," "Red River," "The Shootist," and others. Anthony Mann of course had a great reputation as a director of Westerns and this is Exhibit A. Part of it is the superb screenplay, a richly textured, multi-levelled story involving family tension, jealousy, revenge, and rivalry. And of course the casting; anything with Jimmy Stewart, Donald Crisp, and Arthur Kennedy can't be bad. Then there is the superb cinematography of the Western expanses, among the best in any western I've seen. Altogether a richly gripping, expansive story.

James Stewart departs from his usual nice guy image to play an army officer on leave in director Anthony Mann's violent western "The Man from Laramie" who is searching for the men who killed his younger brother. Generally, most westerns are photographed against either stunning desert or mountain scenery with the characters on horseback riding leisurely through the terrain. In "The Man from Laramie," the actors had to be accomplished horsemen because Mann has them riding through some pretty treacherous scenery. In other words, the characters aren't hoofing it down worn trails. This adds a sense of authenticity to the action because we can clearly see the actors atop their horses. Lenser Charles Lang captures all the action in immaculate close-ups, medium shots, and long shots, and brings out the spectacular quality of Cary Odell's art direction and James Crowe's set decoration. During his robust, 30-year, Hollywood career, Mann helmed his share of memorable horse operas, approximately 11, along with several notable film noir thrillers, including "Raw Deal," "T-Men," and "He Walked by Night." James Stewart and he teamed up in 1950 and made "Winchester '73" and then went on and collaborated on three more sterling westerns: "Bend of the River," "The Naked Spur," and "The Far Country." "The Man from Laramie" qualifies as a grim yarn about revenge. Somebody has been running guns to the Apaches, and those same Apaches have massacred a cavalry patrol led by Will Lockhart's brother. Lockhart takes a leave of absence and poses as a freight wagon driver to investigate Coronado, the town close to where his brother died. Alec Waggoman (Oscar winning Best Supporting Actor Donald Crisp of "How Green My Valley Was") rides herd over Coronado. Indeed, he owns everything three days' ride around Coronado, but he isn't a happy cattle baron. He has grown old, but he has been gradually losing his eyesight, a fact that he has concealed from ranch foreman Vic Hansbro (Arthur Kennedy of "Desperate Journey") and his pampered, sadistic son Dave (Alex Nicol of "The Savage Guns") who has no sense of honor. Secretly, Alec wishes that Vic had been his son instead of Dave. As the action unfolds, Will Lockhart (James Stewart of "Bandolero!") has hired men to shovel salt. Initially, Lockhart was told by Barbara Waggoman (Cathy O'Donnell of "Side Street") that the salt out in the desert was free to anybody who had the courage to dig it. The salt flats lay within the area where reckless Apache warriors rode without a qualm for killing white men. While Lockhart's crew is excavating the salt, rides from the Barb thunder in, lasso and drag Lockhart in front of his men, burn their wagons, and kill their mules. They leave an adequate number of mules for Lockhart and his men to ride back to Coronado. Dave launched this unmitigated attack on Lockhart and they have a running feud throughout "The Man from Laramie." Eventually, Dave catches Lockhart out rounding up cattle for another ranch that have strayed onto Barb territory and they shoot it out. Lockhart wounds Dave in the hand. Dave's riders thunder up to his rescue and surround Lockhart. A crazed Dave orders them to hold Lockhart, and Dave shoots Lockhart in the hand at point blank range. "You scum!" cries Lockhart in agony.Eventually, we learn the identities of the dastards who plan to run Winchester repeating rifles to the Apaches. This is a thoroughly engrossing western despite the many alterations that scenarists Philip Yordan and Frank Burt made for the sake of spontaneity to Thomas T. Flynn's superb western novel. For example, the burned wagons at the salt flats had been destroyed by the Apaches, but this was not the setting for the cavalry massacre. A man runs the general store in the novel and he is courting Barbara in the misguided notion that their marriage will assure him a place in the Waggoman dynasty. Another big change occurs in the character of Vic Hansbro. He is a bigger, meaner foreman than the one that Arthur Kennedy plays. In the novel, Lockhart and he have a knock-down, drag-out fistfight in Coronado.Altogether, if you crave westerns, "The Man from Laramie" is a surefire sage for you. Alex Nicol gives a top-notch performance as the sadistic son and his body language tells us everything that we need to know about his horribly flawed character. Donald Crisp lends sturdy support as the cattle baron who wants to own all the property in the area.

Versatile veteran actor James Stewart plays Will Lockhart, a tall riding cowboy delivering supplies in Apache country and finds himself forced into the middle of a family feud. Alec Waggoman(Donald Crisp)is an aging cattle baron that is going blind and having heavy thoughts of which of his two sons to leave his ranch to. Will has already received a harsh welcome from one of them and wants restitution for the damage done. Tensions rise when the tall stranger decides to stick around giving up on cow-herding to search for the men that sold guns to the Apaches that killed his brother.This rough and tumble...and a bit brutal western filmed, in New Mexico, has a supporting cast that features: Arthur Kennedy, Alex Nicol, Wallace Ford, Cathy O'Connell and Jack Elam.

Jimmy Stewart re-teams with director Anthony Mann for this interesting western as he plays Will Lockhart, who is driving supplies to his employer Barbara Waggoman(played by Cathy O'Donnell) who is waylaid by ruthless and vicious Dave Waggoman(played by Alex Nicol) son of local cattle baron Alec Waggoman(played by Donald Crisp) who is apologetic to Will, and offers to reimburse him the full value of his loss. He accepts, but retains a grudge against Dave, and continues to work for Barbara, as he also pursues the person who is selling guns to the local Apaches. Arthur Kennedy costars as Alec's right hand man, who ends up helping Will.OK western is well acted and exciting, though the story has certain weaknesses in logic and motivation that weaken it. Still, worthwhile viewing despite these problems.