Backlash [Blu-ray]

Director: Eugene Forde, John Sturges Eugene Forde

Overview

The breathtakingly beautiful Technicolor cinematography of Irving Glassberg is but one of the many small pleasures of the big-budget western Backlash. Set in post-Civil War Arizona, the film stars Richard Widmark as Jim Slater, who hopes to prove that his down-and-out father (John McIntire) was not involved in a gold robbery. To prove this, Slater has to find the money, which is also the goal of Karyl Orton (Donna Reed), the supposed widow of one of the thieves. Eventually, Slater discovers that his father is every bit as rotten as the law claims he is, though he can take some comfort in the fact that Karyl is now in love with him. As in his earlier Bad Day at Black Rock, Backlash director John Sturges is more concerned with building tension than with overt displays of wanton violence.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/18/2020
UPC:	0738329249274
Original Release:	1956
Rating:	NR
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound]
Language:	English
Time:	1:24:00
Sales rank:	28,239

Special Features

Audio commentary by film historian Samm Deighan; Theatrical trailer; 1920x1080p

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Richard Widmark	Jim Slater
Donna Reed	Karyl Orton
Roy Roberts	Major Carson
John McIntire	Jim Bonniwell
William Campbell	Johnny Cool
Barton MacLane	George Lake
Edward Platt	Sheriff Marson
Harry Morgan	Tony Welker
Bob Wilke	Jeff Welker,Jeff Welker
Reg Parton	Tom Welker,Tom Welker
Robert Foulk	Sheriff Olson
Phil Chambers	Dobbs,Actor
Gregg Barton	Sleepy
Fred Graham	Ned McCloud
Frank Chase	Cassidy
Jack Lambert	Mike Benton
Chris Alcaide	Dick Lawrence
Walter Beaver	Little Willie
Wayne Burson	Soldier
Johnny Carpenter	Rider
I. Stanford Jolley	Pot Luck
Rex Lease	Sgt. Blane
Norman Leavitt	Hotel Clerk
William 'Bill' Phillips	Rebel, the Bartender
Glenn Strange	Milliken, Stage Driver
Jack Williams	Castro
Actor	Actor
Herman Stein	Composer

Technical Credits

Borden Chase

Eugene Forde	Director
Aaron Rosenberg	Producer
John Sturges	Director
Borden Chase	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Backlash may be set in the Old West, but it's as much a mystery/detective film as it is a Western. Combining the two genres often yields surprisingly effective results, but Backlash, despite a number of worthy elements, never becomes the totally satisfying picture that one keeps expecting it to become. Primary responsibility for this rests with director John Sturges and writer Borden Chase. The contributions of both are good, but they lack a little something that keeps the film, while entertaining, from reaching its potential. Where Chase is concerned, the issue seems to be an inability to quite capture the right mixture of the genres; it doesn't quite feel like a Western and it doesn't quite feel like a detective story. Sturges isn't able to reconcile this conflict, and he also doesn't seem to always have his heart into the proceedings. Some of it is very well directed, especially the climax which really brings the film to life. But there are other parts where one can almost feel the director's attention wandering. Fortunately, Backlash has both Irving Glassberg's sterling cinematography and a couple of captivating star performances from Richard Widmark and Donna Reed to compensate, as well as humdinger of a supporting turn from John McIntire.