Review of The Hanging Tree (1959) by Dave J — 12 Aug 2015
Good setup but poor ending.
A doctor, Dr Frail (played by the legendary Gary Cooper), moves into a gold rush town in Montana in the 1870s. He's a no-nonsense, tough-as-nails type with a few skeletons in his past. Then a stagecoach is robbed nearby and its female occupant becomes a patient...
Interesting and intriguing from the word go. Gary Cooper is obviously the hero, but for once he is less than perfect. Good action and a hint of romance.
Decent, but not great. The story is often uneven, going on tangents, and the plot not always consistent. The ending is so random and silly it almost ruins the movie.
Solid performance from Gary Cooper in the lead role. Good support from Maria Schell, Karl Malden and Ben Piazza. George C Scott appears in his first cinematic role (though he had appeared in TV series and a TV movie before this).
Only really worth watching if you're a Gary Cooper fan.
This review of The Hanging Tree (1959) was written by Dave J on 12 Aug 2015.
The Hanging Tree has generally received positive reviews.
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