Review of Comanche Station (1960) by F Clark W — 27 Jun 2009

Comanche Station was the second half of a Boetticher double feature (the first being Ride Lonesome), and I can't imagine a more unfair way to watch it. First of all, watching Station and Lonesome back to back only emphasizes how similar the two movies really are.

And I'm not just not talking about the plots, though they're nearly identical; I'm also (maybe more so) referring to the dialogue, which is largely repeated in both films, often line for line.

But the bigger problem is that Comanche feels like a warm-up for Lonesome (ironic, given that it came after). The personal dynamics aren't as interesting; the motivations behind Scott aren't as complex; the finale not as riveting; and so forth.

It's not that it's a bad movie, but it's a lot slower, a lot less tight, and nowhere near as solid as Lonesome. Had I watched it before Lonesome or on its own, I'd probably like it more, but as it is, it comes across as a bit of a pale retread, no matter the order in which the films were made.