Review of More Dead than Alive (1969) by Matthew C — 12 Mar 2010
Synopsis: Cain (Clint Walker) is an ex-con looking to make an honest living. Unable to escape his past as Killer Cain, he is enlisted by Ruffalo (Vincent Price) to join his traveling Wild West Shooting Show and accept his past.
PROS.
Great Story.
Price's Performance.
Good Direction.
Strong Acting.
Nice Blood Squibs.
CONS.
A Little Slow.
The Score/Music.
FINAL ANALYSIS: This is an odd western, in as much, it is short on action and long on drama. Clint Walker delivers a strong performance as a man who wants to divorce himself from his past and move forward from his criminal past. However, the world will only see him as Killer Cain. Desperate to earn a living Cain turns to Ruffalo to take a job in his traveling shooting show. The tension in this movie is created by Cain and the Trick Shot, Billy, already in the sideshow and by Cain's past transgressions confronting him as they travel town to town. Vincent Price delivers one of his best performances in this film. As well, the Kid, Billy, delivers a wickedly unhinged performance. This was a fantastic forgotten gem which delivers some genre defying twist and turns and eschews gunfights and focuses on the human condition that the violence effects.
A REALLY GOOD FILM.
This review of More Dead than Alive (1969) was written by Matthew C on 12 Mar 2010.
More Dead than Alive has generally received mixed reviews.
Was this review helpful?
