Review of Shane (1953) by Raul C — 02 Aug 2010

George Stevens' classic was even better than I thought it would be. Westerns aren't my "thing" when it comes to film and, from what I'd heard, this was one of the more stately ones (maybe not to be enjoyed, but to at least be respected).

But I greatly enjoyed it. It's a simple, homespun story about a drifter who makes his way into town only to help out the town, and a specific family, from the thugs that control it. It was more of a sentimental piece than I expected, but it never pushed it too far, milked it (ok, except maybe the end, but that is really touching).

The performances from everyone are great; especially Jack Palance, who makes his villain come across as pure evil with little more than a toothy smile; the writing is dead on; and the cinematography is not only beautiful because of the Wyoming landscapes, but because of some nice camera trickery and inventive shots.