Very well executed

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Throughout the film I kept asking myself what is so special (if anything) about Marlene Dietrich that two quick draw gunfighters would be interested in? Marlene Dietrich was 51 years old when she appeared in Rancho Notorious and to be playing a sexy saloon singer and the owner of a horse ranch hideout for a bunch of fugitives on the run from the law, why did the producers think she could pull it off? I'll tell you why this over the hill saloon singer with her strong German accent starred in this offbeat western, it was because the German born director Fritz Lang wanted her to star in it.There is a plot to this western which is a woman is murdered during the execution of a robbery by two gunmen and the husband of the murdered woman is a cowboy named Vern Haskell (Arthur Kennedy) so he rides out of town in hot pursuit of his wife's killer until he finds him at the hideout horse ranch Chuck-O-Luck run by aged and weathered actress Marlene Dietrich who plays Altar Keane.So there is double crossing, bandits, gunslingers, two gunmen vying for a woman's affection, and a man on a mission to revenge his wife's murder, but there is a also a really bad musical score chiming in throughout this offbeat western, and Marlene Dietrich's heavy German accent was too much of a distraction for me to take this western too seriously. Thus the mediocre 5 out of 10 rating.

The strange factor is what is foremost in this odd and artificial Western. Most Movie Westerns try to avoid false images that betray their fictional accounts. Here Director Fritz Lang has no notions. He seems to revel in the obvious false presentation of it all.It is this wrapping of Studio Sets that announce their cardboard makeup rather than going at length to obfuscate that is troublesome. But, there are a few striking Scenes that linger in the imagination. The one with the Barroom Belles riding their Johns like broken Stallions stands out among a few others.It is not a highly enjoyable Mythological trip to the old West, but that was probably the intent. After all, it is an Adult Tale all the way. The Story of a Rape and Murder and the inevitable, tireless, revenge rampage is hardly the stuff usually seen with Cowpokes among wide open spaces.The antithesis of aesthetics doesn't always work here and there is some miscasting, most notably Arthur Kennedy who has a great snarl but falls way short in the wooing Scenes, and cannot overcome being blown off the Screen by Marlene Dietrich. But overall, this is viewable because of its quirkiness rather than despite of it. On a final note, be prepared for the most intrusive accompanied Ballad, that like so many Westerns of the Fifties, felt it necessary to sing the Plot as it moves along. This is definitely the Worst and almost single handedly removes this from riveting to ridiculous.

An excellent Western, tense, powerful and moving. There is an air of tragedy and regret pervading the atmosphere, which makes it all the more highly charged. It also contains a number of fine set-pieces.Of the cast, Mel Ferrer is very good indeed as the stylish, charming gentleman-gunman, and Arthur Kennedy gives his usual fine performance (full of fevered intensity) as the hero.The film is often underrated (one of the leading film books in the UK, Halliwell's Film Guide, gives it no stars at all) which is why I have left this comment. It is a first rate, highly enjoyable Western, and thoroughly recommended.

This western is probably the ultimate tale of revenge, much in line with "Warpath" and "Seven Men From Now." Like most revenge tales, it begins with an "Everyman", in this case a cowboy, who loves a woman, but the woman is brutally murdered, and the "Everyman" searches for the killer-as described by a young boy who witnessed it. The killer is best found by finding the man riding with him, yep, the albino! Naturally, the killer guns down the albino, too, and he manages to say one thing before dying to "Everyman" who finds him. He says "Chugaglug!" (Or as some people believe, "Chuck a Luck". But phonetically, he does say "Chugalug", just as "Elias" from "platoon is always called "Lyle"-that's what the viewer hears unless the viewer puts the movie in slow motion.) So what is "Chugalug"? There's even a pretty silly song to go with it. The movie would probably be better enjoyed without the musical commentary, but the quest is on. The hero will stop at nothing for his revenge, even if it means becoming an outlaw. He does find "Chugalug", which is the name of a place, and then another mystery begins for him. Which person is the killer? A lot of very effective cat and mouse, and false leads, with an exciting climax. A lot of things are going for this movie. Much better than the westerns of the later years which strove to be like this. You really believed this character was out for revenge, and you journeyed with him. Great direction, acting, and all around production. This film is begging to be remade other surroundings. I can't figure out why no post apocalyptic movies have stolen this idea. It would be a smash with just decent writing.