If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

While the western genre is not my favourite one of all film genres (not sure which one is my favourite due to trying to appreciate them all the same), there is a lot of appreciation for it by me. There are a lot of very good to great films, with the best work of John Ford being notable examples.One of seven films director Budd Boetticher made with lead actor Randolph Scott in the late 50s (a great pairing), 'Buchanan Rides Alone' is a fun worthwhile film, very interesting too for being tonally different, that doesn't disgrace either of them, both in fact are fairly well served. It is far from one of their best collaborations, for me it is one of their weaker ones but only because 'Seven Men from Now' and 'The Tall T' particularly set a high standard. It is of good interest though and doesn't deserve to be overlooked.'Buchanan Rides Alone' has flaws. It does at times get over-complicated and the ending is rushed and underplayed, perhaps ridiculous too.The film does lack the depth of characterisation that Boetticher/Scott's best outings had, with the villains being rather one-dimensional.However, Scott has fun and is very likeable here, of his films with Boetticher it's with 'Buchanan Rides Alone' that contains the most likeable main character. The supporting cast are not quite on the same level but do give above average performances if never quite standing out properly, with only Craig Stevens not quite fitting.What is immediately noticeable and intriguing about 'Buchanan Rides Alone' is its tone. Instead of the tense and elegiac tones from their other films, this adopts a more cheerful and humorous edge, with a snappy, lean (with no ramble or fat to distract) and often very funny script and lively pacing where the film never gets dull. The story is compelling and entertains and intrigues, although for my tastes as said there is a little too much going on and clarity suffers.Boetticher directs efficiently and the music fits very nicely, having presence but never getting over-bearing. 'Buchanan Rides Alone' is a great looking film, the photography in particular being beautiful to watch.Summarising, a fun ride and worth a look. Boetticher and Scott did better though. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Whoever cast Barry Kelley (Lew Agry), Tol Avery (Judge Simon Agry), and Peter Whitney (Amos Agry) as brothers did a pretty good job - they all look like they could have been brothers! Whitney's character might possibly have been used for more comedic affect though, he looked a bit like Andy Devine but without the humor I was expecting. In their own way, each of these guys was a despicable character.The one player though that seemed completely inappropriate to the story was Craig Stevens as the Judge's personal aide Abe Carbo. He looked like he should have had Randolph Scott's role as the hero of the piece. At sixty years old, Scott looked somewhat worn for the lead role and actor Stevens seemed to outclass him in both looks and demeanor. One thing's for sure, Scott's character Buchanan is about the luckiest gunslinger to appear in a Western. I lost count how many times the bad guys got the drop on him before the final showdown.If you hang on through the inconsistencies, this is an OK Western but that's about as far as it goes. The burial of henchman Lafe (Don C. Harvey) in a tree was a pretty interesting element and Juan de la Vega's horse (Manuel Rojas) struck me as a dynamic looking animal. If he had the same agent as Trigger and Champion he might have had a longer film career.

Happy-go-lucky drifter Randolph Scott rides into a crooked border town controlled by the sleazy Agry family and steps into trouble when he saves a Mexican youth accused of murder from being beaten to death by the sheriff.As with the other Bud Boetticher directed westerns starring Randolph Scott, this is excellent storytelling with stunning Technicolor cinematography that looks like a million bucks, with perfect composition in every frame!The fast-paced, entertaining story is a nice blend of suspense, drama, and comedy, with great performances by all the actors involved, especially a young L.Q. Jones. His eulogy to a fellow hired goon is a real hoot.

Randolph Scott and director Budd Boetticher team up again with this average cowboy flick about loyalty and betrayal. Loner Tom Buchanan, on his way home to west Texas, stops along the California/Mexican border and is jailed falsely accused of being the parter of a young Mexican trying to avenge the rape of his sister. Buchanan is released, but led out of town minus his money belt containing $5,000. He escapes being shot in the back and returns to town to collect his stolen money. In doing so, he must start some mistrust and anger between three corrupt brothers who run the town. Buchanan ends up in the manipulation of a double-cross to keep the Mexican youth from hanging. An obvious low-budget western, but still interesting. Also in the cast of players: Craig Stevens, Manuel Rojas, Barry Kelley, Peter Whitney, L.Q. Jones, Tol Avery and Jennifer Holden.Of note: Miss Holden only appeared in three movies; the first being her better role in the Elvis Presley classic JAILHOUSE ROCK(1957).