Veteran director Dwan made hundreds of films over a long career (and indeed was of the most prolific of the classic Hollywood school) yet even amongst a body of distinguished work this tour de force is a masterpiece.
Produced during the McCarthy period, when film directors, writers and stars where called to account in a political witch hunt, Silver Lode (like another colour Western laced with similar concerns, Ray's fabulous Johnny Guitar) is concerned with the nature of liberty, truth and memory in a free society.
Dan Duryea is superb as the scheming villain 'McCarty' and John Payne makes a Ballard a suitably stalwart hero who has to prove his innocence before a deadline.
The plot is structured around a number of instances which, each in turn, ostensibly weaken Ballard's claim to innocence. Ultimately he finds he is on the run - alone in a town full of people formerly his friends, but who now aim to hunt him down on the basis of accusation, suspicion and circumstantial evidence alone. Ballard's travails also reflect the nature of substantiation and memory, both in a political and cinematic sense, as he undergoes his constant quest for redemption.
John Payne's stoic exterior has never been put to better use as he grabs desperately to each chance to prove his innocence as, one by one, those who welcomed him into their community as 'respectable' fall away. This may be his best film. The repetitive nature of this process, as incident follows incident only highlights the significant nature of his predicament and makes the audience 'could this happen in real life?' The answer in the 50's, sadly, was 'yes'.
SPOILER
In the superbly staged ironic finale, Ballard and McCarty fight it out in the town clock tower, and the villainous false Marshall is killed by his bullet ricochet from the Liberty bell. In a further ironic note, the document which has relieved Ballard from suspicion is itself a forgery, accepted unquestioningly by his supporters. And this all takes place on a national holiday, amongst flags and patriotic celebration, and on the eve of Ballard's wedding.
Within the constrictions of a B-movie, and the repression of a communist witch hunt, this movie manages to slip through a neat and entertaining indictment of a system that forces the innocent to defend themselves against accusation, slander and lies. What adds to all this is the consistency of the film, its reiteration of political truth without digression or fudge.
Produced during the McCarthy period, when film directors, writers and stars where called to account in a political witch hunt, Silver Lode (like another colour Western laced with similar concerns, Ray's fabulous Johnny Guitar) is concerned with the nature of liberty, truth and memory in a free society.
Dan Duryea is superb as the scheming villain 'McCarty' and John Payne makes a Ballard a suitably stalwart hero who has to prove his innocence before a deadline.
The plot is structured around a number of instances which, each in turn, ostensibly weaken Ballard's claim to innocence. Ultimately he finds he is on the run - alone in a town full of people formerly his friends, but who now aim to hunt him down on the basis of accusation, suspicion and circumstantial evidence alone. Ballard's travails also reflect the nature of substantiation and memory, both in a political and cinematic sense, as he undergoes his constant quest for redemption.
John Payne's stoic exterior has never been put to better use as he grabs desperately to each chance to prove his innocence as, one by one, those who welcomed him into their community as 'respectable' fall away. This may be his best film. The repetitive nature of this process, as incident follows incident only highlights the significant nature of his predicament and makes the audience 'could this happen in real life?' The answer in the 50's, sadly, was 'yes'.
SPOILER
In the superbly staged ironic finale, Ballard and McCarty fight it out in the town clock tower, and the villainous false Marshall is killed by his bullet ricochet from the Liberty bell. In a further ironic note, the document which has relieved Ballard from suspicion is itself a forgery, accepted unquestioningly by his supporters. And this all takes place on a national holiday, amongst flags and patriotic celebration, and on the eve of Ballard's wedding.
Within the constrictions of a B-movie, and the repression of a communist witch hunt, this movie manages to slip through a neat and entertaining indictment of a system that forces the innocent to defend themselves against accusation, slander and lies. What adds to all this is the consistency of the film, its reiteration of political truth without digression or fudge.