This is an interesting rather than a good, bad or indifferent film which marked the producing debut of John Wayne from which we may infer that he had a hand in developing the project and, by extension, an interest in the good-versus-evil conflict which is the main thrust of the plot. Those who know her tragic history - she drank herself to death at 36 - will also be monitoring the performance of Gail Russell for signs of the alcoholism that ultimately cost her her life. She tended to specialise in virginal roles - in which she was a hundred times more convincing than Doris Day - which of course created an irony given the fact that she began drinking to combat nerves when faced with the camera. Although it is a western and Duke does carry a gun and is celebrated for his fast draw the 'action' is more concerned with his growing awareness of the non-violent world than gunfights. Against all the odds it works and makes a refreshing change in the genre.
Review of Angel and the Badman
