When the sheriff's son is placed on trial for murdering a stagecoach driver, the sheriff desperately searches for the real killer - and finds the trail leads back to his boy.When the sheriff's son is placed on trial for murdering a stagecoach driver, the sheriff desperately searches for the real killer - and finds the trail leads back to his boy.When the sheriff's son is placed on trial for murdering a stagecoach driver, the sheriff desperately searches for the real killer - and finds the trail leads back to his boy.
Kathleen Nolan
- Kathi Walden
- (as Kathy Nolan)
Robert B. Williams
- Sheriff Joe Tilyou
- (as Bob Williams)
Marjorie Bennett
- Nettie Holcomb
- (uncredited)
Paul Brinegar
- Gun Salesman
- (uncredited)
Buck Bucko
- Juror
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAlthough shot in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio (for later television airing) the theatrical aspect ratio of this film is 1.85:1 widescreen. Most modern 16x9 (1.78:1) televisions have a "zoom to width" picture option, essentially allowing the viewer to see it as the director and cinematographer intended. It is easy to spot films shot this way since all the titles and credits will still fit when properly cropped (they stay in the "middle" of the frame), and there is an unusual amount of "headroom" above the actors in medium and close-up shots when viewed uncropped. Quite often "mistakes" like seeing equipment in the top or bottom of the uncropped frame would never have been seen by a theater audience.
- GoofsIn addition to the 1891 silver dollar being an obvious fake, it was said to be minted in St. Louis. There has never been a U.S. Mint in St. Louis.
- Quotes
Judge: Now this is going to be a fair trial... conducted legally. A boy's life hangs in the balance.
Irate Townsman at Trial: That's about the only place he'll hang!
- ConnectionsReferenced in The Exiles (1961)
Featured review
"Iron" Shouldn't Mean Lifeless
Westerns were all over the screen both big and little in 1957. Maybe that's why Sterling Hayden looks terminally bored as the "iron" sheriff. Too bad, because the script keeps us guessing-- who really did kill the stage driver. (Stage drivers are always getting killed in Westerns. But, more importantly, in most scripts they just amount to expendable story props. Nice to see some actual concern here.) Anyway, the screenplay (Seeleg Lester) shrewdly manages to stay one jump ahead of us in the guessing game.There's also real fire-power in the supporting cast. A lot of familiar faces of the time, from the always cranky Will Wright (the judge) to shabby aristocrat John Dehner (the kid's attorney) to professional hayseed Frank Ferguson (the other attorney), while even the young lovers manage not to cloy. There's even a Broadway actress, the formidable Constance Ford who mostly gets to stand around.
Okay, with these promising elements why did my rating service give the movie a one-and-a-half out of four, while I would give it a two. Well, there is Hayden who just can't seem to get interested in the story-line. I counted his changes of expression, but after an hour, stopped at two. Most of all, is director Sidney Salkow. He must have come cheap since there's little evidence he cares about building the suspense of the who-dunnit, or even getting the actors to move around when they speak their lines. It's sort of like a slow-motion result, always deadly for an action genre like the Western. Anyway, the movie was a payday for a lot of veteran performers, and a different kind of story-line, especially if you want to take up the cause of the lowly stage driver.
Okay, with these promising elements why did my rating service give the movie a one-and-a-half out of four, while I would give it a two. Well, there is Hayden who just can't seem to get interested in the story-line. I counted his changes of expression, but after an hour, stopped at two. Most of all, is director Sidney Salkow. He must have come cheap since there's little evidence he cares about building the suspense of the who-dunnit, or even getting the actors to move around when they speak their lines. It's sort of like a slow-motion result, always deadly for an action genre like the Western. Anyway, the movie was a payday for a lot of veteran performers, and a different kind of story-line, especially if you want to take up the cause of the lowly stage driver.
helpful•93
- dougdoepke
- Jul 21, 2008
- How long is The Iron Sheriff?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 13 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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