robert-temple-1 This is a troubling and ingenious story set in the New Mexico territories (i.e. before it was a state) at the turn of the 19th century. It is thus a kind of film noir set in the past and out in the wilds of the West. But there are no 'cowboys and Indians'. Robert Mitchum stars as Jeb Rand, a young man whom mysterious people have always been trying to kill. He was saved when he was six by his adoptive 'Ma', Mrs. Callum (Judith Anderson), after a massacre at his parents' isolated cabin 'up in the Butte country'. Mitchum has blacked out the recollections of how his mother, father, sister and brother were all killed by a gang of terrifying men, or what the reason for it all was. He was not meant to survive, but his new 'Ma' pulled him from a hiding place, fled with him and raised him as her own son, along with her real son and daughter. The daughter is played by winsome Theresa Wright, but unlike most of her 'good girl' parts, she is permitted a huge acting range in this film and goes through extreme character changes very convincingly indeed. When she is in her murderous 'hate phase', she is very scary. Mitchum also does some acting for a change, unlike most of his roles where he is just himself. These miracles of thespianism must all have been brought about by Raoul Walsh, the director, who coaxed Mitchum and Wright into territory as unfamiliar, perhaps, as New Mexico itself. Theresa Wright was always a most congenial screen presence and, like Bonita Granville, brought a great deal of normality and good character to a screen full of, let's face it, pretty weird people. It is not for nothing that actresses like Theresa Wright were referred to as 'girl next door types', since we all secretly wished we really had such girls next door. The villain in this film is played by Dean Jagger. He plays a well-mannered man, skilled in all the social niceties, who after smiling at you will without any fuss at all pull out a gun and shoot you dead, then go back to filing his fingernails. Jagger was always good at playing such characters, namely sophisticated psychopaths. He would have made a good 'world leader'. I don't know why he reminds me of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, it must just be my imagination. Anyway, this film is really very good because the mystery of why 'they' are after poor, uncomprehending Robert Mitchum, continues all the way through and right up to the very end of the film. We keep wondering who and especially we wonder why. For once, someone's paranoid fears are shown to be justified. That must give comfort of a kind to us all. These days, of course, it is the IRS, but back then it was humans rather than humanoids who were the threat. The film also has a powerful continuing love story, namely the love between Mitchum and his adoptive sister Theresa Wright, whom he wishes to marry. Judith Anderson plays 'Ma' with grim jaw and a determination to forget the past. But the past catches up with everyone, and it has to be faced, even by her. Finally, at the end, we find out what it is all about, but not until we have run out of ideas of our own as to what can possibly have motivated the relentless vendetta.

Patryk Czekaj It's an exceptionally thrilling and engaging mix of a typical western and a distressing noir film. Moreover, the psychological nature of the picture subconsciously insinuates a gut-wrenching proclamation of genuine Freudian theories.Jeb - a temperamental loner living with an adoptive family - is haunted by some mysterious demons of the past. His only recollection of a horrible event that took place a long ago is an image of cowboy boots clanging dreadfully with flashy spurs. What's more, since he was little, Jeb wanted to introduce himself as an individual with a huge sense of his own identity, frustrating his loving yet secretive mother Ma. Time passes, and Jeb deepens the already burning feelings for his foster sister Thorley, and - at the same time - intensifies the hatred towards his brother Adam.Mentally unstable, Jeb plunges even further into the self-conscious trauma when he kills a man - who threatened him earlier with fired shots - and discovers that the person was really his brother. Reviled by the society, pursued by a gang of vicious brutes and abandoned by his beloved wife-to-be, Jeb decides to stand against his biggest fears and unravel the dark secret that's been assaulting him for so many years.Pursued is a perfectly intense and engaging film that borrows all that's best from many different genres. Robert Mitchum and Theresa Wright give incredibly ambiguous performances, adjusting to the general ambiance of the picture. Clever use of flashbacks, distorted black-and-white cinematography, and picturesque New Mexican imagery combine for an outstanding amount of disparate sensations.

jpdoherty Warner Bros. PURSUED was the first real NOIR western to emerge from Hollywood. Beautifully written for the screen by Niven Busch from his own story it was produced in 1947 by Milton Sperling. This was the period when the great film noir thrillers were beginning to appear on cinema screens and particularly active at producing this kind of film was the RKO studios in which their biggest star Robert Mitchum was finding great success. Warners however intended to cast their own John Garfield as the star in PURSUED except the leading lady Teresa Wright, who at the time was married to screenwriter Busch, wanted Mitchum to play the lead opposite her. So to accommodate the lady's wishes Mitchum, borrowed from RKO, moved in and took up the assignment. Stunningly photographed in Black & White by genius cameraman James Wong Howe and brilliantly scored by Max Steiner PURSUED was stylishly directed with great flair by Raoul Walsh.Mitchum plays Jeb Rand who is haunted by disturbing childhood memories of seeing his father being shot down by the avenging Grant Callum (Dean Jagger) because of his having an illicit affair with his brother's wife and now vows to kill young Jeb as well no matter how long it takes. When his father was killed Jeb was taken in and raised by Mrs. Callum (Judith Anderson) along with her children Thor (Teresa Wright) and Adam (John Rodney). In later years Jeb falls in love with Thor but an envious Adam, encouraged by Grant Callum, tries to kill Jeb in an ambush but instead Jeb manages to kill Adam to the chagrin of Mrs. Callum and Thor who both now disown him. The picture ends with Grant Callum and his horsemen riding Jeb down and as he attempts to Lynch Jeb a forgiving Mrs. Callum shoots and kills Grant leaving Jeb and Thor to reconcile with each other and ride off to begin a new life together.Performances are excellent from all concerned. The laconic Mitchum is especially good bringing a sardonic and morose edge to his role. His first picture for Warners allows him the opportunity to soar. Judith Anderson as usual is superb as is Dean Jagger as the obsessive villain. But the camera of James Wong Howe is the real star of the picture with his amazing use of light and shadow, his stark skies and his bracing bleakness of the barren plains (particularly effective are scenes of a rider on the crest of a hill moving against the greying sky). Also brilliant is the music of Max Steiner. This is one of his very best scores. His driving theme propelling the movie forward with great urgency. A theme that no doubt must have had an influence on composer John Williams thirty years later with his music for "Jaws" for there is a remarkable similarity with Steiner's driving rhythms and those conceived by Williams for the predatory shark. Also notable in PURSUED is a surprising vocal rendition of the traditional Irish ballad "Londonderry Air" laudably sung by Mitchum and John Rodney.Despite a sometimes confusing narrative (It's never made very clear why Grant Callum is so obsessed for years with killing Jeb) PURSUED remains a splendid example of the noir western and looks as fresh today as it did sixty five years ago.

bkoganbing Watching Pursued tonight I was struck by the fact of how much Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound seems to have influenced this film. In the VHS copy I have, Martin Scorsese does a brief prologue and says this was a film that influenced him and he calls it a noir western. I think it's more of a psychological western in which Robert Mitchum works out his own salvation rather than get the help of a doctor like Ingrid Bergman who wouldn't have been available back then because Dr. Freud was just starting to develop his theories around the time this was made.Mitchum's earliest recollections and something he dreams constantly was him being in a cellar and peering from a trap door as a lad and seeing and hearing a gunfight. He's rescued from that cellar by Judith Anderson who takes him in and treats him as an equal to her own children who grow up to be Teresa Wright and John Rodney. But Mitchum still experiences the nightmares and never quite seems to fit in. And he can't get the answers anywhere.Mitchum was the third candidate for the role at Warner Brothers for the role of Jeb Rand. Jack Warner tested and rejected first Montgomery Clift yet to make his screen debut and Kirk Douglas according to Lee Server's biography. I think both those actors would have imprinted their own personalities on the part as surely as Mitchum does. Playing a malevolent and unseen hand in the whole proceedings which run over several years is Dean Jagger who as a villain seems to be a combination of Inspector Javert and Iago. Jagger on screen is equally good in both good guy and bad guy parts and except maybe for his role in Alan Ladd's The Proud Rebel, this just might be the worst he's ever been on screen. Jagger hates Mitchum boy and man and the reason for that hate is not revealed until almost the end of the film. It's a lot to do with the family name.Niven Busch wrote the script for this unusual western and he was married to Teresa Wright at the time so apparently Warner Brothers bought them as a package. She's first billed in this picture even though the film is really about Mitchum. As for him, he was lent from RKO where in fact he had worked with a Niven Busch screenplay and got great acclaim for it in Till The End Of Time.The film bills John Rodney who plays Wright's brother as introducing John Rodney. His next film was Key Largo where he played the luckless deputy sheriff killed by Edward G. Robinson. He never quite made it, but Harry Carey, Jr. in only his second film before he was 'introduced' in Three Godfathers, certainly has had one long and successful career. Carey plays a luckless storekeeper influenced by the cunning Jagger to go after Mitchum and does well with the part.Raoul Walsh known primarily for more straight forward action films does all right with his cast in what had to be unfamiliar territory for him. Pursued is a good western, but definitely not one for the Saturday afternoon Roy Rogers crowd.