LeonLouisRicci It is True that Randolph Scott Made a Few Good Westerns that were Not Directed by Budd Boetticher and This is One of Them. More Complicated than Most Silly Fifties Westerns that were Synonymous and Shallow.This is All About Carpet Baggers and Their Stealing from the Good Texan Folks. The Cavalry is On the Scene but have Little Authority Because It Seems that Most of What They Are Doing is Within the Law. But as We're Told by Hokey and Stiff 1950's Style Narration, It's Not Right.Scott is an Army Captain, a Native Texan and is Conflicted Carrying Out Orders. Lex Barker Shows Up and is Nothing but a Varmint in a Uniform. He Shoots Guys in the Back and has No Problem with Trying to Steal Scott's Wife Played by a Very Cute Phyllis Kirk.Charles McGraw Turns In His Fedora for a Cowboy Hat as an Antagonist to the Army and the Sleazy Carpet Baggers (Elisha Cook and Hugh Sanders), but Not the Locals. Pay Attention if You Want to Know What Side Everyones On.Overall, Above Average, In Color (but not Widescreen), Although the Musical Score with a Heavy Emphasis on "Deep in the Heart of Texas" is Irritating. In Fact this is So Texas Centric that a Better and More Accurate Title would have been..."Thunder Over the Texas Plains". Don't Know How They Missed That.

dougdoepke Complex western that manages pretty well to stay afloat. You may need a scorecard since the screenplay involves four different factions bouncing off one another. Scott displays his usual iron-jawed determination as the captain torn between loyalty to his native Texas and the Union cavalry. The bad guys, as usual in these post-Civil War oaters, are the greedy carpetbaggers, headed up by that excellent actor Hugh Sanders. And who can overlook perennial fall guy Elisha Cook doing his usual fierce rabbit bit.The rivalry between the two captains, Scott and Barker, is an interesting feature, especially when it extends to Scott's wife (Kirk). That scene where the home-sick wife is captivated by the handsome Barker is both well played and unusual for a western. Note too how Scott is compelled by the byplay to fade into the background, another unusual feature for a western hero.Though filmed just west of LA, the rolling scenery makes a good Technicolor backdrop to the action. Much credit for making the elements work should go to director de Toth who was skilled at handling conflict as shown in his masterwork, Ramrod (1947). The redoubtable Sam Peckinpah also selected de Toth to direct many episodes of his groundbreaking TV series The Westerner (1960). On the whole, it's a complicated story of personal and political conflict but still delivers the goods for fans of westerns.

tardis432002 This just became one of my favorite Randolph Scott movies.First, there's an intelligent script by Russell Hughes, who wrote for some good radio shows like "Nightbeat" and Alan Ladd's "Box 13", as well as such films as Anthony Mann's "Last Frontier", Delmer Daves' "Jubal", and even the best of the giant-bug movies, "Them".Then, there's the look and feel of the film. Director Andre De Toth and his great cinematographer Bert Glennon (who had done remarkable work with the likes of Josef von Sternberg and John Ford) light and shoot for realism and emotional impact. Glennon had also shot "Man Behind the Gun" (available on the flip side of this DVD), so I suppose director Felix Feist could be blamed for that film's phony-looking stage sets. Here, in "Thunder... ", a barroom scene looks like it was shot in a real barroom (foreshadowing Clint Eastwood's "natural lighting" technique by decades) and exteriors are shot outdoors. To be fair, the Feist film may have had budget or producer issues, but given that film's potential (dealing with water rights, corrupt politicians, the possible secession of southern California, even the semi-legendary Joaquin Murrietta as a supporting character) it still seems like a typical, entertaining, 40's-style B-movie. "Thunder...", released the same year, 1953, seems more forward-looking, more compelling, more of the age of the "adult" Westerns, even though the literally flag-waving ending with its narrative paean to the great state of Texas kind of pulls us back to B-movie-land.

bsmith5552 "Thunder Over the Plains" is another of those enjoyable little 80 minute color westerns turned out by Randolph Scott in the 1950s. Competently directed by Andre deToth, the film keeps moving along and doesn't get too bogged down with the domestic issues. And there's another of those great supporting casts of recognizable faces.This one takes place in Texas following the U.S. Civil War before the state re-entered the Union and was governed by the occupying Union Army. Capt. David Porter (Scott) is charged with the protection of government officials in their dealings with local land owners. The only trouble is these officials are nothing but carpetbaggers who over tax and cheat the farmers out of their property.Chief among the carpetbaggers are Tax Commissioner Joseph Standish (Elisha Cook Jr.) and cotton broker H.L. Balfour (Hugh Sanders). Porter, a native Texan, is accused of bias towards the settlers by his commanding officer, Lt. Col. Chandler (Henry Hull) who doesn't want to upset his superiors as he is within two years of retirement.Aiding the settlers is Ben Westman (Charles McGraw) a sort of "Robin Hood" who with his gang that includes Faraday (Lane Chandler), Kirby (Fess Parker) and henchman John Cason foil Balfour at every turn. Col. Chandler orders Porter to bring Westman in.Trigger happy Captain Bill Hodges (Lex Barker) arrives and is placed under Porter's command. He also has designs on Porter's attractive wife Norah (Phyllis Kirk). Hodges moves on Westman's hideout against Porter's orders and allows the bandit to escape. Hodges however, shoots Kirby in the back without provocation.When Standish witnesses Balfour murder a cohort, he becomes nervous and threatens to inform the authorities. Balfour murders Standish and pins the blame on Westman. In order to clear his name Westman allows Porter to take him in on Porter's promise to find the guilty party. Col. Chandler gives Porter only three days before he orders Westman hanged. After Hodges bungles another battle with Westman's gang, Chandler orders that Westman be hung the next morning. Porter goes to Westman's gang for help forcing a final showdown with Balfour and his gunman Conrad (James Brown) where.....................................Scott gives his usual excellent stiff jawed performance. Unusual for him, he remains in uniform for most of the film. Barker had recently finished his "Tarzan" series (1948-52) for RKO in which he replaced Johnny Weissmuller. Henry Hull is probably best remembered for "Werewolf of London" (1935) in which he played the title role.Fess Parker would shortly become Davy Crockett for Disney and later play Daniel Boone on TV. James Brown (not the football player or the Soul Singer) is best remembered for playing Lt. Rip Masters on the long running "Rin Tin Tin" TV series. Elisha Cook appeared in "Shane" the same year as "Torrey" the settler who is gunned down by Jack Palance. Also in the cast are Trevor Bardette as a settler and Earle Hodgins as a fast talking auctioneer.