Spikeopath Tribute to a Bad Man is directed by Robert Wise and adapted to screenplay by Michael Blankfort from the short story Hanging's for the Lucky written by Jack Schaefer. A CinemaScope/Eastman Color production, it stars James Cagney, Don Dubbins, Stephen McNally and Irene Papas. Music is by Miklós Rózsa and cinematography by Robert Surtees.Jeremy Rodock (Cagney) is a no nonsense rancher whose ruthless hold on his considerable spread of land includes hanging rustlers without trial or sentence. When young Steve Millar (Dubbins) helps Rodock in a time of need, he is offered work on the ranch. But when his Greek mistress Jocasta Constantine (Papas) attracts interest from Steve and wrangler McNulty (McNally), it forces Rodock into even darker shades of his character.Following on from the wonderful Run for Cover the previous year, Cagney returned to the Western arena for the last time for Tribute to a Bad Man, and what a fitting picture on which to leave the West.The film encountered problems in early production when Spencer Tracy had a sulk and walked off of the picture. So in came Cagney. Steve Millar was being played by Robert Francis, but the actor was tragically killed in a plane crash, so in stepped Dubbins. Wise's film is essentially a coming of age frontier Western, though it concerns two male characters coming of age at different places in their life. Millar is the young pup whose come West to seek employment and meaning in his life, Rodock is hard-bitten, grizzled and can't see further than his own pig-headed beliefs. Rodock will either have to change his ways, wake up and smell the coffee, or risk losing everything.Will Rodock come through? Can an old dog be taught new psychological tricks? When he once again deals out his own brand of justice he has surely gone too far this time? It also opens up an old rivalry wound that will ultimately define all involved. What is in store for Millar? Once his eyes have been opened and he sees that cowboy life can actually be harsh, as can his young emotions. Then there is the beautiful Jocasta, a woman ashamed of her past life back in Cheyenne, forever grateful to Rodock for taking her away from that life. The age difference between the two is considerable, but their relationship is based on trust, loyalty and realism. That is until the equilibrium is upset…Technically it's a sumptuous production, where even if the thematics of the story doesn't sound like your thing, it's a film worth spending time with just to see Surtees' Scope photography and hear Rózsa's score. The former brings the striking Colorado Rockies to life with some breath taking distinction, while the latter provides music that positively swells then swirls around the magnificent back drop. With Cagney on mesmerising form, Papas and Dubbins not letting their inexperience affect the picture (Cagney took both under his wing), and Wise stringing it together as a knowing character based tapestry, it rounds out as a darn great and beautiful Oater. 8/10

William James Harper I do NOT like Westerns. In fact, I never watch them because most are so clichéd as to boring due to the repetitions of the proceeding western. That said, I am glad that I read what other people wrote as my curiosity was aroused. Boy, am I glad I saw this movie on Turner Movie Classics! It has to be one of the best kept secrets in film making.How refreshing to see Cagney in a different type of role he's usually cast in. He shines. Watch his face during some of the scenes where he's shot close up. His expression(s) speak more than any words a writer could put in his mouth. Personally, I didn't find Papas that compelling but that's just my take.One of the strong points of the movie is to watch how Cagney's character changes from a hard nosed, determined man to some one who gains a different perspective from those he admires, the young ranch hand and the woman whom he befriended.As to the movie title, this has to be one of the most misleading titles of all times. Cagney is not a bad man by any means in this film. Trying to protect what you've worked all your life to build up makes you a bad man doesn't make you bad. And if you have to take the law into your own hands since there is not law where you live, so be it.

Jugu Abraham This is a western without Indians, gun draws, foul language or sex. It is squeaky clean as one would expect of a film from Robert Wise, "The Sound of Music" director. Even the clothes of the lead actor James Cagney are clean.Morality, which set the tone to early Hollywood westerns, is emphasized here: the hero gets the girl, the interlopers who attempt to pull them apart are the losers. The anti-hero, warts and all, is not allowed to appear as an anti-hero--Wise transforms him into the traditional hero at the end. Had Wise retained the Cagney character's build-up as a misfit to the end, he would have made a great film. I guess the Studio bosses and Wise preferred a conventional end to a dramatic, unusual one. How interesting it would be to see the outcome of Peterson boy's anger (doused by his mother) towards the hero--but Wise chose to close the story than drag it on. Wise, who went on to make "The Sound of Music", chose Miklos Rozsa to provide the music. The Hungarian musician is a legend. Yet I was surprised that several bars of music were repetition of Rozsa's work in "Quo Vadis", "Ben Hur" and "King of Kings" or very similar variants.The squeaky clean film has beautiful blue skies and white clouds that produce a picture-postcard effect(the stamp of Robert Surtees)--rarely repeated in westerns made towards the end of the century.Irene Papas is a talented and mesmerizing actress. Her films with Michael Caccoyannis bear testimony to her remarkable abilities. Wise allows Cagney to do what he wants, but seems to have reined in Papas in her first Hollywood film. Papas is great to watch when she plays impetuous and tortured characters in other movies. Even in this tepid role, Papas imbues her character with strength and vitality. Papas and Cagney dominate the film, relegating even Lee van Cleef (playing a good guy) to the periphery.

Penfold-13 A story of a few people in a wide, big country.Plenty of scenery emphasises the remoteness and isolation of Rodock's valley. 200 miles from anywhere else, Rodock is the law, there being no-one else to police his horse range. Cagney gives a fine portrayal of the stern stony-heart towards those who cross him or steal his horses, who fails to comprehend Steve and Jo, the ones who represent humanitarian conscience, kindness and mercy.Because it's partly an emblematic morality tale, we get a few too many long significant looks and widescreen shots to make it look big, but there's a good strong plotline to hold it together. It's not a shoot 'em up, just some rustling wars between neighbouring farmers who hate each other's guts, and some jealousy over the woman, but it hangs together decently enough.The characters aren't exactly complex, but the actors all turn in better than average performances.It's a very well-made movie, fairly simple ingredients put together by a really good cook, if very slightly ponderously.