The Violent Men

Stanwyck at her villainous best, Robinson her equal - as ruthless land barons in this fairly ordinary western. Some good action scenes, strong use of location, colour and Cinemascope. But why the obvious use of stock footage in the stampede scene? Ford is dependable as always and Foster is strong as Robinson's daughter, but it is the baddies' film. And it's not just Stanwyck and Robinson - Brian Keith makes a surprisingly dashing villain as Stanwyck's lover, and Richard Jaeckel is unforgettable as a cold-hearted killer. See it for the camp value.

A western through and through. As the title character portrayed by Glenn Ford says, "No, I don't want to fight, but I will if it's forced on me." This movie is about being intelligent, strong, and fighting for one's beliefs. With courage, never stop striving for what you feel is right. Great action and mostly quick paced. Good to see Brian Keith in this role and Edward G. Robinson as an older western man. Glenn Ford lives up to his western image. Thoroughly enjoyable film includes strategic non-military warfare. Of course it's violent, like the title states, but not too graphic like in the computer-generated era films. It's mostly about strong personality clashes.

Much better than your average western of the 1950s. Barbara Stanwyck landed one of her best roles in years as a selfish, conniving,brutal woman who will do nothing to stop her desire to control the land even meaning a range war and attempting to get rid of husband, Edward G. Robinson, so that she can wed his brother, Brian Keith. This excellent story has just about everything you would want in a film. There is treachery and there is Glenn Ford, a civil war veteran ready to head east only to be drawn into the conflict. When he sees the brutality of the Robinson Family, he turns to the same violence and begins to wreak havoc on the tormentors themselves. Stanwyck sees this escalating opportunity to further her own ruthless plans. Dianne Foster co-stars as the daughter who knows what has been going on between the Stanwyck character, her mother, and Keith, her uncle. Very well done film, action packed, engrossing and a pleasure seeing.

The Violent Men is pretty good western that certainly benefits from its excellent cast. Edward G. Robinson is the big rancher trying to squeeze out the smaller ranchers one of whom is Glenn Ford. Ford is ready to sell to appease his fiance (May Wynn) until Robinson's ambitious brother (Brian Keith) murders one of Ford's hands. Then you know what happens next. Barbara Stanwyck is along as Robinson's scheming wife the kind of role in which she specialized. Dianne Foster plays their daughter who comes to admire Ford. The Violent Men is nothing more than a "B" plot with an "A" movie cast but it is very well done.