SPOILER ALERT

There is no way to talk about this movie without giving away all the plot points. If you haven't seen it, and don't want to know what happens, especially how it ends, stop reading now and come back after you're seen it.

Okay, now that we've gotten rid of them...let's get started.

I saw this MANY years ago, so many that I had forgotten almost all the salient plot points except that Gary Cooper survives the fight at the end, and that I was disappointed because it wasn't a typical shooting-and-riding kind of Western. I love Westerns, and one of the things I love is the whole guns-and-horses kind of thing.

But the film discussion group that I run at my library picked this for the month we watch a Western, so I thought, good, I'll see if it's any better now that I'm older.

And of course it isn't anything like a regular Western...this is really a character study and an indictment of the McCarthy witch hunt...one lone honest guy in the town, trying to do the right thing, deserted by everyone he trusts and left hanging out to dry.

Mr. Otter was scornful of this movie, and although he deigned to sit by me when I watched it, he started msting it until I finally had to ask him to stop...didn't earn any spouse points for that, nosireebob. But you know what? once you drop the idea that it's a Western...it's a pretty darn good movie.

Gary Cooper is perfect for the role of the sheriff who has brought law and order to the town and is now ready for a peaceable retirement with his beautiful Quaker wife (Grace Kelly, ethereal and lovely). And a lot of well-known actors are in this as well: we were pleased to see Otter Family Favorite Actor Thomas Mitchell as the mayor, as well as a VERY young Jack Elam (the drunk who is finally released from the jail), Lloyd Bridges, and a bunch of others.

The secrets, intrigues and fears of all the townspeople come to light one by one, and it's kind of a joy to watch the juggernaut bearing down on poor Gary's head, it's so well done. My favorite part is where he sees his wife and his ex-girlfriend drive off together...you KNOW that had to have terrified him down to his socks!

I loved the black and white camerawork, from the washed-out and overexposed scenes in the open to the dark indoor scenes that just LOOK like secrets must be told there...very nice, and using black and white makes the audience focus on the characters and what they're doing, there's no distraction.

The thing I couldn't remember was what exactly happened at the end...I figured the townspeople would collectively come to their senses, grow a backbone and join the Sheriff in the town square, surrounding the bad guy and vindicating themselves...but no, delicate beautiful QUAKER GIRL gets to kick butt, oh my yes, that was satisfying.

A good drama, lots of great characters, very enjoyable if you don't expect the whole Western schtick. But the gunfight at the end was satisfying.