RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY

This is Sam Peckinpah’s second film, another Western, released in 1962 and in it one can see the start of the transition from traditional to revisionist Westerns.

The lead actors are Joel McCrae and Randolph Scott and you can’t get much more traditional than that.  

On the other hand there are some moments in which Peckinpah shows his propensity to push the boundaries.  There’s an horrific scene in which à young bride nearly gets gangbanged by the groom’s brothers. And in the climactic shootout Peckinpah doesn’t softsoap the brutal violence.

As is often the case with Peckinpah there is a strong elegiac theme, how could there not be with two old timers together for one last time. This was Scott’s last film and one of McCrea’s last.

Both have fallen on hard times but have reacted in different ways.  (McCrae) is happy enough to take on a low paid and dangerous job: transporting gold down from to the bank. Gil (Scott) has become a bit of a showman but is happy enough to accompany but only because he plans to steal the gold even if this brings him into conflict with   .  Tagging along is Gil’s young sidekick.  On the way up to the goldmine they spend a night at à farm where lives à widower and his young daughter.

The father is severely religious so it’s no great surprise that runs away with    et al so as to marry a young man she has taken a fancy to who lives at the gold mine, much to the chagrin of who has taken a shine to.

Once at the mine there are plenty of warning signs that shouldn’t marry.  not least his unsavoury brothers. Nevertheless the wedding goes ahead by an alcoholic judge and the Madame of the local brothel. provides her girls as bridesmaids.

Inevitably has to be rescued pursued by the angry brothers.  

Still bubbling under is Gil’s desire to get his hands on the gold, although   who has matured quite rapidly is less keen to help than before, not least because he and are fully in love.