Rent Rancho Notorious (1952)

Western Noir. - Rancho Notorious review by Steve

Strange, eerie low budget western shot entirely in the studio. Its unrealistic approach gives the film a unique atmosphere. The painted western exteriors look like landscapes by Salvador Dali. A melodramatic country ballad provides the narration. And Lang's direction is way classier and more visually striking than is usual for a B film.

Though a western, and in colour, it feels like film noir. It looks so dark. The blackness of the shadows seeps into the dark, nocturnal colours. Like noir it is full of flashbacks, mainly into the backstory of its femme fatale, played impassively by Marlene Dietrich as Altar Kane, who runs a refuge for outlaws.

Arthur Kennedy is the relentless, borderline crazy cowboy searching among these fugitives for the killer of his girl. His consuming revenge begins to make Kennedy a lot like the men who hide from the law at the Spanish colonial ranch, particularly the saturnine Mel Ferrer, a kind of alter-ego and Altar's top gun.

 The action scenes are well staged, particularly a convincing punch up in a saloon and a climactic shootout. The performances are all enjoyably intense, especially Kennedy in a rare starring role. There's some good terse, bleak dialogue and Marlene has a song. But it's the pessimistic noirish theme of obsessive revenge that drives the film, and pulls it out of the ordinary.