As a precursor to our film project, 12 Western Feature-Length Films in 12 Months, which Running Wild Films and 5J Media will start producing in 2016, director Travis Mills shares his thoughts on films from the genre as he studies Westerns in preparation for our own. Follow the project here on Facebook

This series of short blogs is titled “Western Impressions”.

The Far Country (1954)

farcountry

At first I thought “this is less Mann” but no… oh no. This is better than The Naked Spur. Perhaps a little uneven, this Mann/Stewart Western packs such a punch when it really gets going. Mann brings such an edge to the western, a cynicism, a darkness that isn’t obvious but deeply embedded in the world he creates. Stewart is great, so is Walter Brennan. The action went it happens is fierce and real.

Lasting impression: John McIntire’s villain, one of the best western bad guys ever.