Even by 1955 standards, Raoul Walsh’s The Tall Men feels a little bit outdated. Despite that, its high production values, lush widescreen photography, and winning performances make it one of that year’s most entertaining westerns.

Confederate veterans Ben and Clint Allison (Clark Gable and Cameron Mitchell) attempt to rob rich businessman Nathan Stark (Robert Ryan). Instead Stark makes them an offer: join him on a cattle drive from Texas to Montana in return for thousands of dollars. The dangerous journey takes in attacks by Sioux raiders and Kansas jayhawkers, as well as a love triangle for the heart of the beautiful settler Nella Turner (Jane Russell).

The Tall Men is beautifully staged and engagingly performed, yet it cannot help but be noticed just how old the cast is. The film adapts the 1954 Heck Allen novel, but casts 54-year-old Clark Gable as a man in his mid-30s and 37-year-old Cameron Mitchell as his teenage younger brother. On the one hand it shouldn’t really matter too much, but the characters act younger. Mitchell in particular struggles terribly as the impulsive and irresponsible Clint, but Gable still has problems of his own playing someone 20 years his junior.

Much more successful is Jane Russell, ably accentuating her character’s wit and smarts while negotiating a film that want to accentuate her figure instead, as well as Robert Ryan, adding a very entertaining charm to his rich, privileged business tycoon. It is also worth noting Juan García as Luis, Ben’s right-hand man. It’s a Mexican character played by an actual Mexican actor, and without the film resorting to caricature or making him comic relief.

Unlike many westerns of the time, The Tall Men is content to feature Native Americans – in this case the Sioux – as faceless and disposable antagonists to be shot at and battled. Interestingly the film also makes antagonists out of the Jayhawkers – Kansas militias working to rob southern state interests both before and after the Civil War. In this regard the film exemplifies a general trend in American western cinema, in which the former Confederate States of America are at best sympathetically portrayed and at worst actively lionised despite its aggressive pro-slavery stance. In The Tall Men it is notable that the Allison brothers come from the south to rob people, but are portrayed as the heroes, while the Jayhawkers are demonised for doing essentially the same thing.

Aside from its politics The Tall Men makes for an attractive picture with some high-value landscape vistas and a wide range of country settings. Leo Tover’s cinematography makes good use of the Cinemascope ratio. The cattle drive itself is a stunning display with a then-unprecedented number of cows on-screen. Victor Young contributes a typically stirring musical score. Is it a little old-fashioned? Is the cast too old for their roles? Probably yes on both counts, but The Tall Men remains a handsome, entertaining crowd-pleaser of its day.

1955 West is a review project to watch as many western features from 1955 as possible, in order to gain a ‘snapshot’ view of the genre at its height. According to Letterboxd, there were 72 westerns released that year; this is the 36th film reviewed. You can see all of FictionMachine’s 1955 West reviews to date by clicking here.