{"id":37575,"date":"2016-09-21T10:50:11","date_gmt":"2016-09-21T17:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37575"},"modified":"2021-02-04T16:34:40","modified_gmt":"2021-02-04T23:34:40","slug":"terror-in-a-texas-town-1958","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37575","title":{"rendered":"Terror in a Texas Town (1958)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Time presses &#8212; and I&#8217;ve run out of means of persuasion.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Terror-Texas-Town-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Terror-Texas-Town-Poster-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-37576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Terror-Texas-Town-Poster-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Terror-Texas-Town-Poster-84x128.jpg 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Terror-Texas-Town-Poster.jpg 285w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA corrupt businessman (Sebastian Cabot) with a beautiful &#8220;secretary&#8221; (Marilee Earle) hires a ruthless gunslinger (Nedrick Young) with a self-loathing girlfriend (Carol Kelly) to kill any farmers who refuse to sell their oil-rich land to him &#8212; starting with the father (Ted Stanhope) of a Swedish-American whaler (Sterling Hayden) who arrives in town and refuses to accept Cabot&#8217;s claim that the land isn&#8217;t legally Hayden&#8217;s.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Corruption<\/li>\n<li>Joseph H. Lewis Films<\/li>\n<li>Sterling Hayden Films<\/li>\n<li>Westerns<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nGhost-written by Dalton Trumbo, this western tells a fairly straight-forward tale of good-versus-evil in a lawless town, with the &#8220;fat cat&#8221; businessman literally a rotund guy, and a sociopathic hitman perennially clad in black. Shades of Nicholas Ray&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37547\"><em>Johnny Guitar<\/em> (1954)<\/a> are immediately evoked as Hayden emerges in the opening scene, wielding a whale harpoon against an unseen foe:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Hayden.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Hayden.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"688\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-68716\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Hayden.png 688w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Hayden-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Hayden-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Hayden-484x270.png 484w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and we also see Frank Ferguson &#8212; who played Marshal Williams in <em>&#8230;Guitar<\/em> &#8212; in a key supporting role. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Ferguson.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Ferguson.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"688\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-68717\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Ferguson.png 688w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Ferguson-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Ferguson-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Ferguson-484x270.png 484w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, once Hayden opens his mouth, disbelief must be suspended: his Swedish accent is highly dubitable, and comes and goes randomly. Young is menacing but not especially memorable as the key baddie (where are Lee Van Cleef or Lee Marvin when you need them?). However, Joseph H. Lewis&#8217;s unique directorial stamp makes this film worth a look; see stills below.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Joseph Lewis&#8217;s top-notch direction<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Imagery1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Imagery1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"688\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37580\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Imagery1.png 688w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Imagery1-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Imagery1-300x167.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Imagery2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Imagery2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"688\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37577\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Imagery2.png 688w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Imagery2-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Imagery2-300x167.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Cinematography1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Cinematography1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"688\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Cinematography1.png 688w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Cinematography1-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Cinematography1-300x167.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Cinematography2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Cinematography2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"688\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37579\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Cinematography2.png 688w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Cinematography2-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/TIATT-Cinematography2-300x167.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s worth a one-time look.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0052287\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/17798\/terror-in-a-texas-town#articles-reviews?articleId=935\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s825texas.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=147&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1991\/05\/17\/movies\/review-film-a-low-rent-high-noon-set-in-texas-prairie-town.html\">NY Times Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Time presses &#8212; and I&#8217;ve run out of means of persuasion.&#8221; Synopsis: A corrupt businessman (Sebastian Cabot) with a beautiful &#8220;secretary&#8221; (Marilee Earle) hires a ruthless gunslinger (Nedrick Young) with a self-loathing girlfriend (Carol Kelly) to kill any farmers who refuse to sell their oil-rich land to him &#8212; starting with the father (Ted Stanhope) of a Swedish-American whaler (Sterling Hayden) who arrives in town and refuses to accept Cabot&#8217;s claim that the land isn&#8217;t legally Hayden&#8217;s. Genres, Themes, Actors,&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37575\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37575","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37575"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37575\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68718,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37575\/revisions\/68718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}