Ten Wanted Men (the title hints at something far more dramatic than is actually in the picture) is a serviceable, but instantly forgettable Western from the Scott-Brown production company. Directed by jobber H. Bruce Humberstone, with a screenplay by Kenneth Gamet (from a story by Irving Ravetch) and filmed in Technicolor out in Old Tuscon, it feels (and is) lifeless and poor on structure and execution.

With some misplaced humour and a cobbled together plot, this ultimately ends up as a time filler for Randy Scott completists only. There's some enjoyment to be had from watching our Randy lob dynamite around, and Leo Gordon steals the movie as menacing villain Frank Scavo, but sadly it never comes together to make a worthy mark. Which when you have cast list that contains Randolph Scott, Richard Boone, Lee Van Cleef, Skip Homeier and Dennis Weaver! then that's a crime as much as it is a shame. 4/10

The rancher John Stewart (Randolph Scott) welcomes his brother and lawyer Adam (Lester Matthews) and his nephew Howie (Skip Homeier) that have just arrived in the pacific Ocatilla to implement law with a party in his ranch. Howie flirts with the Mexican Maria Segura (Donna Martell) and the greedy Wick Campbell (Richard Boone) that has raised the girl since she was orphan tries to force her to live with him; however John Stewart protects Maria and she moves to his ranch. Campbell hires ten gunmen to work for him; he first kills John's neighbor that was going to pay a debt with him to have his lands; then he rustles John's cattle with the gunmen; frames Howie in a duel in the bar and he is arrested in jail; and kills Adam Stewart in a lonely road. When Campbell believes he has destroyed John Stewart, the outlaws turn against him and loot Ocatilla. But John Stewart is alive and ready to payback.

"Ten Wanted Men" is that type of western with many clichés of the genre but also entertaining. The fifty-seven year-old Randolph Scott is still convincing in the role of an old cowboy that became a successful rancher and needs to use weapons again to protect his family, his friends and the town he helped to build. Lee Van Cleef in the beginning of his career has a minor role as an outlaw and Richard Boone and Leo Gordon perform the typical villain. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Arizona Violenta" ("Violent Arizona")

I like Randolph Scott Westerns, but I am the first to admit they all were not gems. While I give this one 4 of 10, this is mostly because I like Scott and his acting--no matter how clichéd and sloppy the movie was.

First let's talk about sloppiness. This film had quite a few stunts that were lame compared to other Scott films. In one scene, Scott's brother is sitting in his wagon and shot three separate times when being cross-examined by the Baddie (Richard Boone). Yet, after Boone finally kills the man, then someone raises a pistol and fires it--at which point the horses THEN take off! Why didn't they run with the first three shots?! Then, when Scott chases down the runaway wagon, you can CLEARLY see the stuntman moving about--crouched down in the buckboard. But then, only a second later when Scott stops the wagon, the guy is splayed out--dead as a doornail!! Later, in the big obligatory confrontation scene between Scott and the Baddie, Scott doesn't even squeeze the trigger and no shot is fired (no flame shooting out the gun, no smoke, no kick--nothing) and then Boone falls dead!! There are also fight scenes where it's obvious that the people are NOT the actors--especially when a dark haired guy is standing in for silver haired Scott!! In addition to this sloppiness, scattered throughout town are obviously fake Saguaro cacti--they're the wrong color AND located in the most impossible places.

Now, as for the clichés, they abound. Once again, there is a rich guy who wants to own the town and hired a buttload (a standard unit of measurement out West) of gunmen. I have personally seen this same plot element in 1123745598 films (give or take a few) and am frankly sick of it--let's see some originality. In addition, there is a tender love scene between Scott and his lady friend just as they seem about to die--complete with lame dialog. In addition, there are several gun fights where the gunmen challenge the good guys. In addition, there is,...well, never mind--it was ALL a giant cliché.

A giant sloppy cliché with reliable old Randolph Scott in the lead. Without Scott, this one would barely merit a 3.