As far was westerns go, this is a pretty good one. Despite some familiar story elements, there is enough new and different to set it apart from the crowd--even if it was a bit of a disappointment when it came to Randolph Scott (and I am a huge fan of this wonderful actor and his westerns).

When the film began, I was a bit surprised. While it was produced by Columbia, it surprisingly was in full-color--something you wouldn't expect from this second-string studio. This is surprising also because up until this film, Columbia hadn't made any color films--why they chose to do this with a western and not one of their prestige films is beyond me.

The film begins with a bank robbery in which several locals are shot. However, it turns out that the crooked bank owner (Porter Hall)actually staged it himself--so he could pocket much of the money himself. His friend (Edgar Buchanan) is in on this, but is angry that people were hurt and even killed in this staged holdup--but Buchanan can't tell anyone, as he was involved.

A short time later, the Sheriff (Randolph Scott) is on his way into town when he is jumped and his horse is taken. Eventually, Scott makes it into town and he catches up to the horse thief--who he never actually saw face-to-face (and vice-versa). They start fighting in a dark corral and after Scott is beaten, something cool happens that almost never happens in film--sweet Evelyn Keyes is standing nearby during the fight. Instead of just standing there looking scared (a typical cliché),she smacks the guy (Glenn Ford) over the head with a bucket--knocking him out in the process! I love a woman like this in a film! Well, despite this klunk on the head, it turns out Ford is an old friend of Scott! And, soon Keyes falls in love with Ford! Now this is all complicated by Ford's past--he's a gunfighter who was forced to a life on the run. However, he isn't BAD--he was just forced into this by circumstances. And, now that he's in town, the baddies figure he's a convenient scapegoat for the robbery--and they do their best to get Ford hung. Scott is in a bind--he IS the sheriff but he can't just let them hang a friend. How all this is worked out is for you to see--I really don't want to spoil it.

In the film, there are a few things to look for. First, as the stereotypical partner, we have Guinn Williams--a fella with an odd penchant for using nitroglycerin! Second, the film has one of the coolest shootouts I've ever seen between Hall and Buchanan. I certainly have NEVER seen a fight like this one and was probably more typical of a real old west shootout! Overall, not a great film but it looks nice in color, has some nice scenes and is enjoyable. The only major deficit is that although Scott receives top billing, he really is more of a supporting character and has little chance for character development--a definite negative for fans who want the Scott of his later westerns (where he has a lot more depth).

Randolph Scott and Glenn Ford were once outlaw pals together, but now Scott's a sheriff and young Ford is still hiring his gun out. He gets hired to pull a bank job, but is delayed getting to town and those that hired him get someone else. That leads to all kinds of complications, a lot for a film that's not even 90 minutes long.

Randy and Glenn both got girls here. Claire Trevor plays her usual good time gal with a heart of gold. And Evelyn Keyes is the daughter of Edgar Buchanan who falls for Ford big time without realizing who he is or why he came to the town that Scott is the sheriff in.

It's B western, but unusual for the time and for Columbia Pictures it was given the full technicolor treatment. The Desperadoes marked Glenn Ford's first film in technicolor, a process reserved only for some of the more expensive films from bigger studios. Harry Cohn was certainly not one to shell out for it. And definitely not during war time.

The plot gets a bit convoluted as both Ford and Scott are put to the test of friendship versus expediency/duty. The plot also involves some high class hypocritical skunks in Randy's town who are the real outlaws as far as the film is concerned.

The four leads do a fine job and the best supporting performance is Guinn Williams as Ford's lovable explosive lunkhead of a sidekick. The climax involves a cattle stampede and a shootout in the town saloon and is one of the best ever done in a western film.

Fans of the four leads and westerns in general will enjoy this one.

The bank of Red Valley, a small town in Utah, is robbed by a gang and three residents are murdered during the heist. However the corrupt banker Stanley Clanton (Porter Hall) has plotted the heist with the owner of the local stable, Uncle Willie McLeod (Edgar Buchanan),and the rancher Jack Lester (Bernard Nedell) and his gang. Sheriff Steve Upton (Randolph Scott) is out of town investigating the holdup and is surprised by the wanted outlaw Cheyenne Rogers (Glenn Ford). The gunman that was hired by Stanley but arrived late for the heist, steals his horse and heads to Red Valley. In the stable, the daughter of Uncle Willie, Allison McLeod (Evelyn Keyes),recognizes the horse and rescues the sheriff from the wilderness. Meanwhile Cheyenne meets Countess Maletta (Claire Trevor) and his friend Nitro Rankin (Guinn "Big Boy" Williams). The Countess is the owner of the local saloon and suffers from unrequited love for him, and feels guilty for the crime life of Cheyenne that committed his first murder to protect her ranch. When Steve returns to Red Valley and sees Cheyenne, he feels happy to see his old friend and Allison falls in love with Cheyenne. But Sheriff Steve is getting close to Jack Lester and now Stanley Clanton masterminds a plan to incriminate Cheyenne for robbing the bank. Will he succeed?

"The Desperadoes" is a funny and entertaining western directed by Charles Vidor and with a great cast highlighting the names of Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor and a young Glenn Ford. The story combines western, comedy and action in right doses and there are amazing scenes like for example the stampede. There is also a great message of friendship. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Império da Desordem" ("Empire of Mayhem")