Great Day In The Morning (1956)

Set in 1861 Colorado just before the start of the Civil War, a Southerner (Robert Stack) rides into town when tensions are riding high between the town's Northerners and Southerners. He appears to be disinterested in taking sides but how long can that last? Based on the novel by Robert Hardy Andrews and directed by Jacques Tourneur (CAT PEOPLE). Despite an unsubtle and distasteful pro-South bent (the Northerners are portrayed as foaming at the mouth bullies), this is a pretty nifty western for the most part until its predictable conclusion. There are enough points of interest to hold one's attention. The rivalry of the two different women (Virginia Mayo's dress shop owner, Ruth Roman's saloon girl) for Stack's affection is played well and gives the two actresses one good scene together. Then there's Raymond Burr's elephantine villain (he could be a cousin to Orson Welles in TOUCH OF EVIL), who's responsible for the film's most shocking moment. Handsomely shot in SuperScope and Technicolor by William E. Snyder (CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON). With Alex Nicol, Leo Gordon, Regis Toomey and Peter Whitney.