Decision At Sundown (1957)

An ex-Confederate soldier (Randolph Scott) rides into the town of Sundown with only one thing on his mind ..... vengeance against the man (John Carroll) responsible for his wife's death. Based on the novel by Vernon L. Fluharty and directed by Budd Boetticher (THE TALL T). Part of the Ranown cycle of westerns directed by Boetticher, produced by Harry Joe Brown and starring Scott between 1957 and 1960. Although reputedly, Boetticher wasn't fond of the film, it's really one of the best films of the cycle. What starts off as a seemingly revenge western slowly reveals itself to be anything but a routine revenge film and the irony at the film's end is striking. As the movie's "bad" guy, Carroll gets the happy ending and rides off into the sunset with the woman (Valerie French) he loves while the hero is left bereft with a bitter truth and an uncertain future. Like all the other Boetticher/Scott collaborations, it's tight and economical without an ounce of cinematic fat. With Karen Steele, John Archer, Noah Beery, Andrew Duggan, Ray Teal and James Westerfield.