TIMBERJACK (director: Joseph Kane; screenwriters: Alan Rivkin/from the novel by Dan Cushman; cinematographer: Jack Marta; editor: Richard L. Van Enger; music: Victor Young; cast: Vera Ralston (Lyne Tilton), Sterling Hayden (Tim Chipman), David Brian (Croft Brunner), Adolphe Menjou (Sweetwater Tilton), Hoagy Carmichael (Jingles), Jim Davis (Poole), Howard Petrie (Axe-Handle), Chill Wills (Steve Rilka), George Marshall (Fireman), Elisha Cook Jr. (Punky), Karl Davis (Red Bush); Runtime: 94; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Herbert J. Yates/Joseph Kane; Republic; 1955)
“Routine oater.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Routine oater. Director Joseph Kane(“Jubilee Trail”/”Ride the Man Down”/”Hoodlum Empire”) draws the minimum action required from this revenge film. It’s based on the novel by Dan Cushman and is lamely written by Alan Rivkin.
Croft Brunner (David Brian) and Tim Chipman (Sterling Hayden) are timber company rivals in Montana. Tim can’t be sweet-talked to stop seeking revenge on his rival, who murdered his father. To add fuel to the already tense rivalry, the good-hearted but fiery saloon keeper Lyne Tilton (Vera Ralston) is the girl both men crave.
The forest scenery is nice to look at, but the story is a drag. Ralston’s voice is dubbed for her songs, and Hoagy Carmichael‘s saloon piano jazz tunes fail to hit any warm notes. Adolphe Menjou‘s flowery dialogue doesn’t get over in this film.
REVIEWED ON 4/27/2015 GRADE: C+
Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”
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