Film Review: Rancho Notorious (1952)
Transition from the silent to sound film destroyed many film stardoms, because silent idols of the silver screen, for one reason or another, couldn’t have adapted to new technology. Same thing, although to a lesser degree and less severely, happened to some grand icons of black-and-white films that haven’t been able to maintain their stellar power when colour cinematography became the norm. One of the examples can be provided by Marlene Dietrich as the star of Rancho Notorious, 1952 western directed by Fritz Lang.
Described as “tale of hate, murder and revenge” in “Legend of a Chuck-a-Luck”, theme song performed by Bill Lee in opening credits and throughout the film as semi-narration, Rancho Notorious begins in small Wyoming town in July 1873. Verne Haskell (played by Arthur Kennedy) is a ranch hand who is looking forward to wed his fiancee, beautiful store clerk Beth Forbes (played by Gloria Henry). While most of the townsfolk are absent, pair of robbers come to town and one of them robs the store, rapes and murders Beth. Verne is determined to bring the murderer to justice, but the sheriff lacks jurisdiction, resources and will to pursue the matter, leaving Verne to do it by himself. He finds murderer’s partner (played by John Doucette) dying with his last words “Chuck-a-Luck” being the only clue about killer’s whereabouts. As months pass by Verne discovers that “Chuck-a-Luck” is the ranch owned by Altar Keane (played by Dietrich), former dance hall girl who, in exchange for percentage of loot, offers shelter to various outlaws, including her boyfriend Frenchy Fairmont (played by Mel Ferrer). Vern rescues Frenchy from prison, thus winning his trust and friendship and, with it, an access to Chuck-a-Luck where he would try to pinpoint who the killer was.
Rancho Notorious is sometimes described as one of the more unconventional westerns of its time, one of the first to show the influence of film noir and one among the first to explore some darker subjects. The plot begins with horrific event and the protagonist is transformed from peaceful and decent man into someone obsessed with revenge and willing to get it even if it requires deception and breaking the law. But the audience at the time would have probably pay more attention to the use of Technicolor and Marlene Dietrich as some sort of “noirish” femme fatale. This combination in Rancho Notorious, however, doesn’t work as well as it should. While Dietrich, even at the age of 50, looks seductive, her allure when exposed to bright colours isn’t as strong as she was icon of black-and-white cinema. Furthermore, Howard Hughes, penny-pinching head of RKO Pictures, insisted on low budget, which meant that Fritz Lang had to recreate Old West with matte paintings and studio sets, making the whole film look too artificial. Theme song, which was vastly inferior to other Western ballads, didn’t help either. What made this film watchable was competent cast that included Mel Ferrer as believable outlaw that transcends cliches that would make him a villain (including wearing a black hat), as well as very believable Arthur Kennedy. Many great names appear in smaller roles, including those who would become stars of television – George Reeves of Superman fame as one of Altar Keane’s proteges and William Frawley, star of I Love Lucy, as Altar Keane’s former employer. Their efforts, and Lang’s competent direction that keeps whole film within digestible hour and half of running time, make Rancho Notorious into good, albeit disappointing western.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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