Drawling James Stewart unhitches his lower lip and hits the trail to capture Robert Ryan, playing a picture of leering dishonesty called Ben Vandergroat. The result is an excellent Western, taut, tense and exciting, with a brilliant climax on a high cliff, which was one of director Anthony Mann's best. The classic dramatic framework - three men trying to bring another back to justice - is superbly maintained, and Mann gets excellent portrayals from each one of his four men (Millard Mitchell and Ralph Meeker are the others) as well as from Janet Leigh, pretty much deglamorised here and sporting a new cropped haircut. The screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award.

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