Pursued

Western Angst
Looking at the other reviews for "Pursued", I don't think I have to repeat the plot summary for this dark, thoughtful 1947 western, directed by Raoul Walsh. While it may seem a bit dated in 2004, "Pursued" must have been considered very adult, compared to most westerns made in the 40s.

By 1947, Robert Mitchum was well on his way to stardom, just a few short years after "Bob" Mitchum was playing small roles in Hopalong Cassidy movies. This may not be one of his best acting performances, but he already had great presence and was to remain one of the most watchable actors in film. Teresa Wright, Judith Anderson and--as Mitchum's nemesis--Dean Jagger are all top-notch.

James Wong Howe's black and white photography is very effective, especially the scenes of Mitchum riding across the rugged New Mexico terrain. The film is often bleak and foreboding, a reflection of the main protagonist's tortured soul.

Except for a few lines here and there, I found the...

I'm supposed to be your sister...
Jeb Rand (Robert Mitchum) can't understand why everybody hates him, or why so many people want to kill him, and he can't remember much of anything before Ma Callum (Judith Anderson) dragged him out of an orphan cellar and adopted him as one of her own. It's no wonder PURSUED is told as a flashback, this one is all about memory and remembering.
Ma Callum carries him to her home and throws her in a bed with his two new step-siblings, Thor (later played by Teresa Wright) and Adam (later John Rooney.) Ma Callum hurriedly bundles her charges together and they flee into the dark night - she too has inner demons to run from.
And so the stage is set for what has been called the first psychological western. You can safely throw in film noir and melodrama, as well. The psychological elements are a little too pronounced. Jeb suffers from nightmares - a pair of spurred boots moving about in the dark, flashes of light (gunfire?) Ma Callum could probably explain it all to him,...

Melodrama, pain, torment, and love
Strangely, this black and white film lovingly restored through the auspices of Mr Martin Scorsese, is not your typical "western". Yes, there are shots fired and men ride horses, but the film is more dominated by two women with the concerns of love, family and hate than it is by the men, even though Mr Mitchum has never looked so dashing, and Dean Jagger is utterly wonderful as the vengeful evil scheming lawyer Uncle. Nor can one possibly ignore the score by Max Steiner who is in full orchestral flight, signalling every sigh, every moment of anger, or anguish. Freud gets a run, as does the legend of Cain and Abel, not to mention revenge tragedy. But above all CHANCE is the central motif - who should go to war, let's toss a coin to decide!!! Who should get the farm - let's toss a coin for it !!! And hero, put upon stepson and one of the characters PURSUED, Mr Mitchum, becomes a professional gambler.
The photography too, gives visual expression to the haunted lives therein...

Click to Editorial Reviews