The Tall Stranger 1957

imdb-logo 6.4 / 10

The Tall Stranger

A Union soldier returns to his western home at the end of the Civil War and finds himself caught in the middle of a land war between his greedy half-brother and a wagon train of Confederate homesteaders.

A Union soldier returns to his western home at the end of the Civil War and finds himself caught in the middle of a land war between his greedy half-brother and a wagon train of Confederate homesteaders.

Videos & Photos

All 0 Videos & 5 Photos

... Ned Bannon

... Hardy Bishop

... Adam Judson

... Dud

User reviews

See All 1 Reviews

23 Jun 2021 by John Chard

Routine plot - efficient in execution, but beware of pan and scan monstrosity. The Tall Stranger is directed by Thomas Carr and written for the screen by Christopher Knopf from a story by Louis L'Amour. It stars Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo, Michael Ansara, George Neise, Whit Bissell, Adam Kennedy, Barry Kelley and Leo Gordon. A CinemaScope/De Luxe color production, film is filmed on location at two ranches in California, Morrison and Russell, with Wilfred M. Cline the cinematographer. Hans J. Salter scores the music. Plot sees McCrea as Ned Bannon, who has a run in with rustlers and left for dead. Luckily he is found in time by a wagon train heading for California. Nursed back to health, Ned becomes suspicious of two outsiders who are leading the group into a dead-end valley owned by his hostile half-brother. Ned must overcome family hostility to try and avert a range war from occurring. Solid mid 50's Oater boosted by the reliable McCrea and some dark shades within the writing. Running at just over 80 minutes, picture condenses enough old time punch ups and shootings into the story to stop the routine nature of the plotting dragging the pace down. There's even some messages in here to show the writers wanted something more than just a yeehaw production. Sadly the film is badly let down by the pan and scan process and the lifeless colour. There are very few reviews of the film about, but nobody makes mention of the bad print of the film? Certainly the current print doing the rounds for British TV is so bad it takes much away from the film. Cline's ("The Last Wagon/The Indian Fighter") location photography is barely seen - is this really in CinemaScope? - and periphery characters are heard but chopped in half! Even the normally radiant Mayo looks washed out due to the tired looking De Luxe color. There's a half decent film in the mix, but even with the best of home cinema set ups to play with, it's nigh on impossible to fully immerse oneself in the movie. 6/10

Directors:

Thomas Carr

Producers:

Walter Mirisch

Genres:

Western

Release Date:

Nov 17, 1957 (United States)

Run Time:

1hr 23`

MMPA Rating:

NR

Original Language:

English

Production Countries:

United States

Status:

Released

Plot Keywords:

land war

Related Movies To

The Tall Stranger

Write Review

Found 1 reviews in total

23 Jun 2021 by John Chard

Routine plot - efficient in execution, but beware of pan and scan monstrosity. The Tall Stranger is directed by Thomas Carr and written for the screen by Christopher Knopf from a story by Louis L'Amour. It stars Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo, Michael Ansara, George Neise, Whit Bissell, Adam Kennedy, Barry Kelley and Leo Gordon. A CinemaScope/De Luxe color production, film is filmed on location at two ranches in California, Morrison and Russell, with Wilfred M. Cline the cinematographer. Hans J. Salter scores the music. Plot sees McCrea as Ned Bannon, who has a run in with rustlers and left for dead. Luckily he is found in time by a wagon train heading for California. Nursed back to health, Ned becomes suspicious of two outsiders who are leading the group into a dead-end valley owned by his hostile half-brother. Ned must overcome family hostility to try and avert a range war from occurring. Solid mid 50's Oater boosted by the reliable McCrea and some dark shades within the writing. Running at just over 80 minutes, picture condenses enough old time punch ups and shootings into the story to stop the routine nature of the plotting dragging the pace down. There's even some messages in here to show the writers wanted something more than just a yeehaw production. Sadly the film is badly let down by the pan and scan process and the lifeless colour. There are very few reviews of the film about, but nobody makes mention of the bad print of the film? Certainly the current print doing the rounds for British TV is so bad it takes much away from the film. Cline's ("The Last Wagon/The Indian Fighter") location photography is barely seen - is this really in CinemaScope? - and periphery characters are heard but chopped in half! Even the normally radiant Mayo looks washed out due to the tired looking De Luxe color. There's a half decent film in the mix, but even with the best of home cinema set ups to play with, it's nigh on impossible to fully immerse oneself in the movie. 6/10

Cast & Crew of

The Tall Stranger

Directors & Credit Writers

... Director

Cast

Produced By

... Producer

Videos & Photos of

The Tall Stranger

Photos ( 5 )

Related Movies To

The Tall Stranger

Found 12 Movies in total

poster-The Unholy Trinity
The Unholy Trinity (2025)

0 /10

Set against the turbulent backdrop of 1870s Montana, in the moments before the execution of Isaac Broadway, he gives his estranged son, Henry, an impossible task: murder the man who framed him for a crime he didn’t commit. Intent on fulfilling his promise, Henry travels to the remote town of Trinity, where an unexpected turn of events traps him in town and leaves him caught between Gabriel Dove, the town’s upstanding new sheriff, and a mysterious figure named St. Christopher.

Run Time: 1hr 35` . MMPA: R . Release: 13 Jun 2025

Director: Richard Gray

Producer: Colin Floom , Kellie Lessard Brooks , Jeanne Allgood

Stars: Brandon Lessard , Pierce Brosnan , Samuel L. Jackson , Q'orianka Kilcher , Tim Daly , Veronica Ferres

poster-Showdown in Yesteryear
Showdown in Yesteryear (2022)

0 /10

An aspiring cowboy encounters a mysterious door on a ranch. Upon opening it and stumbling through, he’s suddenly thrust back into time -- 160 years back in the old west -- where outlaws rule and life is dangerous…

Run Time: 2hr 1` . MMPA: . Release: 20 Aug 2022

Director: Aaron Bratcher

Producer: Tim O'Hearn , Jeff Grennell

Stars: Vernon Wells , Debra Lamb , Jeff Grennell , Tim O'Hearn , Aaron Bratcher , Michelle Snyder

poster-Coyote Woman
Coyote Woman (2024)

0 /10

Ten years after the natives murdered her family, Iris hires two men to wipe out the whole lot, which happens to now include her sister Cynthia.

Run Time: 1hr 51` . MMPA: R . Release: 01 May 2024

Director: Stefan Ruf

Producer: Ginger Liu , John H. Davis , Lissa Rabon

Stars: Nik L. Guerra , Heath Allyn , Les Best , Tom Byrne , Larissa Dali , Don Daro

poster-Tom and Jerry Cowboy Up!
Tom and Jerry Cowboy Up! (2022)

5.2 /10

This time, the rivals team up to help a cowgirl and her brother save their homestead from a greedy land-grabber, and they’re going to need some help! Jerry’s three precocious nephews are all ready for action, and Tom is rounding up a posse of prairie dogs. But can a ragtag band of varmints defeat a deceitful desperado determined to deceive a damsel in distress? No matter what happens with Tom and Jerry in the saddle, it’ll be a rootin’ tootin’ good time!

Run Time: 1hr 15` . MMPA: G . Release: 24 Jan 2022

Director: Darrell Van Citters

Producer: Sam Register , Ashley Postlewaite , Kimberly S. Moreau

Stars: George Ackles , Sean Burgos , Trevor Devall , Chris Edgerly , Georgie Kidder , Justin Michael

poster-Rust
Rust (2025)

0 /10

Infamous outlaw Harland Rust breaks his estranged grandson Lucas out of prison, after Lucas is convicted to hang for an accidental murder. The two must outrun legendary U.S Marshal Wood Helm and bounty hunter Fenton "Preacher" Lang who are hot on their tails. Deeply buried secrets rise from the ashes and an unexpected familial bond begins to form as the mismatched duo tries to survive the merciless American Frontier.

Run Time: 2hr 19` . MMPA: . Release: 01 May 2025

Director: Dave Halls , Joel Souza , Mamie Mitchell

Producer: Luke Taylor , Row Walters , Anjul Nigam

Stars: Alec Baldwin , Josh Hopkins , Travis Fimmel , Patrick Scott McDermott , Todd Bryant , Rhys Coiro

poster-Frontera
Frontera (2014)

6.6 /10

After crossing the border illegally for work, Miguel, a hard-working father and devoted husband, finds himself wrongfully accused of murdering a former sheriff’s wife. After learning of his imprisonment, Miguel’s pregnant wife tries to come to his aid and lands in the hands of corrupt coyotes who hold her for ransom. Dissatisfied with the police department’s investigation, the former sheriff tries to uncover the truth about his wife’s death and discovers disturbing evidence that will destroy one family’s future, or tear another’s apart.

Run Time: 1hr 43` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 31 Jul 2014

Director: Michael Berry

Producer: Tracy K. Price , Bill Andrew , Jo Edna Boldin

Stars: Ed Harris , Eva Longoria , Michael Peña , Amy Madigan , Kristen Rakes , Seth Adkins

poster-Casa de Mi Padre
Casa de Mi Padre (2012)

5.5 /10

Scheming of a way to save their father's ranch, the Alvarez brothers find themselves in a war with Mexico's most feared drug lord.

Run Time: 1hr 24` . MMPA: R . Release: 15 Mar 2012

Director: Hope Garrison , Matt Piedmont , Eric Fox Hays

Producer: Adam McKay , Billy Rovzar , Darlene Caamano Loquet

Stars: Will Ferrell , Mariann Gavelo , Molly Shannon , Gael García Bernal , Nick Offerman , Efren Ramirez

poster-The Kid
The Kid (2019)

5.9 /10

New Mexico Territory, 1880. Rio Cutler and his older sister Sara must abandon their home after an unfortunate event happens. In their desperate flee to Santa Fe, they cross paths with the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid and his gang, who are ruthlessly pursued by a posse led by Sheriff Pat Garret.

Run Time: 1hr 40` . MMPA: R . Release: 08 Mar 2019

Director: Cindy Serigatto , Michael Chochol , Vincent D'Onofrio

Producer: Nick Thurlow , Samantha Plont , Ali Jazayeri

Stars: Ethan Hawke , Dane DeHaan , Jake Schur , Leila George , Adam Baldwin , Chris Pratt

poster-No Name and Dynamite
No Name and Dynamite (2022)

4.2 /10

The line between the good guys and the bad guys blurs as ruthless bounty hunters No Name and Dynamite Davenport shoot their way through the Wild West, collecting rewards and making more enemies than friends. With the outlaw John Wilkes Booth on the run and gold hidden in the hills, justice must be served.

Run Time: 1hr 31` . MMPA: . Release: 21 Feb 2022

Director: Errol Sack

Producer:

Stars: Chris Northup , Rich Ting , Natalie Burn , Vernon Wells , Thomas Rosales Jr. , Mark Krenik

poster-Gunslingers
Gunslingers (2025)

0 /10

When the most wanted man in America surfaces in a small Kentucky town, his violent history -- and a blood-thirsty mob seeking vengeance and a king’s ransom -- soon follow. As brothers face off against one another and bullets tear the town to shreds, this lightning-fast gunslinger makes his enemies pay the ultimate price for their greed.

Run Time: 1hr 44` . MMPA: R . Release: 11 Apr 2025

Director: Brian Skiba

Producer: Scott Reed , Randall Batinkoff , Brian Skiba

Stars: Stephen Dorff , Nicolas Cage , Costas Mandylor , Heather Graham , Bre Blair , William McNamara

poster-Abilene Town
Abilene Town (1946)

6.2 /10

Marshall Dan Mitchell, who is the law in Abilene, has the job of keeping peace between two groups. For a long time, the town had been divided, with the cattlemen and cowboys having one end of town to themselves, while townspeople occupied the other end. Mitchell liked it this way, it made things easier for him, and kept problems from arising between the two factions. However…

Run Time: 1hr 29` . MMPA: NR . Release: 11 Jan 1946

Director: Edwin L. Marin , Maurie M. Suess

Producer: Ben Berk , Jules Levey , Joseph H. Nadel

Stars: Randolph Scott , Ann Dvorak , Edgar Buchanan , Rhonda Fleming , Lloyd Bridges , Helen Boyce

poster-Two Sinners and a Mule
Two Sinners and a Mule (2023)

3.6 /10

Kicked out of a small Western town for sinful behavior, free-spirited Alice and Nora set out for Virginia City to pursue their dream of opening a restaurant. Out on the prairie, they come across an injured bounty hunter named Elden. Hoping to share in the reward, they nurse Elden back to health and help him stalk his prey, Grimes. But as Nora and Alice both develop feelings for Elden, no one notices that Grimes is now on their tail, and the hunters become the hunted…

Run Time: 1hr 37` . MMPA: R . Release: 21 Apr 2023

Director: Raliegh Wilson

Producer:

Stars: Cam Gigandet , Chantelle Albers , Hannah James , Cord Newman , Buck Taylor , Luce Rains