Angel and the Badman |  | Director: James Edward Grant
Actors: John Wayne, Gail Russell, Harry Carey, Bruce Cabot, Irene Rich
Studio: Alpha Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $7.98
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Rating:  41 reviews
Sales Rank: 18911
Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 100 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
UPC: 089218606297
EAN: 0089218606297
ASIN: B00009NH89
Theatrical Release Date: February 15, 1947
Release Date: July 22, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com
How can you go wrong with a movie featuring the great Harry Carey as a philosophical lawman named Wistful McClintock? Well sir (or ma'am), you can't, and this first production from John Wayne's personal unit at Republic is simply one of the loveliest Westerns anybody ever made. The producer-star plays gunslinger Quirt Evans who, wounded by his archrival Laredo Stevens (Bruce Cabot), is taken in and sheltered by a Quaker family--in particular, by the daughter of the household, a dark-eyed angel (Gail Russell) who could entice Satan himself to the path of virtue. Not that these good people get pushy about converting "Brother Evans." For his part, Marshal McClintock, who's amiably looked forward to hanging Quirt someday, keeps dropping by to see which happens first--Quirt's reformation, or Laredo's return to finish the job he started. Entrusting the direction to screenwriter James Edward Grant, Wayne bolstered Grant's debut by tapping Yakima Canutt to handle the hard-riding second-unit stuff. The Duke also stole a few moves from a little project he'd been working on with Howard Hawks, Red River. Such larceny may have been superfluous. Grant wrote far and away the best script Wayne had ever had at Republic, creating a gallery of memorable characters (including comparative bystanders) and developing some very entertaining business for them--especially for such juicy character actors as Paul Hurst (the Quakers' mean-spirited neighbor), Olin Howlin (a braggadocious telegraph operator), and Hank Worden. The result was a minor classic deftly blending humor, romance, authentic sweetness, and just enough leathery menace to keep things on the generic up-and-up. This one's a real treat. --Richard T. Jameson
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 41
Odd pacifistic-themed Wayne western most notable for fine supporting cast March 11, 2010
Muzzlehatch (the walls of Gormenghast)
This is I think one of the stranger John Wayne westerns in many respects, with a mostly pacifistic message and virtually no gunplay. It's the first film he made with his own production company, John Wayne Productions - which eventually became the better-known Batjac - and it's one of just a handful of films he made in the genre from 1940-47, a period when most of his output was war films. The director is James Edward Grant, a screenwriter who was a friend of the Duke's and worked mostly with him and only had one other directorial credit seven years later - a Mickey Spillane film with the writer playing himself. It's probably fair to assume that Wayne had a lot of input on the direction of the film, which isn't necessarily a good thing, unless you think THE ALAMO and THE GREEN BERETS represent him at his finest.
But not to worry, this is pretty decent, all around. Our lead is Quirt Evans, onetime lawman and now apparent gunfighter-for-hire, holed up just as the film begins at the farm of the Worths, a family of Quaker settlers, with a gunshot wound. Penelope Worth, the daughter, played by the stunningly gorgeous Gail Russell, can't help but fall for our hero of course, who decides to stick around and avoid his troubles for a little while after he heals up. Soon enough though he gets the itch to hit the trail again - and also feels self-conscious about this peaceful religious family helping him out (they go so far as to give him a Bible with his name embossed on it) and so takes off. After a period of hellraising in a wild town and losing money at a casino he decides to go into some rustling, but eventually has some second thoughts and ends up back with the Worths. That doe-eyed Penny is really something.
Alas peace and quiet are not to be, as bad guy Laredo Stevens (Bruce Cabot) and his henchmen just won't let ol' Quirt be, despite his being reputedly the fastest gun in that part of the west. And Marshall Wist McClintock (gotta love the names in this film - there's also a "Hondo" which, like McClintock, provided a title for a later Wayne film) is keeping a serious eye on Quirt too, not believing for a second that he's ready to settle down with the peaceful Friends. Eventually Penny gets hurt, and Quirt can't take Laredo & company's actions any longer, and he decides to do something about it...but the ending of the film is in keeping (generally speaking) with the violence-as-last-resort theme, and I think you'll be able to guess what kind of choice Quirt will make, and also how Marshall McClintock will deal with the matter.
It's a bit silly and the moralism a bit simplistic, but Wayne is fine, Russell is just lovely and quite believable as the lovestruck kid, and there's some terrific work from old stalwarts like Carey and Lee Dixon as Quirt's rather cynical but good-natured friend Randy, as well as a solid saloon brawl and some good riding stunts for all the action aficionados. All in all well worth a look for any fans of Wayne or westerns from this period. Alas there don't seem to be any really good prints of it around; I have this fairly poor VHS but it doesn't look like the DVDs that exist are all that much better, except possibly the Goodtimes disc that a few other reviewers have mentioned. That's probably the one to check out.
 excellent movie July 5, 2009
Judy M. Owens
I like John Wayne movies and this is one of my favorite! It is packed with action,passionate romance, and adventure!!
 Not "remastered" January 20, 2009
Video Fan (Sacramento, CA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Although this version is advertised as "remastered," don't believe it. The video quality is terrible - grainy, fuzzy. Don't repeat my mistake.
Great Wayne Film November 21, 2008
Johnny 5 (NY)
One of my all-time favorite movies and, in my opinion, one of Waynes best. This one's got it all. Comedy, drama, and redemption. Both the John Wayne and Gail Russell give fine lead performances supported by a colorful cast of characters. I highly recommend this movie to all John Wayne fans. .
A New Romance or Not? Old Ways or New? September 14, 2008
Jan Peczkis (Chicago IL, USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Gunslinger Quirt Evans always had a rough life. His parents were killed by Indians, and he was raised by cowboys. He is accustomed to a life of rootlessness, violence, liquor, loose women, and gambling. The sheriff follows this badman around, expecting to nail him on a new misdeed.
All this seems to change, in this romantic old western, when Penelope, a young woman of the Quaker family that is nursing the bullet-wounded Evans back to health, falls in love with him. He gradually warms up to her. But she wonders--does love come all at once, or gradually? More important, are the feelings mutual?
The Quaker family prays that a greedy neighbor will let them have enough water for their flocks. Evans goes to the neighbor, and uses "friendly persuasion" to get him to release the water. It is even better than that. He completely changes his attitude to the Quaker family. "God works in mysterious ways," the family concludes.
In time, Evans has had enough of all the religiosity and "dullness". He leaves the farm, and goes back to his old life. Will he ever return to the heartbroken Penelope?
Evans is about to have a shootout with the men who originally wounded him. Just then, the Quaker family arrives on horse-drawn cart. Penelope, adhering to the Quaker belief in non-violence, persuades Evans to turn over his gun to her. Evans is then told by his adversaries to move away from the women, and to turn around. What now? Is he dead meat?
Showing reviews 1-5 of 41
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