El ángel y el pistolero

Angel and the Badman (1947) is a movie that I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a wounded outlaw that is picked up by a Quaker family and nursed to health. While in their care the outlaw falls in love with the daughter and hears their persistent message about non violence. When two outlaws arrive in town looking for him he will need to choose if he can follow the Quaker lifestyle or will need to revert to his old ways.

This movie is written and directed by James Edward Grant (Ring of Fear) and stars John Wayne (Hondo), Gail Russell (The Uninvited), Bruce Cabot (King Kong), Marshall Reed (Mysterious Island) and Harry Carey (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington).

The characters in this are very entertaining as is their evolution as the movie unfolds. Wayne and Russell deliver entertaining performances. The opening sped up horse riding scene gave me a chuckle and reminded me of this technique used at the time. The dialogue is very good and the religious content was fascinating, especially for when this movie was made. The settings and situations were fun. I will say the film had less action and was slower than I anticipated, but the twist shootout at the end was clever and entertaining.

Overall, this isn't the best western you'll ever see but it is unique and worth watching once. I'd score this a 7/10.

Fun movie about a cowboy named Quirt (John Wayne) who is wants to reform his ways after he meets a sweet Quaker girl. When he is shot, the Quaker family takes care of him, and after he wakes up the daughter (Gail Russell) falls in love with him. It's goofy and cliché, sure, but there's a really fine movie to be found in the familiar setup. Writer/director Grant create many good vignettes. There are several wonderful supporting characters who add a lot of worth to the proceedings, including Harry Carey as a marshall, Lee Dixon as one of Quirt's friends and old partners in crime, Tom Powers as the local, scientific, atheist doctor, and Olin Howlin as the town telegrapher. Howlin's character is pure comic relief, very humorously claiming a long friendship with Quirt, though he only saw him once when he was almost unconscious. Then Carey's character is wryly comedic: as the marshall, he's constantly stalking Quirt. He's sure that someday he'll get to hang the guy, and he harps on it constantly. The chemistry between Wayne and Russell adds an unexpected poignancy to the film. The scene where the two pick blackberries is simply beautiful, and their wordless climactic exchange is perfectly performed. Good action sequences, as well. 9/10.

Angel and the Badman is written and directed by James Edward Grant. It stars John Wayne, Gail Russell, Harry Carey, Bruce Cabot, Irene Rich, Lee Dixon and Stephen Grant. Music is by Richard Hageman and cinematography by Archie J. Stout.

Quirt Evans (Wayne), a notorious gunman is hurt and on the run. Taken in by The Worth's, a Quaker family, Quirt forms a "special" bond with daughter Penelope (Russell). With the law and other badmen on his tail, will Quirt change his ways before it's too late?

John Wayne's first film as a producer and star is also his most romantic. That's not to say it lacks action or Wayne's fine tuning of his macho image is halted, because that's not the case, but this carries a dreamy like old fashioned value that has helped the film endear over the years. It's a touch too slow at times for its own good and runs for ten minutes longer than was needed, things that no doubt stunted its financial growth at the 1947 box office, but there is much to enjoy here.

Technical values are high, from Stout's photography that beautifully realises locations in Sedona, Arizona (Monument Valley standing out, naturally!), to cast performances from Carey, Wayne and the gorgeous Miss Russell (chemistry unbound between the three actors), film never lacks for quality. Memorable scenes are plenty, such as The Duke sitting in a chair facing down three henchmen led by Cabot's Laredo Stevens; his gun empty, a free-for-all punch up in a saloon, and some very tender moments between Wayne and Russell. While narratively there's the deft pitching of Quaker values into a wild west setting.

A lovely film which also manages to pump the adrenaline as well. 7.5/10

DVD version viewed was Region 2 taken out of the John Wayne Out West 6 film Box Set. A good quality black and white print.

A man on horseback races across the arid landscape. His horse faulters and throws the man. This is how The Angel and The Badman begins.

Wayne is Quirt Evans, a man with a past. He is rescued by beautiful Gail Russell, a Quaker girl with a strong, silent father and a marvelous, generous mother who makes donuts and cakes that melt in your mouth, but according to her are, "not very good, the flour you know...".

Poor Quirt never has a chance. He is healed body and soul by this devoted family. But not before he must taste his old way of life one more time, which leads to a dramatic conclusion.

John Wayne never looked better on film then in The Angel and The Badman. In one scene, he wakes from a coma, hears a noise, gropes for his gun, which is under the pillow and rises, gun in hand to face a startled and stunning Russell. The sight of John Wayne, shirtless, his hair un-combed and his gorgeous, almost purple eyes taking in the lovely lady in front of him, is something no woman from 6 to 106 should miss. If you are a fan already and have seen this delightful film, you know what I mean. If you are new to John Wayne, check to one out and fall in love.

Harry Carey plays the Marshal of the territory who keeps track of Quirt, not completely convinced of his conversion, until the surprising climax. Carey's quiet authority is wonderful to watch, and his sly humor a tonic.

The Dr. here over-plays his role, but he can be forgiven. The neighbor who has denied water to the Quaker settlement but is convinced by Quirt(without the force of his famous gun), to "be a good neighbor" and remove the top two boards holding back the water that used to flow into flums and irrigation ditches, is a real old west character. Films today just don't use actors with faces like his any longer. Too bad.

Yes indeed, The Angel and The Badman is a wonderful, old fashioned film. The kind they don't make any longer, but should.

John Wayne's performance in this film is one of my favorites from his long (if not exceptionally versatile) career. As an embittered gunslinger groping his way toward love and redemption, he makes the character's inner growth apparent by not allowing it to come to the surface except in neatly timed glance, frowns and smiles. The cool detachment of his character reminds us that he is really more dangerous than the young Penny (Gail Russell) perceives, and more thoughtful than those who know him as a gunfighter understand.

As dramatic action film, the film is well paced, and glows with considerable polish throughout. The production team is that of John Ford's of the time, and they are in top form here. Writer-director Grant (another Ford insider) has given us an excellent script and able direction.

The film was produced by John Wayne himself, who knew a good story, and who here allows us an odd insight into his personal politics - which were far more complicated than his right-wing fans or left-wing detractors ever understood. In the wake of the Second World War (and we all remember Wayne's war films), Wayne here produced one of the best defenses of religion-based pacifism on film. It should be remembered that during the First World War, Woodrow Wilson had pacifists jailed; in a little known incident in Wyoming Army recruiters dragged several Amish into jail and beat them brutally - several died. If I had to choose between Woodrow Wilson and John Wayne for president, I'd vote for Wayne.

Angel and the Badman speaks well of Wayne's conscience, and reminds us that, in his own rough way, he could respect the honest consciences of others. Whatever else we think of him, let us remember that he was a man who deserved - and gave - respect. This is, over all, the most respectful film he ever made, giving us his most respectable performance.