He gave the West justice right up to its neck... then rammed more down its throat.
While passing through the town of Bannock, a bunch of drunken cattlemen go overboard with their celebrating and accidentally kill an old man with a stray shot. They return home to Sabbath unaware of his death. Bannock lawman Jered Maddox later arrives there to arrest everyone involved on a charge of murder. Sabbath is run by land baron Vince Bronson, a benevolent despot, who, upon hearing of the death, offers restitution for the incident.
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Character
Grave, classical in form, earnest and nostalgic.
- gravecomic
- classical in formformally daring
- earnestironic
- contemporarynostalgic
- warmbleak
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“Is Burt Lancaster the best thing in Lawman?”
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“Is the nostalgia doing the heavy lifting?”
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“Is the antagonist more compelling than the protagonist?”
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- CinemaSerfon TMDB · May 20236/10
Whilst Michael Winner has certainly assembled quite a formidable cast here, the story is itself pretty derivative and unremarkable. It all centres around Sheriff "Maddox" (Burt Lancaster) who pursues some ranch-hands to a neighbouring town after their boisterous behaviour resulted in the death of an old man. This town "Sabbath" has a marshal of it's own in "Ryan" (an underused Robert Ryan) who is a long time friend of the town's kingpin "Bronson" (Lee J. Cobb). Now the latter man is initially quite sympathetic to the plight of their visitor, but as it becomes clearer that there is no prospect of compromise, and that "Bronson" is not about to surrender his men, we are soon set on a collision course. The production has a quality to it, the on-screen charisma from both Lancaster and Cobb is effective and some effort has been made to imbue most of the main characters with some semblance of integrity - tempered, of course, by their years in this environment that was won and held at the point of a gun. That said, though, it's a story we have watched many times before. It is still a well constructed tribute to or reminiscence of a now dying genre that is worth a watch, even if it's unlike
Read the whole review on TMDB - Wuchakon TMDB · Dec 20198/10
***“Do you know what a lawman is? He's a killer of men”*** A grim marshal (Burt Lancaster) enters the town of Sabbath to apprehend the cattlemen guilty of accidently killing a man during a rowdy celebration while passing through his town. But the lawman finds resistance from everyone because the perpetrators work for the cattle baron (Lee J. Cobb) who “owns” the town and its sheriff (Robert Ryan). Sheree North plays his old flame while Robert Duvall, Robert Jordan, Albert Salmi and Ralph Waite are on hand as the cattlemen. "Lawman" (1971) explores the nature of law & justice in the context of the Old West and compels the viewer to choose sides. The days of the Wild West are over and civilization has arrived, which means there are legal consequences to unruly behavior that results in unintentional death. The townsfolk want the matter swept under the rug and everyone simply paid off by the rich baron. However, lucre isn’t what interests Maddox (Lancaster), but rather fulfilling his responsibility and ultimately justice. The plot was lifted from “Man with the Gun” (1955) and is also similar to “Last Train from Gun Hill” (1959), but with the tone of contemporary Westerns like “Firecree
Read the whole review on TMDB - John Chardon TMDB · Jun 20178/10
I'm a lawman. Do you know what a lawman is, Crowe? He's a killer of men. Lawman is directed by Michael Winner and written by Gerry Wilson. It stars Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan, Lee J. Cobb, Robert Duvall, Sheree North and Richard Jordan. Music is by Jerry Fielding and cinematography by Robert Paynter. The Lawman of the title is Jared Maddox (Lancaster), who arrives in the town of Sabbath to serve warrants on the group of rowdies responsible for the death of an old man. His cold hearted approach to his work, however, doesn't endear him to the townsfolk. A man gets caught in his own doing. Can't change what you are, and if you try, something always calls you back. Traditional Western that deals in the conflict between law and justice, Lawman, like the leading man, broods significantly. The overriding theme of if Maddox's enforcement of the law justify's the means, is tailor made for Winner's affinity for all things vengeance flavoured. Violence is not in short supply, the director gleefully keeping things gory, and the characterisations of the principal players are smartly complex. The excellent cast turn in equally great performances, the Durango locales are beautifully utilised by
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Cast
- Burt LancasterBannock Marshal Jared Maddox
- Robert RyanSabbath Marshal Cotton Ryan
- Lee J. CobbVincent Bronson
- Robert DuvallVernon Adams
- Sheree NorthLaura Shelby
- Albert SalmiHarvey Stenbaugh
- Richard JordanCrowe Wheelwright
- John McGiverSabbath Mayor Sam Bolden
- Ralph WaiteJack Dekker
- John BeckJason Bronson
Crew
- Michael WinnerDirector
- Gerald WilsonWriter
- Robert PaynterDirector of Photography
- Jerry FieldingOriginal Music Composer
- Frederick WilsonEditor
- Michael WinnerProducer
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Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
Warlock 195982% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
The Tarnished Angels 195782% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
The Wolfman 201081% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
Dracula 197981% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
Psycho II 198381% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
3:10 to Yuma 200780% alikeBoth classical in form, grave, earnest.
Firecreek 196880% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, nostalgic.
The Strange Woman 194679% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
Combat! 196276% alikeTelevision · Both grave, classical in form, earnest.
Ripper Street 201276% alikeTelevision · Both classical in form, grave, earnest.
Often watched with
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