You should hang today

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Movie
German title You should hang today
Original title Star in the Dust
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1956
length 80 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director Charles F. Haas
script Oscar Brodney
production Albert Zugsmith
music Frank Skinner
camera John L. Russell
cut Ray Snyder
occupation
synchronization

You should still hang today (original title: Star in the Dust ) is an American western directed by Charles F. Haas from 1956 . The screenplay by Oscar Brodney was based on the novel At the End of the Gallows by Wayne D. Overholser (published under the pseudonym Lee Leighton ). The film premiered on May 2, 1956 in the USA. It was released in German cinemas in autumn 1956.

action

In the small town of Gunlock, a gallows is being set up for the imprisoned gunslinger Sam Hall, who shot three farmers. In fact, he was only hired by the wealthy ranchers in the area to intimidate the farmers who claim their own land. Since the ranchers feel obliged to Hall, they want to save him from the gallows.

Hall is therefore certain that he will not be hanged. When he visits his friend Nellie, he gives two letters: One of them is the request not only to intimidate the farmers, but to kill them. In the other letter he is promised that he will be saved from the gallows. Hall received both letters from the rancher and banker George Ballard.

Nellie tells Ellen Ballard, George's sister and sheriff Bill Jorden's fiancé, that her brother instigated her friend Hall to commit the murders. When Ellen confronts her brother about it, he denies it. He tells her that the ranchers are going to free Hall. Ellen is supposed to distract Bill so your fiance doesn't get hurt. George's wife Nan Hogan also learns of her husband's letters. So that he is not held responsible, Nan also wants to help with the liberation of Hall. While Ellen distracts her fiancé, Nan and Nellie manage to smuggle a revolver into the cell. This is how Hall manages to take the deputy sheriff by surprise. Hall still brags to his cell mate Jess Ryman that he shot the farmers on their own land. But the attempt to break out fails because old Orval stops the gunslinger.

Meanwhile, Nan learns from Nellie that the letters are indeed from Ballard. After an argument between the two women, Nan hands the letters to Bill and tells him about Ellen's involvement in the attempted escape. Bill confronts George about the letters, a fight ensues, which Bill can win. When Bill receives the news that the ranchers are riding into town, he leaves George behind. When the farmers come to town, the sheriff is between the fronts. He separates the two hostile groups by leaving the prison with the prisoner and taking him to the gallows. The situation only eases when Jess Ryman tells the ranchers what Hall had told him in the cell and that they were not obliged to him anything as a result. Ellen, who in the meantime has had her brother named by Nan as the author of the letters, prevents George from shooting her fiancé. As a result, Bill kills George and Sam is hanged.

background

Clint Eastwood can be seen here in his first western role, but his little appearance as ranch worker Tom was not mentioned in the film credits.

Oscar Brodney's script is based on the novel At the End of the Gallows (in the original: Lawman ) by Wayne D. Overholser, who used one of his numerous pseudonyms for the publication, in this case Lee Leighton . In 1953 he won the Spur Award for it.

The English folk song Sam Hall serves the street musicians played by Terry Gilkyson as an accompanying theme throughout the film.

reception

kino.de called the film an "acceptable B-Western."

The verdict of the Lexicon of International Films : “Harter B-Western; Clint Eastwood's first western role. "

synchronization

role actor Voice actor
Ellen Ballard Mamie van Doren Margot Leonard
George Ballard Leif Erickson Wolfgang Eichberger
Jess Ryman Stuart Randall Kurt Waitzmann
Lew Hogan Harry Morgan Friedrich Joloff
Mike MacNamara Paul Fix Wolf Martini
Nellie Mason Coleen Gray Marion Degler
Orval Jones James Gleason Franz Weber
Sam Hall Richard Boone Arnold Marquis
Sheriff Bill Jorden John Agar Gert Günther Hoffmann
Tom Clint Eastwood Michael Chevalier

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Western authors: Wayne D. Overholser. In: Zauberspiegel (blog). Retrieved November 1, 2019 .
  2. ^ Wayne D. Overholser: Wayne's Books. Retrieved November 1, 2019 .
  3. ↑ Short review on Kino.de, accessed October 29, 2019.
  4. ↑ You are supposed to hang today. In: Lexicon of International Films. filmdienst.de, accessed on November 1, 2019 .
  5. ↑ You are supposed to hang today. In: synchronkartei.de. German synchronous index , accessed on October 29, 2019 .