Wed 26 May 2021
Archived Western Movie Review: THE BADLANDERS (1958).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , Western movies[6] Comments
THE BADLANDERS. MGM, 1958. Alan Ladd, Ernest Borgnine, Katy Jurado, Claire Kelly, Kent Smith, Nehemiah Persoff. Based on the novel The Asphalt Jungle by W. R. Burnett (1949). Director: Delmer Daves.
I suppose I should tell you that I haven’t yet gotten around to seeing the earlier version of this movie, nor have I read the book. All I know is that it has a pretty good reputation (the movie, I mean; I don’t know about the book). Whose idea it was to turn it into a western, I don’t know that either, but it was a lousy idea.
At least it’s one that didn’t come off, in terms of putting it into practice. I’m not surer what went wrong. The actors are professional and competent, and they seem enthusiastic enough. (Or in Alan Ladd’s case, as enthusiastic as he ever seems to get.) I would lay most of the blame on the people responsible for the script.
But maybe I should tell you what the story’s about first. Ladd is a mining engineer or geologist who’s been framed for stealing some gold; Borgnine is a simpler sort who’s been cheated out of a mine (or the land it was on; it wasn’t entirely clear) and jailed for retaliating the only way he knew. They leave Yuma Prison at the same time, but not on so friendly terms with each other. Nevertheless, they decide to team up and steal some ore that’s still in a vein that only Alan Ladd knows about.
Along the way somehow or another they become friends. Male bonding. Borgnine also saves a Mexican woman (Katy Jurado) from some overfriendly white men, and before you know it, he has moved in with her, full of surprisingly cheerful good will toward mankind.
The heist comes off – don’t ask me how they can carry around three large bags of gold ore worth $200,000 (or more) with as little effort as this – and what it so unpredictable about the rest of the movie is that no one would predict anything as predictable as what happens next. If you see what I mean.

May 26th, 2021 at 4:10 pm
Well, I hope you’ve caught up with the Huston film now! I’m surprised they said this one was based on Burnett’s book – it sounds very different.
May 26th, 2021 at 8:03 pm
Since Burnett himself was a producer on this one if he says it is based on his book I think it may be, but not as closely as COLORADO TERRITORY was based on HIGH SIERRA, and as for the idea to turn it into a Western, I for one thinK CT is a better movie than HS so that may well have been the inspiration. Burnett wrote almost as many Westerns as hard-boiled novels starting with SAINT JOHNSON.
This is not a better movie than ASPHALT JUNGLE, but is actually one of my favorites, a strong script, strong performances, actual suspense, and a well done Western caper film.
Ernest Borgnine is at his most subdued, and best in this and well matched by Katy Jurado, and Ladd is the perfect balance of enigmatic and tough.
It’s another of those horse races things. I think this is one of the best adult Westerns of the era and one of Ladd’s best films.
May 26th, 2021 at 9:20 pm
As I was retyping this review to post here on this blog, I was trying to recall what I could of the movie itself. What I had to say might be more negative than it should have been, but I still do not remember it as more than an average western. I will have to watch it again.
But not before I watch ASPHALT JUNGLE for the first time. That’s the other thing I realized while typing up this review. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve always intended to watch it, but I still haven’t.
May 26th, 2021 at 10:23 pm
ASPHALT JUNGLE is in the running for best film noir ever and certainly is a must see film. I’ve seen it several times. The ending is one of the saddest endings filmed. The shootout with the crooked private eye is stunning. The BADLANDERS cannot even begin to compare with it.
May 27th, 2021 at 8:03 am
Undoubtedly the least of Delmer Daves’ Westerns.
May 27th, 2021 at 10:07 pm
I envy anyone who has yet to experience, ‘Asphalt Jungle’.