GamerTab That was an excellent one.

MoPoshy Absolutely brilliant

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

JohnHowardReid Copyright 1959 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Paramount: 30 April 1959. U.S. release: April 1959. U.K. release: 17 May 1959. Australian release: 6 August 1959. Sydney opening at the Regent. 10,980 feet. 122 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Warlock is a small, dusty cow-town which is dominated by a gang of ruffians and cowpunchers. After numerous killings and other incidents, the citizens hire Clay Blaisdell (Henry Fonda) to become town marshal. He is an infamous professional gunfighter who always travels with a club footed sidekick, Tom Morgan (Anthony Quinn). In addition, Johnny Gannon (Richard Widmark), until recently a member of a cowboy gang, is appointed deputy sheriff, a job paralleling Clay's and one which is noted for the short life expectancy of its holder. Jessie Marlow (Dolores Michaels), known as "The angel of Warlock", soon comes to like Clay, although she originally protested his being hired. Clay starts to clean up the town, while Morgan starts to run a gambling hall and saloon, a familiar pattern between the partners.NOTES: Negative cost: $2 million.COMMENT: In "Warlock", Dmytryk and Aurthur tried to take the formula western with its standard characters, ready-made plot and familiar backgrounds and give it some unusual and intriguing variations. That they were not wholly successful — despite a lot of earnest acting and some occasionally forceful uses of the CinemaScope screen — is due to the wordiness of the dialogue which should have been trimmed and made sharper and more realistic before shooting commenced.OTHER VIEWS: Big western... Many of the familiar elements of the western story, the frontier town cowed by unruly elements, the imported lawman with a killer's reputation, the citizens who finally assert themselves to gain control of their community, these are all part of Warlock. But the 20th-Fox presentation is an effort to take such a theme, familiar in its basic outline and carry it beyond the ordinary conclusion and behind the usual facade... The plot, dealing as it does with very complicated people, is involved, but not puzzling. Aurthur's characters and their dialogue are fresh and picturesque. Widmark's portrayal is vital, although his early position as a member of the hell-raising gang is not entirely clear. Fonda is particularly fine. It may not be a romantic conception, but Fonda gives his role great validity. - "Variety".

writers_reign The film adaptation of John Van Druten's stage success Bell, Book, And Candle was released around the same time as this oddly-named Western and chances are that several moviegoers who had seen Jack Lemmon playing a warlock (male witch) in BB&C thought they were in for more of the same. Far from it; Warlock is simply the name of the town that forms the setting, a town more or less terrorised by a local gang led by Tom Drake of all people - yep, The Boy Next Door himself, who also played Richard Rodgers in Words and Music. When enough finally becomes too much the townsfolk hire a pro, Henry Fonda, to restore law and order. On paper you couldn't find a simpler plot but in reality the film is bristling with sub-text and psychological overtones, not least the complex relationship between Fonda and his side-kick Anthony Quinn, outlaw-turned-lawman Richard Widmark's equally complex relationship with his own brother and this is before Dorothy Malone shows up harbouring all kinds of resentment against both Fonda and Quinn one or both of whom offed a man she was about to marry. In short this is a heady wine, a rich broth with fine performances from the likes of DeForest Kelly, Frank Gorshin, Wallace Ford to say nothing of the principles. Well worth a second look.

A_Different_Drummer Another one of those very unusual films that really has no analogue, no similarities, to anything before or after. A tale of a spit and polish travelling Marshall who, for a price, will show up in your town and do the dirty work that has to be done. But note he does not show up alone. Clay Blaisdell (Fonda is a role that literally no other actor on the planet could play, voice and mannerisms completely unique and unforgettable) arrives with an entourage composed of just one man. The assistant played by Anthony Quinn (who I believe had the LONGEST END TO END CAREER in the history of western film) is a fussy, detail-oriented kind of mother hen. He says his job is to watch out to make sure "no one shoots Clay in the back" (very handy to have in that profession) and later in the film (spoiler!) he lets it slip that he is actually faster on the draw than his boss! When a film is one of a kind, it is hard to rate, because what do you compare it to? Another from the stable of Edward Dmytryk, the direction is flawless. Highly recommended. And watch out for the not-too-subtle hints that Quinn's character's fondness for Fonda (!) went a little further than it was supposed to, especially when Clay suddenly drops the bomb that he wants to end the partnership and settle down with a woman.

mnkim Warlock represents one of those western timepieces when the sets, characters and colours had that certain shade to them and before the cynicism of the 60's. The classic situation where the town brings in a hired lawman to help them against an evil gang who are taking too much for granted and become too powerful.Clay has his standards albeit they are not those of normal townsfolk while his friend and to some extent mentor Tom Morgan (Quinn) has no such illusions. He is a hard faced yet likable killer probably the one man actually faster than Clay. He sets up his gambling and hostess den to earn as much money as quickly as possible and then moves on. No commitments. Quinns character could have been developed more but perhaps that might have detracted from the storyline. DeForrest Kelly is entertaining as the slightly friendly gang member while Richard Widmarks part while it follows a standard pattern of the time is sometimes corny perhaps even boring. Not a classic western in the best sense but definitely one you will find yourself looking At again and again it is simply enjoyable.