Posters' reactions to A Lawless Street divide sharply between most who think it's a comfortable classic and a few who complain of its poor writing and flat acting. I'm a considerable Randolph Scott fan, and Angela Lansbury looks great in her tight period costumes, but there's little chemistry and their script doesn't help. The theme of civilizing the west is respectable, with the town as "beast" a fair metaphor, but aside from horses and drinking, the words don't become flesh as Columbia earns its rep as the cheap studio. The only interesting part of the writing is the names: Calem, Asaph, Harley. The score is strangely inappropriate, and the second half seems rushed compared to the building of character in the first half. The populous cast is of some talent and interest, but some characters look alike and appear after such long intervals that they're hard to tell apart. Still and all, Scott has the power of his generation to turn any part into his trademark character of integrity, and Angela seems like a visitor from another planet or studio.

The main reason for wanting to see 'A Lawless Street' was for the cast. Randolph Scott is a Western genre icon, with the best of his Budd Boetticher work being especially notable, and Angela Lansbury has been a favourite of mine for years (ever since 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' and 'Murder She Wrote' has always been great escapism). Did like the idea for the story and have liked many Westerns, though there are also a fair share of not so good ones.

One of those not so good ones is unfortunately 'A Lawless Street'. It is not awful (it takes me a lot to call any film and such that these days) and has a few things that work quite well, like some of the cast, but overall it is very routine and tired feeling with nobody really being at their best and also tries to do too much. So it is a very uneven experience, frustratingly so somewhat, and in storytelling writing there are plenty of infinitely better Westerns out there than 'A Lawless Street'.

Visually, it looks fine with the photography being slick and stylish while not being basic or overblown. The scenery is beautiful too even if not the real thing. The music doesn't overbear or intrude.

While agreeing that Scott looks tired and is not at his best, his charisma and grit are still present. Ruth Donnelly also has spark and Don Megowan does a great job as the most interesting and most well rounded character.

Did however find most of the cast undistinguished in stock roles and Lansbury is uncharacteristically bland in a role that is underwritten. Didn't detect much chemistry between her and Scott, and it felt more like a father daughter relationship than a romance. So the film is a failure on the romance front. 'A Lawless Street' suffers also from a lot of things. It is very routine in action, with nothing new done with territory that is not really that original or that interesting, with a conclusion that is very soppy in a tacked on way and lacking in excitement or tension.

It is not a well written film, it doesn't sound natural and a lot of the dialogue is over explanatory and soapy. Too many of the characters are one dimensional, with only Megowan's having any form of complexity, and the direction is indicative of a director that didn't have much experience or interest. The pacing is pedestrian and too many elements are included with nowhere near enough done with any of them. Even the few twists provided feel tired.

Concluding, disappointing. 4/10.

In Medicine Bend, Marshal Calem Ware {Randolph Scott} is the man that brought law and order to the town, supported by the powerful rancher Asaph Dean (James Bell) and his reputation; his skill with his gun is frequently tested by gunners that unsuccessfully challenge him. When the greedy local businessman Hamer Thorne (Warner Anderson) brings the actress Tally Dickenson (Angela Lansbury) to perform a show for the locals, Calem is haunted by his past since Tally is his wife that left him in Apache Wells due to his dangerous way of life. Meanwhile Thorne associates to the scum Cody Clark (John Emery) and together they hire the outlaw Harley Baskam (Michael Pate) that is considered the fastest gunner in the region to duel with Calem and kill him and leave Medicine Bend ready for their dirty businesses.

"A Lawless Street" is a good western about a man that makes the difference in a small town. I am not a great fan of this genre, but I like a lot the elegant Randolph Scott, an actor that successfully performs the typical sheriff or cowboy in these movies. His characters have usually the same characteristics of a honest man with a past. Angela Lansbury is an actress that I used to see ad an old lady, and is it nice to see her with thirty year-old only. Michael Pate, Warner Anderson and John Emery perform great villains. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Obrigado a Matar" ("Forced to Kill")