The Tin Star

When the stagecoach driver rushes into town to report that they were robbed, there is a small trail of dust following each side of the stagecoach.

When it comes to a full stop, the dust is almost completely settled down.

Next they cut to a slightly closer view of the stage and surrounding areas, and the air is full of dust all over the scene, much more than the stagecoach ever caused to fly up.

Throughout the film, Ben is shown wearing two guns, and as Tony Perkins was left handed, whenever he draws his pistol, his left hands is correctly depicted as dominant.

Yet at one point in a scene during Ben's search for the McGaffey brothers, his horse with Ben on his back, whirls around to reveal Ben only wearing one gun, and that being holstered on his right hip.

When Morg climbs up to the cave chasing the McGaffey brothers, there's a full camera shadow across him.

When Bart Bogardus staggers backwards after being shot, he hits the camera which shakes visibly.

One of the last few Anthony Mann westerns and perhaps less noted than his work with James Stewart, The Tin Star is still pretty classy stuff. Its a lively tale of duty, authority and progress, bound by quality performances and a warm hearted feel.

Once a respected sheriff, a cynical bounty hunter takes to mentoring the nervous, inexperienced young sheriff of a sleepy town in this western drama starring Henry Fonda and Anthony Perkins (in the time before he became typecast in psychopath/horror roles). A common criticism of the film seems to be the casting of a timid Perkins as a sheriff, but his uneasiness in the role is very much deliberate and the chemistry between Fonda and Perkins works every step of the way.

Stumbled onto this film on a Sunday afternoon. Not a large budget or what was spent probably went on Fonda.

An understated movie. Not sure how such a superb movie is so under the radar.

It's nice every once in a while to run into an underrated, under the radar Western like this one. At about the middle of his screen career, Henry Fonda delivers a solid performance as a former lawman turned bounty hunter who becomes embroiled in a town's troubles when it turns out the untried temporary sheriff seeks his help to become a better lawman himself.

I have seen many westerns over last 69 years but this one has totally passed me by. Delighted to catch up with it thanks to Film4.

Good westerns and director Anthony Mann go hand in hand and The Tin Star is no exception. In a lean, economical 92 minutes it tells a story, quite similar in themes to the later, more well-known John Ford opus, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

I'm not a big fan of westerns in general and can muster up only so much enthusiasm about the best of them, but "The Tin Star" is a pretty entertaining addition to the genre. Anthony Mann certainly knows his way around the wild west, and he's ably supported by Henry Fonda and Anthony Perkins, two terrific actors who are well cast in their roles as a jaded bounty hunter and the inexperienced sheriff who he takes under his wing, respectively.

Westerns of the 50's are the best and to be missed if not for the fact we can see them again via rentals, DVD's and TCM entertainment. They had the quality movie stars, great plot points, good subject matter, were educational and tugged at all our emotions.