Post by manfromplanetx on Feb 17, 2018 7:54:57 GMT
'The Tin Star' is a basic morality play that becomes something more in Mann's hands, offering a sound treatment of social concerns. Elmer Bernstein's musical backdrop is quietly captivating and the film features terrific performances from Betsy Palmer as human rights advocate Nona Mayfield, Neville Brand as scowling bigot Bart Bogardus and Mary Webster as bouncing spitfire Millie Parker. Anthony Perkins is at his cuddliest here as loveable lawman Sheriff Owens who's taken under the wing of former tin star Morgan Hickman.
His most mature body of work came under the most difficult of circumstances, the Cold War era. It was problematic for principled filmmakers such as Mann to take an overtly critical look at contemporary social life. His films came under constant scrutiny of Joseph Breen's Motion Picture Production Code of Ethics. However cleverly interwoven throughout his best films, the moral and psychological dramas an underlying social critique. The traumas, of mid-20th century are subtly characterized by fictional adventurers, lawmen and injustices of the 1800s. In these outstanding films with their immaculate visual style Mann's explores the complexities, the psychology of the human soul, social issues and he introduced a major theme in his work, an intelligent, thoughtful man driven to violence...
My top three, Man of the West , Winchester 73, Devil's Doorway...
