Overview: A timeless Western from director Anthony Mann (Winchester ’73, The Far Country), The Tin Star showcases the director’s ingenuity within the genre, taking it to new heights that elevate and surpass the conventional hero-villain dynamic.

When veteran bounty hunter Morg Hickman (Henry Fonda, My Darling Clementine) rolls into town, he finds the population paralyzed by fear. The local sheriff has been killed, leaving the inexperienced Ben Owens (Anthony Perkins, Psycho) to fill the void with the hope of securing a permanent position.

Morg discovers that the newly appointed young sheriff is having difficulty facing the provocations of a notorious bully, Bart Bogardus (Neville Brand, Riot in Cell Block 11). Morg, a former sheriff, takes it upon himself to teach Owens how to assert himself and maintain order.

Featuring memorable performances by its all-star cast and a stunning score by composer Elmer Bernstein, The Tin Star is a gripping tale that delves into the evolving dynamic between two contrasting characters as they navigate the harsh realities of the Old West.

Blu-ray Verdict: Does going into this mighty fine Western knowing that James Stewart was originally supposed to play Morgan Hickman deter the viewing experience in any way? No, guess not, but watching its opening few scenes and it does mess with your viewing mind a little, sure.

Regardless, Anthony Mann made this superlative western after completing the last of the Jimmy Stewart westerns, (The Man from Laramie), and before he made the Gary Cooper starring Man of the West and somehow it got lost along the way -- despite having been nominated for a BAFTA Best Film award.

And, as aforementioned, instead of either Stewart or Cooper, Mann cast Henry Fonda as the laconic, decent bounty hunter who take a greenhorn young sheriff, (a beautifully cast Anthony Perkins), under his wing.

It’s a very simple, traditional piece, shot in black and white by Loyal Griggs and dealing very much in black and white issues. It is a movie with straightforward heroes and villains, (Neville Brand is principal among the bad guys), a strong heroine, (Betsy Palmer), and even a sweet, likable kid, (Michael Ray).

If it lacks the psychological undercurrents of other Mann westerns it more than makes up for it in good old-fashioned action and suspense and thus, in my eyes, of all his westerns this may be the most underrated.

Fonda plays a former sheriff turned bounty hunter who decided it was far better and easier to just bring ’em in any which way and collect a reward. As we all know from the many westerns we’ve seen bounty hunters were not respectable, but they certainly were necessary and they didn’t have the same constraints as regular law enforcement.

Anthony Perkins is the new sheriff in a town where Fonda’s come to claim a reward. But he’s pretty green and nearly gets killed by town bully Neville Brand, but for Fonda’s intervention. He asks Fonda for some lessons in how to do the job. Turns out he gets them in the nick of time.

The Tin Star is not as good as some of the westerns Mann did with Jimmy Stewart, but it’s passable enough entertainment. Both Fonda and Perkins have love interests, Fonda with widow Betsy Palmer and Perkins with Mary Webster the daughter of the previous sheriff.

Palmer was previously married to an Indian and is raising a son by him played by Michel Ray. She’s shunned by a lot of the respectable folks in town like Brand who has a mean and vicious racist streak in him as well. The Tin Star raises an issue of racism that Mann had not tackled in any of his films since Devil’s Doorway.

John McIntire is in the film as well as the beloved town doctor. McIntire was a regular in several Mann films and usually was a villain in them. His murder by Lee Van Cleef sets off the events for the climax of the film.

And, oh boy, what an ending this movie has! Add to that the traditional story and exciting screenplay by Dudley Nichols won Academy Award nominations. The wonderful cinematography in black-and-white is superbly caught by cameraman Loyal Griggs. And there is even an atmospheric and lively musical score by the infamous Elmer Bernstein.

Special Features:
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original lossless mono audio, and optional 2.0 stereo and 5.1 surround audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on all films
Brand new audio commentary by film historian Toby Roan
Apprenticing a Master – a brand new appreciation of the film by author and critic Neil Sinyard
Beyond the Score – a brand new interview with Peter Bernstein, son of Elmer Bernstein, on his father’s timeless musical mastery
Original theatrical trailer
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley
Six postcard-sized reproduction artcards
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw, and original press notes

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