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Ride the High Country (1962)

Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea will probably be remembered as the top “B” western stars in movies. But their last film “Ride the High Country” stands as an “A” western and a very good one too.

Perhaps they owe this final chance to director Sam Peckinpah who turns the story into a splendid film in its genre shot in beautiful outdoor sceneries, with very well managed action scenes, a credible script, great settings and a fine musical score too.

Two moments are particularly outstanding in my opinion: the sort of “Fellinesc” sequence at the wedding with all those bizarre characters and the final showdown where Scott and McCrea face the mean Hammond brothers (John Anderson, James Drury and Warren Oates) in the “old fashioned way”.

A well deserved “A” product for both actors -that amused and thrilled us western fans- through their long careers in the genre.