DVD/Blu Ray Review: The Audie Murphy Collection

Three of Audie Murphy's best westerns films during his 1950s tenure at Universal studios have been released on blu ray by Kino Lorber. They are "The Duel At Silver Creek" (1952), "Ride a Crooked Trail" (1958), and "No Name on the Bullet" (1959).

Of course the most important thing about Audie Murphy is his military heroism. He is, famously, the most decorated soldier of World War Two. In 1945, James Cagney saw Murphy's picture, and read his story, in Life Magazine. Believing he had star quality, Cagney brought him to Hollywood, wanting to use his famous heroism as a ploy and his boyish good looks as a selling point, for a movie career. He signed him to a contract with his and brother Bill Cagney's production company trained him in acting, voice and dance. But, after two years, they still had never cast him in a movie. So, he left the Cagney company and began studying with acting coach Estelle Herman. It was his girlfriend, actress Wanda Hendrix (whom he later married), who hooked him up with an agent. This resulted in a few bit parts, and eventually a starring role in the B-level juvie drama, "Bad Boy" (1949). That same year Murphy released his autobiography, "To Hell and Back" (which would be made into a heavily Hollywoodized movie in 1955).

Each of the westerns in this collection will be discussed separately.

THE DUEL AT SILVER CREEK (1952)

Significant as the first western directed by Don Siegel, who would go on to helm such films as "Flaming Star" (1960) with Elvis Presley, "Two Mules for Sister Sara" (1970) with Clint Eastwood, and "The Shootist" (1976), which turned out to be John Wayne's final film. Audie Murphy stars as The Silver Kid, a western loner who is deputized by a Marshall (Stephen McNally) in an attempt to defeat claim jumpers. Faith Domergue stars as a supposed classy lady who attracts the Marshall but is actually in with the claim jumpers. Susan Cabot is at her cutest and most appealing as a tomboyish young woman attracted to The Silver kid. The cast is rounded out by a wondefully slimy Eugene Iglesias, a Bogart-esque Gerald Mohr, and a young Lee Marvin. Kino's blu ray features a typically interesting and enlightening commentary track by western film expert Toby Roan.

RIDE A CROOKED TRAIL (1958)

This one features Audie Murphy as an outlaw named Joe Maybe, who is being pursued by a lawman. When the lawman stumbles off a cliff and falls to his death, Maybe rides the dead man's horse into a nearby town and assumes his identity, all the while planning to rob the town's bank. His actions cause the suspicion of a judge (Walter Matthau) and are further complicated by a town visitor (Gia Scala) who knows Maybe and agrees to assist with his ruse by pretending to be his wife. This arouses the anger of the woman's actual boyfriend (Henry Silva), an outlaw who is also planning to rob the bank. Director Jesse Hibbs had worked frequently with Audie Murphy, including directing the screen version of his autobiography "To Hell and Back." This is Hibbs last theatrical feature before switching to television, where he enjoyed a very prolific career. Sadly, actress Gia Scala was told during production that her mother was dying of cancer, but she somehow got through it effectively. She would only live to be 38 years old. Kino's blu ray features another excellent commentary by Toby Roan.

NO NAME ON THE BULLET

The best movie in the set and perhaps the finest western of Audie Murphy's career, this one flirts with psychological drama. Murphy plays John Gant, a professional killer with a long and frightening reputation. He rides into a town and all of its inhabitants become terrified as to who he is there to kill. They all have enemies who would like to see them dead, and don't know if Gant has been hired for that purpose. Murphy plays Gant as very cool and calm, making him all the more terrifying. Despite his youthful face, he exudes the same sort of relaxed, murderous quality as Robert Mitchum in Night of the Hunter. Gant has a particular style. He makes his victim draw first, so that when he kills him, it is, by law, self-defense. Director Jack Arnold is perhaps best known for his science-fiction films like "It Came From Outer Space" (1953), "Creature From The Black Lagoon" (1954), and "The Incredible Shrinking Man" (1957). This is his best western film, and one of the stronger films of its time in this genre. It is immediately compelling and never lets up. Kino's beautiful color, widescreen blu ray also includes an informative commentary track from filmmakers Steve Mitchell and Gary Gerani.

Audie Murphy's western films have held up well over time, and were popular in their day. However he was never truly a part of the Hollywood community. Don Siegel recalled that Murphy would often carry a gun on the set, and that his co-actors were often afraid of him. Murphy suffered from what we now know as PTSD, could be bad tempered, and engaged in substance abuse. When he was killed in a plane crash in 1971, scores of military friends showed up at his funeral. Nobody from Hollywood was there.

This wonderful set of Audie Murphy westerns is most highly recommended and can be ordered here: Murphy Westerns.