TENSION AT TABLE ROCK

US, 1956, 83 minutes, Colour.
Richard Egan, Dorothy Malone, Billy Chapin, Cameron Mitchell, De Forest Kelly, Angie Dickenson.
Directed by Charles Marquis Warren.

Tension at Table Rock is an interesting and enjoyable western, one of so many of the '50s. It is in the tradition of the great westerns of the '50s and audiences will recognise echoes of films like Shane and High Noon. The film has a strong cast, especially in its supporting character actors. Direction is by Charles Marcus Warren, a veteran writer and director of westerns. There is a score by Oscar-winning Dimitri Tiomkin and a song, 'The Ballad of Wes Tancred'.

1. An entertaining and interesting western? Of the '50s? Themes of the lone gunfighter, the gunfighter and the young boy, the sheriff and the lack of support in the town?

2. Location photography, colour? The western plains and mountains? The towns? Dimitri Tiomkin's score? The ballad?

3. The title and its focus on the issues?

4. The focus on Wes Tancred? The opening, the betrayal, the people attacking Tancred and believing the worst of him? His bitterness? His leaving the town? The dangers on his life? The encounter with Burrows and his son? The bandits? The death of Burrows? The relationship. between Tancred and Jody? Table Rock and the visit to Fred Miller? The encounter with Lorna Miller? Miller and his loss of nerve? Tancred and his ~staying, keeping himself detached? The saloon and the encounters with Kirk? The cattlemen coming to town? The shooting up of the town? The clash with Hampton? Tancred helping Miller?. The tension with Lorna, her devotion to her husband, her grief at his fears? Tancred restoring law and order, the attempt on his life by Kirk and Miller's helping him? Tancred able to leave? His being a model for Jody?

5. Sheriff Miller and his place in the town, his reputation as a man of justice? His fears, loss of nerve? Support of Lorna? Jody coming to stay? The friendship with Tancred? The pressures by Hampton, by Kirk? His inability to enforce the law? The protests of the town? His succumbing to pressure? His shooting of Kirk? His ability to regain confidence?

6. Lorna and her love for her husband, her being ashamed by his weakness? The attraction to Tancred? her taking Jody? Her life in the town? The farewell?

7. Jody and his father, their support, Jody's stories about Wes Tancred, hero-worship? In the town, at the Millers', running away? Tancred bringing him back? His watching the proceedings? Admiration for Tancred?

8. Hampton and the cattlemen, their arrogance, taking over the town? The pressure on Miller? The confrontation with Tancred? Kirk and his double-dealings, wanting to have a gunfighter, the killing of Tancred? Shootouts? Kirk's death?

9. Familiar western themes? The frontier, law and order? Heroes of the West? Legends and ballads?