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Warlock
1959 122 min United States of America 12+
★7.0
Western
Director: Edward Dmytryk
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
A band of murderous cowboys has imposed a reign of terror on the town of Warlock. With the sheriff humiliatingly run out of town, the residents hire the services of Clay Blaisedell as de facto town marshal. He arrives along with his friend, Tom Morgan, and sets about restoring law and order on his own terms whilst also overseeing the establishment of a gambling house and saloon.
Budget:
$2.4M
Worldwide:
$1.7M
Starring
Richard Widmark
Actor
Henry Fonda
Actor
Anthony Quinn
Actor
Awards
1 nomination total
Key opinion
Warlock is widely regarded as a sophisticated, psychological entry in the Western genre that transcends standard tropes through its character-driven narrative. While most praise its complex performances and subversion of traditional myths, a minority of viewers find the direction and some subplots to be lackluster or tedious.
| Acting | The performances of Fonda, Quinn, and Widmark provide a powerful, multi-layered core that elevates the film beyond a standard genre exercise. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay successfully subverts traditional Western myths by exploring the moral ambiguity of gunslingers and the blurred lines between lawmen and criminals. | |
| Originality | The film utilizes an unconventional narrative structure, specifically by placing its decisive showdown earlier than expected to prioritize character development. | |
| Direction | Opinions on the direction are divided; some critics admire the film's psychological depth and mature tone, while others describe the staging of scenes as incompetent or dull. |