Yellow Sky

Gregory Peck was cast against type for his role in Yellow Sky. His character, Stretch, is the leader of a gang of outlaws. It's a gang of seven & they rob a bank in a small Western town getting away with about $6,000. As they're making their escape a cavalry patrol (don't know where they came from) gets in the chase. One outlaw is killed. They're forced to escape across a salt flat that's about 60 miles across. The cavalry patrol decides not to chase them. As Stretch & his band of outlaws trek across the salt flat one outlaw loses his horse. They finally get across the salt flat & stumble upon a ghost town by the name of Yellow Sky ("The fastest growing town in the territory" a sign proclaims). The only inhabitants of the town are an old man & his daughter. To make this short, they have been prospecting for gold & have about &50,000 worth. Of course, the outlaws want it.Gregory Peck is good in the role of Stretch. Unlike most of Peck's portrayals that are urbane & suave, in Yellow Sky he has a beard & he's dirty. Anne Baxter portrays Mike, the granddaughter, & says Stretch smells bad, worse than an Apache. Other members of the gang include Richard Widmark as Dude, a gambler who wants only one thing: the gold. Dude causes an insurrection within the gang against Stretch. The gang wants the gold but Stretch is more worried about making an escape. John Russell (star of ABC's The Lawman in the late fifties) is a member of the gang also. It's a good role for him also sporting a beard. All he really wants is the woman. The only other member of the gang the general public will be familiar with would be Harry Morgan (Col. Potter of M*A*S*H) as Half-Pint. His role is minor & he also sports a beard.This isn't a bad movie. It was filmed mostly in Death Valley. Unlike most Hollywood Westerns of this era (1948) it's stark, bleak & dirty. This isn't a romanticized account though the character of Stretch does have a change of heart & direction by the conclusion of the story. The other odd thing about the movie is the lack of a musical soundtrack. Only the beginning & conclusion of the film do we hear any music. This isn't a bad movie but it's not an outstanding one, either. The main attractions are Anne Baxter in an early role & Peck's casting against type. Yellow Sky is the type of movie, if it had been made in the seventies or later, would've really been a gritty & filthy portrayal of realism. The near rape scene of Anne Baxter's character would've been considerably more graphic. It's unfortunate, at times, that today's movie makers don't allow us to use our imaginations more instead of the graphic violence & sex scenes that they show us.

Gregory Peck stars in this William Wellman directed Western from Fox.Peck is very believable an as "good"-"bad man",he's the leader of the a gang of bank robbers which include Richard Widmark,as a gang member who just can't waite to take over as leader,Charles Kemper,Henry Morgan,Robert Arthur,and John Russell.After robbing the bank and escaping,from the law,thru salt flats,they come across a "ghost town",whose only residents are Anne Baxter and her grandfather,played by James Barton,both of whom MAY be hiding gold,fom a near by abandoned mine.The rest of the films deals with bandits and their cat and mouse game with Baxter-Barton fighting over "the gold",with Widmark(excellent) being his usual obtuse self(he doesn't want to share 50-40,as Peck had agreed to),and a budding romance is developing between Peck and Baxter,with some of the other "baddies" wanting Anne too.It seems to me that I read years and years ago that Paulette Gooddard was originally scheduled to have the Baxter part.Paulette certainly would have a more fetching lass,but Ms Baxter is OK.If Fox had wanted to release its REAL CLASSIC WESTERN COLLECTION,it should have released the great Peck-Henry King oater "THE GUNFIGHTER",before Yellow Sky.Nevertheless YELLOW SKY,is a very good Western under Wellmans'taut direction,with a fine Lamar Trotti script,derived from W.R.Burnett(Aspalt Jungle,High Sierra) work.Wellman and Trotti had earlier collaborrated on the Noir-Western classic "The Ox-Bow Incident",which also co-starred Henry Morgan.The DVD transfer is fine,but my one criticism of the DVD is that a commemtary is not provided ,and I believe ALL films on DVD should have commets by participants,historians,or experts in the field.Commentaries are usually a great addition and Fox has provided some excellent ones with its film-noir series.Otherwise a fine addition to your DVD-Western collection.

I first saw this gem of a western many years ago, but have never forgotten the stunning black and white cinematography and the great use of the Death Valley and Lone Pine locations. And then there's Gregory Peck at the peak of his youthful masculinity and charisma playing a bad guy -- something unexpected.The supporting cast is especially memorable. A smirking Richard Widmark is a standout among the outlaws who invade the ghost town occupied by a young, sexy and feisty Anne Baxter and her old prospector grandfather. And the horde of gold they've spent years collecting.The original story from A. R. Burnett is mean, tight and inspired.It's fun to see this movie knowing nothing more about the plot -- which may be somewhat predictable but still full of delicious menace, growing tension and sudden twists and surprises. It all works.From set-up to pay-off, William Wellman's masterful direction keeps every frame of this forgotten film on track. No filler and no padding. Lean and clean. It's close to perfect on every level and very satisfying.This digital edition belongs in the home library of movies you'll enjoy more than once whether you like westerns or not.One of Peck's best roles. And Baxter is incredible. Highest recommendation.

This is a really good western, on the theme of human greed and self-destruction. It lost a star because of the excruciatingly inappropriate ending which completely reverses everything that the rest of the movie had been about, but its still a solid 4 stars. If you could cut out the last two minutes of the film, it would be 5 stars all the way.

FILM: Wellman's Yellow Sky might be one of the finest westerns of the 40s, with stunning photography, convincing dialogue and a thrilling soundtrack: there's hardly any music, instead the sounds of nature are recorded as if it was an orchestra. The only reason this is not one of the great masterpieces of world cinema (but "only" a very good film), is - in my opinion - the casting of Gregory Peck. He's not acting bad, but he's just not convincing as the bad guy turning good (as Humphrey Bogart e.g. very convincingly represented the bad guy with a golden heart). Peck just lacks the nastiness, the menace to make him believable as the leader of outlaws. DVD: there are no extras, not even english subtitles, but the transfer is excellent, the soundtrack fine. The only pity is the cover being a bore (compare it with the wonderful region-1-dvd).

I had never seen this film before and so as a Gregory Peck fan I therefore had to buy this DVD.It is a good film although the outcome of the plot was too predictable, and Peck rather coasts through much of it. An excellant cast of actors help the story along. Unfortunately the ending is rather cringy. Nonetheless this is an entertaining and wacthable movie if you like Peck and Cowboy films of the period.The qualities of image and sound are good.Good value for money.

Great western and great story

A Western I wasn't aware of featuring two of my favourite Hollywood stars Peck & Widmark. Great performances from them and a fiery Anne Baxter - Peck didn't always get to play too many bad guys - perhaps only Duel In The Sun & Boys From Brazil. Picture quality was very good and considerably cheaper priced than my local high street DVD seller.