Lawman: "I'll shoot them where they stand."

Throughout my life I have been raised watching westerns. Being only 18, this does not fit the mold of my generation. However, early on in life my dad brought me to love these movies. Recently, my dad and I were trying to decide on a good one to watch. Most we had both seen many times and so we were not as interested. When my dad brought up Lawman the title did not ring a bell. So we sat down to watch the movie.

The movie starts during the opening credits with a bunch of drunk cowboys shooting up a small town called Bannock. When the sheriff comes out the quickly ride out of town. However, after they leave the camera finds a man dead, hit by a stray bullet. The story next goes to a tough, trail hardened man wearing a badge, leading a horse with a body strapped over the saddle. The mans name is Maddox, Jared Maddox, played by the infamous Burt Lancaster. He comes into the town of Sabbath going directly to the sheriff’s office. Upon entering you find Cotton Ryan, the local sheriff, played by Robert Ryan.

Immediately Maddox enquires about the men that shot up his town and killed a local citizen. Ryan declares that the men that he is after works for Vincent Bronson, a man who is responsible for building the town and thus is respected by the citizens. Maddox tells Ryan that he is sheriff and must uphold the law. Ryan, once a proud man and hero of the west, admits that he now “eats dirt” for a living. In this meaning that he is basically owned by Bronson.

The rest of the movie shows Maddox going after the men with a firm determination of justice. Only once is he shaken in this by an old flame he comes in contact with.

Burt Lancaster is an excellent actor and played the role well in this movie. His character, Jared Maddox, was not a man of many words. However, Cotton Ryan knew right off that he was not a man to be messed with. The viewer could not help but respect Maddox. His traits are what every man wants to strive for.

Another character I enjoyed was Cotton Ryan played by Robert Ryan. His character was of a once proud man now not sure of himself. He does not want to cross Vincent Bronson and his men but yet if they deliberately break the law his old self comes out and he is the first to enter the fight. For example, when the cowboys try to shoot Maddox in the back. Towards the end of the movie you can see him coming back to himself which was really cool.

Some of the other characters includes Lee J. Cobb, Robert Duvall, and Sheree North. Lawman came out in 1971 and ran for 99 minutes. It was in color. If you would like to see another good western from Burt Lancaster I would recommend Valdez is Coming (100 dollars ha ha).