Main Cast: Sterling Hayden, Sebastian Cabot, Carol Kelly, Eugenio Martín, Ned Young
Release Year: 1958
Country: US
Run Time: 80 minutes
Plot
This near-legendary western stars Sterling Hayden as George Hanson, the son of a Swedish seaman-turned-farmer (Ted Stanhope). When he runs afoul of town boss Ed McNeil (Sebastian Cabot), Hanson's father is gunned down by McNeil's henchman Johnny Crale (Ned Young). Knowing full well that he can expect no help from the town's corrupt sheriff (Tyler McVey), Hanson takes matters in his own hands. Tension mounts steadily until the unforgettable climactic showdown, wherein Hanson arms himself with a harpoon! Extremely well written by Ben L. Perry, Terror in a Texas Town was one of the last directorial efforts of cult favorite Joseph H. Lewis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
This tidy little b-western is a hidden gem of the genre. The script was pseudonymously penned by Dalton Trumbo and he clearly used his experiences as a blacklisted writer to add an element of social undercurrent that gives an added dimension to the film's standard plot. He also works in a number of unique touches, like making the hero a transplanted foreigner and creating a finale in which an unlikely weapon is used to fight the villain's guns. The performances are solid, with Sterling Hayden making a reliably square-jawed good guy (albeit one with a novel Swedish accent) and Nedrick Young offering a gangster-ish interpretation of a villainous gunslinger that owes as much to Humphrey Bogart as it does to Black Bart-style archetypes. Also worthy of note are Sebastian Cabot as the sarcastic businessman behind the villainy and Carol Kelly's sympathetic turn as the villain's tragic, self-knowing lover. However, the best part of the film is the assured direction by b-movie vet Joseph H. Lewis. He takes great delight in playing up the eccentric elements of the storyline, giving it an unearthly feel, and assembles the imagery with plenty of style. The final showdown he stages is one of the most unique in western history, bringing oddball flair and psychological drama to the face-off to create a moment of pure b-movie poetry. To sum up, Terror In A Texas Town is a keeper and well worth the time for western fans in search of something off the beaten path. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
William Ferrari - Art Director, Joseph H. Lewis - Director, Stefan Arnsten - Editor, Frank Sullivan - Editor, Gerald Fried - Composer (Music Score), Ray Rennahan - Cinematographer, Frank N. Seltzer - Producer, Ben Perry - Screenwriter
