Robbers’ Roost (1955)
Presentation of the Film
A classic American Western, Robbers’ Roost is directed by Sidney Salkow. The movie is based on Zane Grey’s novel and features Jim “Tex” Wall (played by George Montgomery), a stranger on a quest of revenge for his brother’s killers. Tex finds work with ranch owner Helen Herrick (played by Sylvia Findley), who has tough cowhands because the town is rife with bounty hunter rivalries between gangs.
The ranch is not far from a region called Robbers’ Roost which is infamous for being a hideout for bandits and ne’erdowells. As Tex tries to clear the mist surrounding his brother’s murder, he gets embroiled in treachery and chaos where friends turn into foes. The plot builds up towards an explosive climax that tests Tex to his very limits and tries his valor as well as his uprightness.
Awards and Achievements
Although Robbers’ Roost is absent of major awards, it is still preferred by critics and the Zane Grey fans for it traces beautifully the heart of the story and the settings owing to the good direction.
Cast & Crew
- Directed by: Sidney Salkow
- Cast:
- George Montgomery as Jim Wall, or “Tex” Wall, a cunning vagrant in search of his life’s purpose.
- Sylvia Findley as Helen Herrick, a ranch owner who is torn apart by the violence of so-called civilized people.
- Bruce Bennett as Hank Hays, the head of one such establishment.
- Richard Boone as Heesman, another unsavory character whose dealings are with the brigands.
- Peter Graves as Smokey, a ranch worker with an ulterior motive.
IMDb Ratings
With an IMDb rating of 6.0/10 the film can be considered as an average product which is however entertaining but not unique in the Western genre.
Personal Insights
Robbers’ Roost is such a western film that features all three aspects of a film: action, mystery, and development of characters. and George Montgomery certainly does justice in bringing Tex to life; a strong willed character placed in a morally corrupt world seems to have always been Montgomerys’s specialty. The rivalry and jealousy that exists among clans and competition to the ego’s true motive’s keeps the momentum of the plot intact.
The changing terrains and well executed violent episodes help in giving the film that boost that one may be able to sit through and watch when it comes to typical westerns.
Cultural Significance
This film is representative of the Western genre, especially in the mid-20th century, where themes of justice, revenge and frontier ethics were common place. Based on a story by Zane Grey, the film also speaks to the timeless appeal of his stories that displayed the harsh terrain of the American West, and its challenges.