The Badge of Marshal Brennan (1957) User Reviews

Excellent "B" western

[carflo · 7/10 · 1 September 2004]

The Badge of Marshal Brennan is a "B" western starring Jim Davis who later gained fame as the Ewing patriarch in Dallas. Davis was an imposing gentleman with a rugged face and a deep commanding voice. He played villains in "A" westerns and heroes in "B" westerns. In The Badge of Marshal Brennan he plays "The Stranger", a man on the run, who comes across a dying marshal. After the marshal dies, he buries the body and takes the badge. At the next town, he is mistaken for the dead marshal. The town had sent for Marshal Brennan because of an epidemic, outlaws and panic. The Stranger sees it as a chance to hide from his pursuers. What he doesn't realize is that by taking on the badge of Marshal Brennan, he takes on the responsibilities of the dead marshal.

It is an excellent movie, one I remember well, even after many years. Davis, as always, give a strong performance as a man who has to look inside himself and finds much more there than he thought. It has mystical overtones that are interesting but do not interfere with its tough "B" western quality.

If it ever comes out on DVD, I would strongly recommend it to any western fan.

"This badge is a magic piece of metal son!"

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 27 November 2008]

This is one of the better 'B' Westerns you're likely to come across, featuring Jim Davis in the role of a somewhat ambiguous outlaw who takes up a badge after he comes upon a dying marshal in Apache territory. Their brief conversation provides an ever present backdrop to the story, with constant references to a man's inability to outrun his shadow. The 'new' Marshal Brennan finds himself in the town of Banock, where a doctor (Harry Lauter) suspects that an outbreak of black spot fever might be about to overrun the town. Together with Sheriff Carl Smith (Carl Smith, can you believe that?), the pair manage to hold off the villainous Donaphin forces, whose diseased cattle threaten the entire territory.

I liked the pacing and development of the story, with some rather unique elements that I haven't seen in a Western before. The most interesting was the scene where Shad Donaphin (Lee Van Cleef) breaks Doc Hale's vial of blood, and the contents are shown dripping down the face of the camera lens to give added emphasis. There was also that scene when the Donaphin goons were about to hang the Doc just before the marshal makes the save - just how tall a tree was that where they rigged up the noose - and how did they get the rope up there? Holy cow, it looked like the branch was a hundred feet high! One of the bad guy posse even remarked how this tree should hold, which made me wonder why they couldn't find a normal size tree. They're like everywhere aren't they?

I have to say, this was definitely the most intelligent role I've ever seen Harry Lauter in. I best remember him as a kid from watching 'Tales of the Texas Rangers', and have usually seen him in either dubious good guy roles or as an inept villain in classic TV episodes of Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and a host of others. He actually did a commendable job here as a wise and brave country doctor who wasn't afraid to mix it up with the baddies when necessary.

It was also gratifying to see that the local sheriff wasn't in the pocket of town boss Colonel Donaphin (Louis Jean Heydt), although you couldn't really tell during his first screen conversation with Brennan. It looked like a classic set up for the figurehead lawman to try and thwart the good guy from getting the upper hand, as all the while, it was repeatedly teased that the marshal would just ride off into the sunset instead of getting mixed up with the locals.

One thing I'm always on the lookout for in older films is the sense of life in simpler times, as in the price of goods at Murdock's Café. How about ham and eggs for a quarter, red beans for a dime, and cup of coffee for a nickel! Arleen Whelan did a fine job as Miss Murdock, although I still find it a little difficult to think that Brennan would allow himself to be roped into a romance by the show's finale.

For an almost prophetic insight into the spaghetti Western genre of the Seventies, keep your hearing tuned to the musical score throughout the film. The frequent strumming of an electric guitar was a constant thread, and the reverberating drumbeat during the massing of Donaphin's men on the cliff just before the cattle drive were great accompaniments to the action. There was even that lively theme song to bookend the story about a man on the run, very ambitious for a 'B' flick.

The one thing that had me scratching my head though occurred right at the very end of the picture. As the good guys make there way back in to town following the clash with the Donaphin's, they're shown heading to Murdock's café, standing alone almost at the edge of the river. Correct me if I'm wrong, but all throughout the picture, Murdock's was right in the middle of town!

Epidemic

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 8 December 2012]

Country&Western performers Carl Smith and Marty Robbins are featured in this fine no frills western from Allied Artists. The Badge Of Marshal Brennan really could have used a nice A budget from a big studio and some name stars. As it is Jim Davis, Arleen Whelan, and Lee Van Cleef do just fine in their parts. I could have James Stewart in the lead had this been an A film.

Outlaw on the run Davis leaves a pursuing posse behind as he goes into the desert where they don't want to chase him. He meets a dying marshal played by Douglas Fowley and assumes his identity which stands him in good stead when he gets across the desert and into a town where the local Ponderosa is run by Louis Jean Heydt and his homicidal son Lee Van Cleef.

They've got a real problem, black spot fever, second cousin to typhus as Dr. Harry Lauter puts it. The cattle ought to be destroyed, but Heydt and Van Cleef would sooner lynch the marshal and save their diseased cattle and profits.

When Davis breaks up said lynching he becomes involved with the town and its problem of standing up to Heydt who is not used to people telling him no. He also becomes Lauter's rival for Arleen Whelan who runs the local café.

I think you can see where this is all going. I might have changed the ending, but even with the climax it has The Badge Of Marshal Brennan is a fine feature with a plot that's a cross between Shane and The Left Hand Of God. It really deserved a bigger budget.

Offbeat Western

[ynotryme · 9 January 2007]

I'm watching it on the western station, as I write this. Jim Davis stars, Carl Smith,, first husband of June Carter Cash, plays the town sheriff and Marty Robbins, as a blond Mexican, co-star, both are famous Country singers but don't sing in this offbeat western. Through out the movie, as noted in other comments, a fender guitarist plays music that occasionally seems appropriate. The movie is about a bad guy(Davis) reformed by a conversation with a dying Marshall, he encounters as he is on the run.

He poses as the Marshall and saves a town from the diseased cattle of Lee Van Cleef. Not an A movie but definitely watchable.

A B Western with a mood that you've never seen before.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 19 February 2021]

A miracle worker comes out of the desert so to speak in this Allied Artists programmer that has a hero like no other Western that I've ever seen before. Jim Davis doesn't realize that he's a miracle worker, just a cowboy in the right place at the right time, taking over the identity of the title sheriff, on his way to a town where a pandemic has broken out unbeknownst to the townsfolk thanks to tainted beef.

One of the local native Americans wants to kill the local doctor (Harry Later) whom he holds responsible for the death of his son, and the doctor is certain that there's something wrong at the local cattle ranch run by Louis Jean Heydt along with the sadistic son, a young Lee Van Cleef.

Since the real Sheriff Brennan died, Davis takes his identity and despite his reluctance to stick around, is convinced by the pretty Arlene Whelan to do so and expose the rancher for not stopping the spread of diseased beef. The doctor and the fake sheriff now need to convince the townsfolk to take an anecdote. Strange watching this in 2021.

A unique flamenco like music background score and a song called "Man On The Run" provide an interesting atmosphere. The film looks rather cheaply made and could have been on TV instead had it been less violent. Still, it's one of the most unique topics I've seen in a western ever, and in spite of an odd pacing is remarkably enjoyable and insightful.

A "B" western with a bit of a plot

[ctomvelu-1 · 5/10 · 29 November 2008]

Jim Davis, later of DALLAS fame, is a gunslinger in this hokey back yard western who assumes the identity of a recently deceased federal marshall when he runs into a town being run by bad guys. He quickly straightens things out and proceeds to move on, but things keep happening to keep him in town. There actually is a plot: the only rancher of any consequence in the area has badly infected cattle, and will kill anyone who tries to interfere. The town doctor stands up to the rancher and Davis and the local sheriff back up the doctor. A young Lee Van Cleef is the ranch owner's sadistic son. The action is intermittent at best and poorly staged, the soundtrack would have better been left without music, and most of the cowboys are clean-shaven and neatly attired in that 1950s Roy Rogers style.

Extremely Slooooow

[aimless-46 · 5/10 · 15 August 2006]

The Badge of Marshall Brennan is an extremely SLOW moving western from 1957. The basic premise is fine. A rather tame outlaw named Jeff Harlan (Jim Davis) helps the title character (Douglas Fowley) - who was wounded by hostile Indians out in the desert. When Marshall Brennan dies Jeff takes his badge, their last conversation had been about Jeff's childhood dream of being a lawman.

In the nearest town a conflict is starting between the doctor (Harry Lauter) and a rich cattleman and his son Shan (an extremely young Lee Van Cleef-already playing a bad guy). The doctor suspects the cattle are infected with Black Spot Fever and that it is being transmitted to the people in the town.

There will soon be a love triangle with Jeff and the good doctor vying for the attentions of a redheaded café owner named Murdock (Arleen Whelan-still extremely pretty at age 40). Marty Robbins (soon to be a county music star) plays a Mexican with blonde hair and a very bad "Cisco Kid" accent.

The problem is that the story elements are enough for a 40-50 minute television show, not a 74-minute feature film. So there are expanded establishing shots and considerable chatter, not in the service of the plot but as a way to pad the running length. Making this the type of film that is best watched while doing your homework or reading a book; it is hard to give the thing more than 30% of your focus.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Surprisingly disappointing

[SCBRoslyn · 2/10 · 31 August 2006]

I noticed this movie tonight when I had trouble sleeping, listed on "Movieplex"for 2:15 a.m.. The cable guide gave it 2 stars (out of four possible), so I gave it a shot.

I just could not believe how horrible the dialogue, score, and much of the acting was. Jim Davis and Lee Van Cleef (both very young in this) are, quite naturally, solid in their performances. The rest, however, are questionable at best in their abilities.

Also, the "Indian" is just comes off as he is.....a white guy with heavy make-up playing an Indian. And the "hispanic", "Fillipe", comes off as a white guy trying to play a hispanic with a labored accent that comes and goes.

The music behind the film was usually inappropriate to the scene (dramatic scenes should have dramatic music) and should not be as overbearing as this score is.

All of these factors make the entire film rather comic, instead of dramatic. And as most people know, there's nothing better sometimes than sitting up at 3 a.m. laughing at a hacked-up, third-rate movie that tries to be serious.

I gave this pictures 2 stars because I thought the story was promising and could've really been something. Unfortunately, they never really flesh out the plot and there's no real depth behind the characters. For whatever reason, they seem to rush into the action without letting the story build into it.

Jim Davis finally gets the lead in The Badge of Marshal Brennan

[tavm · 8/10 · 18 July 2012]

Just watched on Netflex streaming another Jim Davis western. In this one, he's Jeff Harlan who's on the run when he encounters Marshal Matt Brennan (Douglas Fowley) dying in the desert. He then takes his identity and ends up helping the nearest town doctor (Harry Lauter) as he tries to stop some infected cattle from leaving the premises as he tries to find the antidote for the people affected. But the Donaphins (Louis Jean Heydt and Lee Van Cleef as father and son, respectively) are intent to push their cattle across the river so of course a fight is inevitable...This was quite a big role for Davis as he's top-billed for the first time here and has the lion's share of scenes. And this was also the first time I've seen him have some romance in his old movies with Arleen Whelan as Murdock providing such an alluring presence. Also interesting seeing country music stars Carl Smith as the sheriff and Marty Robbins as Felipe. The fender guitar music by Ramey Idriss was also a cool accompaniment to the score and I also liked the unique directorial touches of Albert C. Gannaway like Van Cleef throwing that vial of blood on the camera lens or that shadow of Davis when he mentions about not running away from it. So on that note, I highly recommend The Badge of Marshal Brennan.

Jim Davis Finally Gets the Girl

[bsmith5552 · 5/10 · 24 November 2013]

Jim Davis was a popular western actor in the fifties who usually played villains and/or second leads. In "The Badge of Marshal Brennan" he gets to play the lead, a hero in spite of himself.

The story has accused killer Jeff Harlon on the run from a posse. He crosses into Apache territory where the posse abandons the chase. He then comes across a wounded marshal, Matt Brennan (Douglas Fowley). When the marshal dies Harlon picks up the marshal's badge and rides into the next town, Banock.

Arriving in Babbock, he learns that the town doctor, Steve Hale (Harry Lauter) suspects an outbreak of black spot fever which he believes is being spread by the cattle of cattle baron Colonel Doniphon (Louis Jean Heydt). The son of local Indian Chickamon (Lawrence Dobkin) has died from the fever and vows to kill the doctor. In fact. the doctor is almost lynched by Doniphon's son Shad (Lee Van Cleef) when Harlon intervenes.

Posing as Marshal Brennan, Harlon steps into the dispute between the cattlemen and the town. Assisting him are the town sheriff (Carl Smith) and his Deputy (Ric Vallin). Meanwhile "Brennan" strikes up an acquaintance with café owner Murdock (Arleen Whelen).

This was a essentially a low budget "B" movie. It doesn't have much in the way of action until the finale, which includes a dandy fight between the Davis and Van Cleef characters.

Also in the cast is Marty Robbins complete with Mexican accent, as a ranch hand. Robbins and Smith were both popular country and western singers of the day, however neither sings a note in this film. As actors both made excellent singers.

As "B" westerns go, this one is average although it's good to see Davis finally get the girl.

Mystical psychological brooding Western

[maharani_md · 9/10 · 12 July 2000]

For a low-budget film, this one really captures the imagination. Jim Davis gives one of the most enigmatic performances of his career in a very off-beat Western that draws its main plot elements from a combination of Eastern mysticism and tried-and-true Western cliches. A truly eccentric and haunting score adds to the ethereal nature of the proceeding. On one level almost laughable, but on another, deeply profound.

Banshee series before its time.

[searchanddestroy-1 · 8/10 · 16 May 2021]

I am sure that there was a batch of topics like this one over years and decades in the film and TV industry. This little B western is rather pleasant to watch, though nothing exceptional either. Jim Davis was the king of this kind of flicks, he played in so many of them. Here the disease in cattle is evoked, and the quarantine imposed to a cattle baron, who refuses to sacrifice his cows, is on stake. Very interesting and not so usual either. And in the COVID 19 virus plague, this is even more interesting. Same scheme, a man on the run assuming the identity of a sheriff, with a series of the 2010's..BANSHEE.