Review: The Kentuckian


Set in 1800s Kentucky, rugged, simple-minded Davy Crockett-ish Burt Lancaster and his kid Donald MacDonald try to escape their backwoods family feud situation and make a new life in Texas. Entering the town of Pridesville, Lancaster’s bad family name gets him arrested by sheriff Rhys Williams, only to be saved by pretty red-headed servant girl Dianne Foster, whom MacDonald takes a particular shine to. The amazingly naïve Lancaster and kid subsequently move in with his opportunistic older brother John McIntire and his wife. Local school marm Diana Lynn takes a shine to the old man, much to the annoyance of young MacDonald, who sees Foster as a better match. Trouble arises in the form of brutal tavern owner Walter Matthau, who is now Foster’s keeper, and has a fondness for whipping anyone who disagrees with him. John Carradine has a choice cameo as a high-talkin’ doctor/snake oil salesman who cons poor, naïve Lancaster, to Matthau’s amusement.



Hokey, but enjoyable directorial debut by star Lancaster, this 1955 western is more family oriented (and more concerned with frontier stuff than your typical white hats vs. black hats), but boasts a wonderfully nefarious villain turn by Matthau, in an amazing film debut (OK, so he’s about as Texan as Tony Montana, but c’mon, it’s a movie!). Along with master orator Carradine, and the lovely Foster, he steals the film away from Lancaster. Burt gives a fine enough turn, and not quite as dorky as some of his acrobatic roles like “The Crimson Pirate”, if not as great as some of his more serious acting turns in “Sweet Smell of Success” and the like. Shame about the amazingly annoying young MacDonald, and Lynn is also incredibly annoying. For the latter, I’m talking June Allyson/June Cleaver annoying here, as the cheery, shy-voiced school marm Lancaster kinda romances, it’s an extraneous and uninteresting role. Veteran character actor McIntire offers sturdy support, as always.



Scripted by A.B. Guthrie Jr. (“The Big Sky”, “Shane”), from a novel by Felix Holt. It’s a minor picture, but Lancaster as director showed promise, a shame this was his only stint behind the camera aside from “The Midnight Man” in 1974.



Rating: B-

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