Western

The Hanging Tree

- From The Prize Novel -- A Picture Of Thundering Power!

Joseph "Doc" Frail is a doctor with a past he's trying to outrun. While in Montana, he comes across a mining camp with a hanging tree and rescues a man named Rune from the noose. With Rune as his servant, Frail decides to settle down, and he takes over as town doctor. He meets Elizabeth, who is suffering from shock, and the two soon fall in love. But when Elizabeth is attacked, Frail's attempt to help her lands them both in trouble.

Release Date : 1959-02-19

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : BarodaWarner Bros. Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Dr. Joseph "Doc" Frail

Original Name : Gary Cooper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elizabeth Mahler

Original Name : Maria Schell

Gender : Female

Character Name : Frenchy Plante

Original Name : Karl Malden

Gender : Male

Character Name : George Grubb

Original Name : George C. Scott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tom Flaunce

Original Name : Karl Swenson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Edna Flaunce

Original Name : Virginia Gregg

Gender : Female

Character Name : Society Red

Original Name : John Dierkes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wonder

Original Name : King Donovan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rune

Original Name : Ben Piazza

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Emile Avery

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mother (uncredited)

Original Name : Fern Barry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Trapper (uncredited)

Original Name : William Benedict

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Oscar Blank

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dan (uncredited)

Original Name : Danny Borzage

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dance Hall Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Annette Claudier

Gender : Female

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Tex Driscoll

Gender : Male

Character Name : Father (uncredited)

Original Name : Martin Eric

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Hagney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Dick Hudkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : John Hudkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Kenny

Gender : Male

Character Name : Duck Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Dorothy Klewer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tim the Piano Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Baron James Lichter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Cactus Mack

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Marlow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Kansas Moehring

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Morgan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Morton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Duck Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Karen Norris

Gender : Female

Character Name : Horseman (uncredited)

Original Name : Bud Osborne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bartender (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe Phillips

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Ford Raymond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Tom Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Boyd Stockman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dealer (uncredited)

Original Name : Clarence Straight

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stage Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Slim Talbot

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Don Turner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Sailor Vincent

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Guy Wilkerson

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2024-10-10

**_Ahead-of-its-time Western with Gary Cooper, set in the Great Northwest_** In 1873, an embittered doctor (Cooper) sets up practice in a small gold mining town along The Montana Trail. After acquiring a dubious bondservant (Ben Piazza), he tries to help a wounded Swiss immigrant (Maria Schell). But this stirs up the town’s moral police biddies and the jealousy of a lecherous prospector (Karl Malden), not to mention his successful practice threatens the livelihood of a faith healer (George C. Scott). "The Hanging Tree" (1959) was Cooper’s second to last Western. He passed away due to prostate cancer less than three years after it was shot in the summer of ’58. He was 57 during shooting and carries the film with his towering presence, which doesn’t feel like a 50’s Western, but rather one from the mid-60s. The colorful locations and town set are as good as you’ll see in any Western, very realistic, while angelic Maria Schell is a highlight, the older sister of Maximilian (by four years). Not everything in the story is spelled out. The intelligence of the viewer is respected and thus expected to put the pieces together based on clues offered. It’s good, just kind of ambiguous, which explains its failure at the box office and eventual sleeper status. It no doubt plays better on repeat viewings. This was George C. Scott’s breakout into feature films, but his character isn’t given much screentime and he hams it up a bit too much as the wild-eyed preacher, a one-note loony tune. More dimension was needed in order to ring true. The film runs 1 hour, 47 minutes, and was shot in the general area of Yakima, Washington, including Nile (the mining town) and Goose Prairie (the opening scene). This region is located about a 2.5-hour drive southeast of Seattle. GRADE: B