A farmer-turned-bounty hunter is on the hunt for murder suspect Ben Vandergroot. Along the way, he joins a hapless gold prospector and a fallen soldier, and manages to get his hands on a robber accompanied by a young woman. But Vandergroot has more than one trick up his sleeve and pits them against each other…
The beginning of the end for the vigilante cowboy
Airing tonight on Arte, The Bait marks James Stewart’s third of eight collaborations with director Anthony Mann and their third Western. It stands out from the genre with its dry violence, the manipulative talent shown by the gangster played by Robert Ryan and the cunning of all its characters.
These characters of questionable morals throughout the film were unusual at the time and helped restore the Western’s reputation in cinema at a time when the early 1950s saw the public watching its cowboy series on television and abandoning the genre for the big screen.
A profitable bet for James Stewart
Janet Lee and Robert Ryan
In this way, the bait helps to change the image of James Stewart, an actor who often used the role of nice guys, as he did before in It’s a Wonderful Life, Harvey, Broken Arrow or Fantastic Voyage.
From 1950 to 1955, the Mann-Stewart duo produced some of the genre’s most exciting Westerns with Winchester 73, I’m an Adventurer, The Man of the Plain, and The Starvings. We also owe them The Glenn Miller Story (an unfinished novel in French), a biography of jazz musician Glenn Miller and his successful big band.
Tonight on Arte at 9 o’clock.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
