BLOOD ON THE MOON: Blu-ray (RKO, 1948) Warner Archive

Call me crazy, but I cannot get Barbara Bel Geddes out of my head as the benevolent matriarch of TV’s Ewing clan on that forever iconic prime time soap, Dallas (1978-91). For all but one of its 13 seasons, Bel Geddes reigned supreme as the matronly, level-headed and staunchly conservative, Miss Ellie – the guiding hand to keep all her wayward sons in line. Which makes Bel Geddes’ memorable turn as the defiant, Amy Lufton (about as far as you can get from the congenial maven of Southfork) all the more startling. Bel Geddes, then all of 26, is a revelation as the caustic cowgirl and offspring of a cattle rancher, trading barbs and bullets with the likes of Robert Mitchum’s stoic loner, Jim Garry in director, Robert Wise’s pseudo-noir/western drama, Blood on the Moon (1948). The picture, produced in the sad, declining days of RKO, does not get nearly as much play time as it should today. Mitchum stars as the aforementioned gunslinger, mistaken by Amy’s dad, John (Tom Tully) for a bad lot, in cahoots with rustlers, Tate Riling and Milo Sweet, respectively played by Robert Preston and Charles McGraw.  Blood on the Moon is one of those seemingly ‘made-by-the-playbook’ westerns that, until you see it, could otherwise have been considered as a dime a dozen. Certainly, Hollywood was in full western regalia and bloom when it was made, knocking off such tall tales of burly boys on the open frontier at an alarming rate. Given the onslaught of product, a little waste was almost certain to occur. And yet, remarkably, it remained ‘only’ a little, as a goodly sum of these B-grade westerns made in the studio-sanctioned grindhouse cycle were actually endlessly watchable; Blood on the Moon being a primary example.

Let us be both clear and fair here, when suggesting Blood on the Moon will never rival a western like John Ford’s Stagecoach (1939) or The Searchers (1956). It simply is not in that class. That said, Blood on the Moon does precisely what it ought, and, on a more modest budget (always attractive to the top brass) – to entertain us with exceptionally fine performances, a good solid screenplay by Lillie Hayward and Harold Shumate (based on Luke Short’s 1941 novel, Gunman’s Chance), and, exquisite deep-focus imagery supplied by cinematographer extraordinaire, Nicholas Musuraca. While nearly all of the picture was made in California, for the more scenic bits, RKO allowed Wise and company to make their pilgrimage to Red Rock Crossing in Sedona, Arizona. Blood on the Moon hails from a vintage in westerns just prior to their full-fledged delving into the more deeply understood and occasionally disturbing psychology of both the hero and antihero.  We get a little of that in the antagonistic buddy/buddy chemistry brewing between Garry and Riling – the latter, seemingly to have hired the former, with whom he had something of a long-standing ‘friendship’, and arguably, admires for his gun-slinging mastery – the former, attempting to move beyond that ingrained image, especially when the target of Riling’s torment is just an honest rancher, trying to work his land without any unnatural impediments set in his path. Bob Mitchum plays Garry with a streak of inbred nobility that is as anchored to his personal integrity as it is solid as the rock of Gibraltar. This is precisely where Garry and Riling differ – and Bob Preston, having already established himself as a potential ‘leading man’ elsewhere, takes a couple of steps back here, invested wholeheartedly in playing the unscrupulous villain.

In the picture’s third act, Mitchum and Preston really mix things up as Garry, having dodged Riling’s men, including Milo, walks into a dimly lit barroom ambush, confronted in a hellish pummeling that fairly pits each man’s brawn on a level playing field. For once, we are not assured from the outset the ‘good guys’ will win, an ingenious ‘guessing game’, fleshed out by our triumvirate of Roberts’ - Wise, Mitchum and Preston - until the picture’s last act – predictably, to culminate with a show of force and a knock-down/drag-out, put a period to it already, clash of wills. Blood on the Moon stands in relief of the aforementioned ‘other’ westerns of its generation for its wide-ranging, utilitarian craftsmanship – extremely well-placed and even more expertly acted. Mitchum sustains the picture’s burden as its star, but never allows the anvil to slip from his impossibly broad, if ever-so-slightly sloping shoulders. The same regard is owed Barbara Bel Geddes’ Amy, as well as Walter (never anything less than perfect) Brennan, as the soulful and embittered, Kris Barden, and, usually disregarded, Phyllis Thaxter, as Amy’s elder sister, Carol, thoroughly misguided in her love for the bad guy. Still, the lion’s share of the picture’s success is owed Robert Wise, never to slacken the reins of his succinct storytelling for a moment, and, eschewing the formulaic approach by keeping the pace taut and deadly from start to finish.

Blood on the Moon begins with our introduction to cowboy drifter, Jim Garry. Summoned by smooth-talking Tate Riling, Garry unassumingly rides into an Indian reservation, and smack in the middle of a heated conflict between cattle owner, John Lufton and some homesteaders. Garry’s introduction to Lufton’s youngest girl, Amy is anything but a ‘cute meet’. She attempts to keep him at bay; also, from crossing a shallow river, taking potshots with her rifle from a neighboring bluff – to startle his horse, but otherwise force Garry to retaliate with a few humiliating gunshots of his own, designed more to tame and intimidate than harm. Not long thereafter, Lufton offers Garry a job with his crew. But Garry has already been offered a job by Riling and, as yet unaware it will bring him full-circle into confrontation with the Luftons, turns John down now to continue on his way. The Luftons suspect Garry is on Riling's side. But Garry only admits he is going to work for a friend. Riling informs Garry otherwise. Indeed, together with his Indian agent, Jake Pindalest (Frank Feyland) a devious scheme has been hatched to force Lufton to sell off his herd at less than the fair market price. It seems Pindalest has convinced the government to order Lufton and his cattle from the reservation in less than a week. At that same time, Riling has organized the homesteaders to block their migration, in effect, squeezing Lufton on all sides with no other option but to sell. As Riling knows Lufton would never trade with him, he appoints Garry to make the deal on his behalf without Lufton’s knowledge. Then, Pindalest will sell the herd to the government at an inflated price. For his efforts in this swindle, Garry can expect to clear $10,000. Nice work…if you can get it!

Only Lufton outfoxes Riling at the outset, moving his herd unimpeded and onto the open plains. In retaliation, Riling and his men create a stampede. Lufton’s herd is scattered, with no hope to corral and cart them back to the reservation before the impending deadline. Repulsed by Riling’s devious plans, especially after one of Lufton’s cowboys – and Kris’ son, Fred (George Cooper) is shot to death, dragged a half mile ahead in the stampede, Garry steps away from this blood feud, incurring Riling’s wrath. At the outset, Amy never trusted Garry, suspecting he betrayed the contents of a letter to Riling, while quite unaware Carol’s misguided love for Riling has endangered her father’s future. However, with each steadfast devotion proven in service to Lufton’s cause, Amy comes to trust Garry. The two fall in love – denounced by Carol, who still cannot fathom her own lover – Riling – is playing her for a fool. In town, Garry is ambushed by Riling. The men engage one another in a barroom brawl that ends with Garry barely victorious – bloodied, but unbowed.

Biding his time, Garry now elects to persuade Pindalest to send a messenger to the government to extend Lufton’s deadline, presumably, as part of Riling’s revised plan. Having been away, and therefore unaware Garry and Riling are no longer on the same side, Pindalest complies, and is shortly thereafter, taken prisoner by Garry – driven deep into the mountains until Lufton can safely escort his cattle abroad. Unfortunately, Riling and his gang track Garry and Pindalest down. While Pindalest is momentarily spared by Riling, Garry flees to Kris’ cabin, joined by Amy. Taking refuge against Riling’s advancing posse, Kris, Garry and Amy manage to hold off the assault until nightfall. While Amy and Kris create a diversion, Garry escapes out the back way and picks off Riling’s men one at a time. In the penultimate moment of realization, he is totally alone, Riling and Garry square off against each other, with Garry fatally wounding his old friend. Having survived the deluge, Pindalest is remanded into custody. Much to Amy’s relief, Garry, previously intent on leaving town for the wide-open spaces of uncertainty that lay ahead, instead surrenders to Amy’s wishes now, to remain behind with the prospect of love and marriage yet to follow on the horizon.

After the release of Blood on the Moon, RKO studio chief, Howard Hughes immediately terminated Barbara Bel Geddes contract on the grounds she was not ‘sexy enough.’ Boy, you sure couldn’t get away with that today! But we…sort’a…have to give this one to Hughes whose bread and butter was spread liberally across the bosom of another studio contract player – Jane Russell; Bel Geddes, one hell of a good actress, though not much of a dolly. If Blood on the Moon has a failing, it remains Bel Geddes’ casting as the ‘love interest’. For although she manages to convey a lot of vigor and venom at the outset – her initial sparing with Mitchum is excellent – Bel Geddes has some difficulty immediately thereafter, making us believe a brawny buck like Mitchum’s Garry could find enough ‘appeal’ at the outset to make him want to settle down by the end.  Blood on the Moon is also noteworthy for its barroom confrontation between Mitchum and Preston; director, Robert Wise, determined to show the exacting physical toll of a knock-down/drag-out fight, both men left sweat-soaked, bloodied, bruised and severely disheveled, totally stripped of even a stitch of Hollywoodized glamour. In the last analysis, Blood on the Moon is a good solid western actioner with sustainable performances and some wonderful production values.

Comparatively, a minor effort, Blood on the Moon has been given a major upgrade on Blu-ray via the Warner Archive (WAC). The B&W image is magnificent, sourced from a revitalized 4K scan and afforded a lot of additional cleanup. The results speak for themselves; film-like grain, highly textured, with a remarkable silvery sheen, exquisite contrast and exceptional tonality, deep black levels and virtually no crush to boot. The ominous rain-soaked opener positively glistens, while the early dawn haze and stark scenes shot under stifling high noon sunshine, sparkled with renewed and razor-sharp clarity. The 2.0 DTS audio perfectly replicates the vintage Westrex sound, with digital cleanup again applied to remove all evidence the track is pushing 70+ years. Blood on the Moon sounds as good as it looks – a pluperfect effort, sure to delight. One minor complaint – very minor, actually. Save a theatrical trailer, there are NO extras. Oh, well – can’t have everything. WAC has spent their moneys wisely where it counts – on this 1080p transfer. Bottom line: very highly recommended!

FILM RATING (out of 5 – 5 being the best)

3.5

VIDEO/AUDIO

5

EXTRAS

0