Pursued

Raoul Walsh | 1947 | ★★★½
A saloonkeeper, the last of the Ryans, recounts his life story – from growing up on a ranch as the adopted son of a kindly widow, through war heroism, sibling rivalry, and young love, to betrayals, misunderstandings, and family feuds – all in order to explain how he came find himself holed up in his childhood home, hiding away from his extended adoptive family, the bloodthirsty Callums. Though Robert Mitchum and Teresa Wright are perhaps not quite at their best, their performances prove sufficiently charismatic to more than hold one’s attention throughout; whilst director Walsh and photographer Howe produce some beautifully composed, exquisitely lit scenes, driving the film powerfully with some potent visual storytelling.