Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Tobias Burrows It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

LeonLouisRicci A slightly above Average Fifties Western with Robert Ryan, Technicolor, and Cinemascope the main reasons to catch this rather uninvolving misfire. Things come alive now and then that propel the dreariness and flat handedness to an interesting level. For example, when the Marshall lectures the Town Counsel and says..."you'd sell out for a copper penny, with your $40 Boots and your $12 Hotel Rooms...I couldn't look in the mirror without vomiting". The Movie breaks toward the edge a few times with some taut gun-play and suspicious motives, but it also lingers and has some very uninspired moments. The target practice piece and some other wasted Screen time with the Love Interest, a Family Man, and Walter Brennan who just sort of sits around.The Script is also not very convincing with its Back Story, but this is worth a view if nothing much to make it stand out among its Betters. But is a notch above a Western Programmer or the plethora of others from the Decade that are much worse.

bkoganbing Robert Ryan, Virginia Mayo, and Jeffrey Hunter star in The Proud Ones a pretty good western from 20th Century Fox. It deals with a town marshal in a town that says it wants law and order, but is more interested in the profits that being wide open can bring.The guy who is bringing in the profits and the lawlessness is saloon owner Robert Middleton and he's got history with Ryan from other towns. Who else has history is Hunter whose father Ryan killed a gunfight. What will happen is anyone's guess.And if that isn't enough Ryan who sustained a wound to the scalp in a gunfight in Middleton's saloon is having recurring bouts of blindness since the incident. A lot like John Wayne was having bouts of paralysis after being wounded in El Dorado. Ryan also takes his time seeking medical attention just hoping the bad guys don't find out about it and do him in.The Proud Ones is a nicely done adult western with a good cast giving life to characters you care about. Pay attention also to a nice performance by Walter Brennan as Ryan's deputy. With his character the producers took him and his fate from Destry Rides Again.No western action fan could possibly complain about the shootout in a stable between Ryan, Hunter and assorted miscreants. That one was taken from High Noon. One of the best staged climaxes I've ever seen in a western.And western fans should not miss The Proud Ones.

doug-balch This is a good Western, well worth watching. It has a good cast and some unique plot elements.Here are some of its good points:Robert Ryan is solid as usual. This is one of his better roles. Nice supporting cast. Interesting role by Walter Brennan. He was well prepared for his part as "Stumpy" in Rio Bravo a few years after this.Interesting portrayal of a cattle trail "boomtown". I can't recall seeing this done better, especially the economic aspects.Interesting twist on the "honest Sheriff", with the blurred vision. About time somebody got a concussion after being knocked on the head with the butt of pistol.Very different to see the "good guys" shooting men in the back, assuming they are about to turn with a hidden firearm in hand.Jeffrey Hunter's character is quite good, overcoming the resentment about his father's death. Kind of shocking when Ryan tells him bluntly that his father was a no good gun slinging bum.I love Civil War tie-ins and there is a very brief one, when Walter Brennan says the town hasn't been this busy since the boys came home from the war.Prominent Mexican character, which I also like, although he was a stereotype bandido.Here is what kept it from being better:Hot female lead Virginia Mayo is wasted as a typical Western female love interest, with nothing to do but warn her man to be careful.No locations. The whole thing was filmed in Burbank.Like I said, some interesting twists and color added to the basic "High Noon" plot, but not enough star power to make it stand out like a "Rio Bravo".

alexandre michel liberman (tmwest) "The Proud Ones" can be considered one of the best westerns of the fifties. It is a forgotten film which also was not very noticed when it was originally released. Adapted from a book by Verne Athanas, it stars Robert Ryan who has to choose between being proud and face Robert Middleton, the saloon owner and his gang on an suicidal task or listen to the advice of the woman he loves, Virginia Mayo and the town people (who are motivated by greed) and run away. This is aggravated because he is losing his eyesight. There is also Thad (Jeffrey Hunter) whose father was killed by Ryan, when according to witnesses he was unarmed. How Ryan is going to face his task with the help of Hunter is what the film manages to tell us in a very convincing way and there resides its greatest merit. It is not easy to explain Ryan's and Hunter's motivation but the good story, combined with the competent performances and good direction makes all the difference. Lucien Ballard who was Budd Boetticher's favorite cinematographer adds a lot to the film which was made in Cinemascope, and therefore is a pleasure to see nowadays on a wide screen television. Remarkable also is the soundtrack with a great melody that seems to be whistled.