When the experienced and equally as tough bounty hunter, Morgan Hickman (Henry Fonda), rides into a small frontier town with an outlaw’s body with him, tensions start to simmer. Initially, he only planned on collecting the reward for his bounty, but quickly crossed paths with Ben Owens (Anthony Perkins), a young and inexperienced sheriff, struggling to find his footing within the town. Together they navigate the threats and moral dilemmas around keeping the town safe. In my eyes, an iconic and somewhat underappreciated classic American western that is certainly worth a watch.

Director: Anthony Mann
Writers: Dudley Nichols, Barney Slater, Joel Kane
Starring: Henry Fonda, Anthony Perkins, Lee Van Cleef

Written by Dudley Nichols, Barney Slater, and Joel Kane, and directed by Anthony Mann, The Tin Star is an eerie, character-driven American western, shot entirely in black and white. The flick focuses largely on atmosphere and building tension compared to that of sweeping landscapes and big action sequences that some westerns of this era would look to utilise. Similar in tone to that of High Noon (1952), both movies explore the pressure faced by lawmen in small towns, along with the choices that come with trying to uphold justice.

As touched upon, The Tin Star has a lot in common with High Noon (1952), which was released just few years earlier in 1952. Interestingly, High Noon was loosely inspired by a 1947 short story called The Tin Star by John W. Cunningham – though that story had almost nothing to do with the 1957 film, The Tin Star. So, while the films share extremely similar themes and tones throughout, The Tin Star picture stands completely on its own and is not based on or related to High Noon (1952) or the short story written by John W. Cunningham.

One of, if not the primary strengths of The Tin Star, is the effective story. The plot works well as it blends a small amount of action with suspense and tension throughout the modest ninety-three minute runtime, keeping viewers engaged from start to finish. Adding to this, the film’s overall cinematography, authentic set and costume design, all help create a believable story that unfolds before the viewer, with all filming taking place in Los Angeles, California.

In terms of the cast, Henry Fonda found himself adopting the role of Morgan Hickman, bringing a calm, authoritative presence to the big screen, while Anthony Perkins starred as Ben Owens, a nervous, but determined young sheriff. Elsewhere, support reigned in from the likes of Betsy Palmer and Michel Ray, portraying Nona Mayfield and Kip Mayfield, respectively, while Lee Van Cleef also found himself cast, starring as Ed McGaffey.

All in all, The Tin Star may not be as famous and lauded over as some other westerns of this time, but in my opinion, it is one of the strongest westerns of the 1950’s. It’s a thought-provoking, character-driven story that balances tension, moral lessons, and strong performances very well. Even decades later, the movie remains a solid example of what makes westerns more than just action-packed gunfights.

“I wouldn’t expect no bounty hunter to appreciate this badge.”

Sheriff Ben Owens – The Tin Star