John Wayne is Rocklin, who arrives in Santa Inez with a letter from Red Cardell, owner of the KC Ranch. And he rides right into a big mess.
Cardell is dead, shot in the back. His foreman met the same fate. And someone has been rustling the Cardell cattle.
Two women show up to take over the ranch — pretty Clara (Audrey Long) and her domineering aunt Elizabeth. Clara wants to try her hand at ranching; her aunt seems determined to sell the ranch out from under her before she gets a chance.
And the aunt has a willing ally in Judge Robert Garvey (Ward Bond), who no one respectable seems to trust.
Then there’s the Harolday family. Rocklin gets into a dispute with hot-headed young Clint Harolday. A
nd that automatically puts him at odds with Clint’s tomboyish older sister Arly (Ella Raines).
When Rocklin doesn’t cower under the threat of her six-gun, Arly has her stepfather (Donald Douglas) hire him on at the Topez ranch just so she can fire him.
But before she has a chance to do so, someone’s tried to ambush Rocklin.
That just makes him more determined than ever to find out who’s really behind all the trouble, with the help of a new sidekick named Dave (Gabby Hayes).
John Wayne as Rocklin, meeting Judge Robert Garvey (Ward Bond) in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Gabby Hayes as Dave, upset with a horse named Blossom for breaking a bottle of whiskey in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Review:
Well done John Wayne vehicle with a cast deep enough to keep the viewer guessing — both at who the real villain is and who’s arms Rocklin will wind up in.
Gabby Hayes is a hoot as the rambunctious old stage driver. Ella Raines turns in a spirited performance as the young woman who usually gets what she wants, but isn’t sure she can get Rocklin.
Elisabeth Risdon also turns in a fine performance as the aunt who’s constantly scolding Clara Cardell for “throwing herself” at Rocklin.
The film even provides a couple of unexpected twists as part of the ending.
Ella Raines as Arly Harolday, the tomboyish young woman who runs the Harolday spread in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Audrey Long as Clara Cardell, looking for Rocklin’s help when she loses trust in Miss Martin and Judge Garvey in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Directed by:
Edwin Marin
Cast:
John Wayne … Rocklin
Ella Raines … Arly Harolday
Ward Bond … Judge Robert Garvey
Gabby Hayes … Dave
Audrey Long … Clara Cardell
Elisabeth Risdon … Miss Elizabeth Martin
Donald Douglas … Harolday
Paul Fix … Bob Clews
Russell Wade … Clint Harolday
Emory Parnell … Sheriff Jackson
Raymond Hatton … Zeke
Harry Woods … George Clews
Frank Puglia … Talo
Runtime: 87 min.
Ward Bond as Judge Robert Garvey, trying to gain control of the Cardell ranch in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Elisabeth Risdon as Miss Elizabeth Martin, meddling in Clara Cardell’s affairs in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Memorable lines:
Rocklin: “I like grumpy old cusses. Hope to live long enough to be one.”
Rocklin: “I never feel sorry for anything that happens to a woman.”
Rocklin to Miss Elizabeth Martin: “Lady, I’d rather walk for somebody else than ride for you.”
Miss Elizabeth Martin: “I saw you. I saw you strike that poor man.”
Rocklin: “Yes, ma’am, just as hard as I could.”
Dave to Rocklin: “For a man who’s got a despise for women, you sure do get all snaggled up with ’em.”
John Wayne as Rocklin, a newcomer to town finding himself under Arly Harolday’s gun in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Elisabeth Risdon as Miss Martin and Audrey Long as Clara Cardell, objecting to a rough stage ride in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Russell Wade as Clint Harolday, a young man who has a dispute over poker with Rocklin in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Donald Douglas as Harolday, stepfather to Arly and Clint in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Frank Puglia as Talo, the shadow who watches over Arly Harolday in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Emory Parnell as Sheriff Jackson and Paul Fix as Bob Clews, up to no good in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Harry Woods as George Clews, fresh out of prison and ready for a showdown in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Audrey Long as Clara Cardell, reacting to a shock in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Ella Raines as Arly Harolday, making a move on a man who won’t be tied down and branded in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
Gabby Hayes as Dave and John Wayne as Rocklin, reading a letter from Clara Cardell in Tall in the Saddle (1944)
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