The Sheepman (1958) Reviews

• Nothing sheepish about this Beef and Lamb Hot Pot.

  Spikeopath2016-01-02

  The Sheepman is directed by George Marshall and written by William Bowers, James Edward Grant and William Roberts. It stars Glenn Ford, Shirley MacLaine, Leslie Nielsen, Mickey Shaughnessy, Edgar Buchanan, Willis Bouchey, Pernell Roberts, and Slim Pickens. Music is by Jeff Alexander and cinematography by Robert J. Bronner. Utterly delightful semi-comic Oater, The Sheepman pitches Ford as sheep farmer Jason Sweet, who arrives in Powder Valley - a place ruled by cattle ranchers only - and upturns the applecart by announcing he intends to let his sheep graze on the lands there. Trouble, motives and back stories will out! With the exception of some poor rear projection work, this is a pic that's constructed with style and humour. The opening is a doozy as Sweet quickly puts down a marker in the town, with a glint in his eye and a punch of some force. It's an irresistible characterisation by Ford, deftly blending humour with machismo, setting up the rest of the film by firmly pulling us viewers onto his side. Supporting cast are bang on the money, doing justice to well written characters (the screenplay was Oscar nominated), with the writing also having some nous via twists and a commitment to never let the story be boring or twee. An absolute must see film for fans of the irrepressible Glenn Ford. 8/10

• Nice Comedy Western

  jpdoherty2009-12-08

  MGM's THE SHEEPMAN (1958 - aka "Stranger With A Gun") is a hugely enjoyable light hearted western that is fondly remembered by western fans! Beautifully photographed in Cinemascope and Metrocolor by Robert Bronner its Acadamy Award nominated script by William Bowers and James Edward Grant could at times be quite amusing. The fine Edmund Grainger production was brightly directed by George Marshall. Glenn Ford Is Jason Sweet (a name that elicits guffaws from leading lady Shirley Maclaine in one scene) who arrives into a town of a predominately cattle rearing district to start raising - of all things - SHEEP! The locals are incensed and under the tutelage of big cattle rancher Colonel Stephen Bedford (a very young Leslie Neilson in his dramatic Pre Frank Drebin days) they make a stand against him. But it comes to light Jason and the Colonel are old enemies and eventually must face each other. In the meantime, after many attempts to rid the town of Jason and his woolly merchandise the Colonel sends for three hired gunmen led by Chockdaw Neal (the impressive Pernell Roberts) to take Jason down. They first ride roughshod over the sheep camp killing the hands and later, in an exciting set piece, Jason confronts Chockdaw in the town's Main Street for a one to one fast draw shootout before riding out to the Colonel's ranch for the final showdown. Ford is excellent in what is one of his most likable roles! Combining the comedic talent he displayed in such films as "Teahouse Of The August Moon" (1956) and "Imitation General" (1958) together with his dramatic tough persona in westerns like "Jubal" (1955), "The Violent Men" (1956) and "3.10 To Yuma" (1957) his Jason Sweet is an altogether engaging and winning character. Giving great support and adding to the fun is Ford's long time friend and co-star from many movies Edgar Buchanan as the town's nosey parker, Mickey Shaughnessy as the Colonel's lame brained foreman, Pernell Roberts as the fearsome and violent gunman and Shirley MacLaine looking very pretty as the girl who secretly admires the Sheepman. Also notable and adding to the fun is the fine music score by MGM staff composer Jeff Alexander whose finest work and best known score is "Escape From Fort Bravo" (1953). For THE SHEEPMAN he invented some marvellous comical cues for the movie's amusing initial scenes. There are also some exciting dramatic cues and a lovely lingering main theme heard in its broadest rendition over the titles. THE SHEEPMAN is an entertaining and much rewarding romp and is worth repeated viewings. The good news is that it has just had its first Region 1 release from Warner Home Video on their new Warner Archive series. It is a lovely 2.35 widescreen transfer! The bad news is there are no extras - only the bare bones - not even a trailer! For the outrageous price Warner's are charging for this disc could they not have stretched to a measly trailer? HUH!

• Funny Western

  kenjha2011-03-22

  A man comes into a town to settle down with his flock of sheep, something that does not sit well with the resident cattlemen. The film contains a number of funny characters. About the only character who's serious is future funny man Nielsen as the villain who rules the town until Ford arrives. Ford is terrific in the title role of an easygoing fellow who just wants to settle down with his sheep. MacLaine is charming as a feisty young woman who is betrothed to Nielsen, unaware of his shady past. The supporting cast includes such veterans as Buchanan, Shaughnessy, and Pickens. Under the capable direction of veteran Marshall, the film moves at a breezy pace.

• The Sheepman

  Scarecrow-882010-05-30

  Man rides into town like he owns the place. Not exactly making instant friends in the town of Powderville, Jason(Glen Ford)is not the kind to mince words, he knows human nature all too well, can judge people pretty well indeed. He's a ballbreaker and would've made a fine businessman if he'd been born many years later past the old west, because Jason immediately upon entering town, finagles a good saddle and horse from those who normally could swindle more vulnerable, trusting folks..yes, sir, Jason understands all too well how to handle himself against tricksters who take advantage. Jason even provokes a fight with "the toughest man in the territory", Jumbo(Mickey Shaughnessy) to prove a point..he's bringing sheep within cattle country and anyone who has a problem with that will have to settle it with him. Well, the richest cattleman in the territory does have a problem with Jason, Colonel Jon(Leslie Nielsen)and he's got the town in his favor, and will do whatever it takes to run his adversary out of Powderville. Being a good judge of character is an asset for Jason as he faces opposition at every turn, only snookered by a woman to be married to the Colonel..the lovely, delightful, fiery red-head Shirley MacLaine(just glows in this movie and has marvelous chemistry with Ford who she spars with during their spirited encounters). It's simple, Jason will not conform to the Colonel's demands, rebelling against competition because he's not gonna allow someone to order him away, he's just too stubborn. Intruding upon cattle land is certain to raise the ire of a community who doesn't have a fondness for a sea of sheep to be grazing all over the territory. When a clever ruse(a celebration by the town, welcoming Jason as a new member, as fishy as it does appear)temporarily puts Jason on a train out of town goes awry, the Colonel hires gunfighters to settle the score..one among them being responsible for the killing of Jason's fiancé during a bank robbery, the other two put in prison by him. One thing's for certain, when Ford gets those angry eyes, and you make him mad, your ass is grass. If seeing Ford squaring off with future BONANZA alum Pernell Roberts in a gunfight isn't enough, western fans get to watch him in a showdown with NAKED GUN's Leslie Nielsen..how cool is that?! Good fun with hilarious support from Edgar Buchanan as Milt, a man who might sell his own mother if the price is right(although, as someone always with dollars on his mind, he does often warn Jason about possible set-ups and strange behavior) and Shaughnessy as Jumbo, the Colonel's stooge who is upended by Ford numerous times, an enjoyable foil/laughingstock, the movie plays to the hilt.

• Mutton and Veal Don't Get Along

  dougdoepke2007-10-29

  In 1957, there was enough phony gun smoke on the screen to choke Superman. Most Westerns were filled with cardboard characters, unimaginative stories, and predictable showdowns. Too bad this under-rated little entry got lost in the shuffle, because it's both highly original and genuinely humorous, with an expert cast, a great script, and some magnificent Colorado landscapes. What really distinguishes this oater is Ford's droll character (Mr. Sweet!) and the film's sprightly dialogue, neither of which sounds like you've yawned through it all before. In fact, Sweet is one of the few original cowboy creations of the time. He's a sly dog, so you never know what he'll do next, which keeps the audience riveted. Then too, Ford plays the part beautifully, his typical low-key manner making the many clever twists all the more surprising. Watch how adroitly Sweet wakes up the sleepy town at movie's outset. It amounts to a real head-turning treat. So why do cattlemen hate sheep, the crux of the story. I don't think the screenplay explains, but it's because sheep don't just graze, they eat the roots, killing the forage, which leaves nothing for the cattle. So you know sheepman Glenn Ford is in for a passel of trouble when he brings his flock to cattle country. And trouble he gets in the form of slickster Leslie Nielsen (before Nielsen showed his own comedic talents). And whose inspiration was it to cast the very un-frontier-like Shirley McLaine in the girl role. She's just wacky enough to make her pairing with Sweet seem natural. Then too, there're those two impossibly colorful characters-- the sneaky Edgar Buchanan at his slipperiest and the half-clown, half-thug Mickey Shaughnessy at his schizo best. What really surprises me is that this little gem came from Western-averse MGM, which always seemed to be above such common fare as horse operas. Still, the movie does benefit from that studio's emphasis on production values-- even the outdoor sets are hard to detect. My only complaint-- the two shootouts look like unimaginative sops to convention. It's as if the writers had to surrender to what someone thought the audience expected. Too bad. Anyway, don't let the movie's relative obscurity fool you. It's one of those sleepers that sometimes wandered away from the Dream Factory only to get lost in the crowd. Nonetheless, it's still well worth a look-see, even 50 years later.