Tall in the Saddle
A taciturn ranch hand enters a murderous frontier town and battles its rivalries, secrets, and gunplay while pursuing justice and romance.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- rugged
- suspenseful
- witty
- classic western night
- john wayne marathon
What critics said
Critics regarded it as an entertaining but formulaic rough-and-tumble western, with John Wayne's performance helping overcome its predictability.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Rocklin reaches town after the rancher who summoned him has been murdered and must navigate suspicious locals.
Most townspeople are at each other's throats, making the town itself a source of danger and suspicion.
Arleta Harolday is described as entering the story like a wildcat and supplies much of its emotional volatility.
The film features a thundering stagecoach ride, fist fights, shootings, saloon conflict, and sagebrush landscapes.
Films like Tall in the Saddle, and why
Red River
classic western setting, stoic outsider protagonist, frontier justice, and romance amid local corruption
Stagecoach
john wayne western persona, ranch conflict, gunplay, and rugged frontier action
My Darling Clementine
murder mystery woven into a traditional western with an outsider confronting a hostile town
Movie Details
- Director
- Edwin L. Marin
- Release Date
- 1944-09-29
- Runtime
- 87 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (76)
Cast
- John Wayne
- Ella Raines
- Ward Bond
- George 'Gabby' Hayes
- Audrey Long
- Elisabeth Risdon
- Donald Douglas
- Paul Fix
- Russell Wade
- Emory Parnell
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Tall in the Saddle about?
- A taciturn ranch hand enters a murderous frontier town and battles its rivalries, secrets, and gunplay while pursuing justice and romance.
- What is Tall in the Saddle like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Tall in the Saddle as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Tall in the Saddle violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Tall in the Saddle as moderate.
- What did critics think of Tall in the Saddle?
- Critics regarded it as an entertaining but formulaic rough-and-tumble western, with John Wayne's performance helping overcome its predictability.
- Which films are like Tall in the Saddle?
- Films with a similar feel include Red River, Stagecoach, and My Darling Clementine.
- How long is Tall in the Saddle?
- Tall in the Saddle runs 87 minutes.
- Where can I watch Tall in the Saddle?
- In United States, Tall in the Saddle is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
