Yellow Sky

2145. YELLOW SKY (1948-usa). WITH Gregory Peck, Anne Baxter, Richard Widmark, Henry (Harry) Morgan. Directed by William Wellman. The wild and woolly West is in no way romanticized in this grimly realistic and brilliantly conceived Western. The scenario is at once a vividly atmospheric depiction of rampant lawlessness and a fiercely human drama of men hankerÂing for gold and sex Ñ and love. The time is the post-Civil War era and the selling is simply “The West.” Gregory Peck heads the impressive cast as Stretch, top dog of a gang of grizzled saddle tramps who rob banks and create chaos. After their latest caper, they are chased into a sparse and dry region where many a man has died either of thirst or an Apache arrow. They come upon a dusty ghost town whose sole inhabitants are an old prospector and his granddaughter. The latter is known as Mike. She is a fearless young woman who is “as tough as a pine nut.” The cowboys wonder why this unlikely duo has remained in the town. Could it be that they have found gold? Plus, the erotic and emotionÂal sparks are sure to fly because none of these cowpokes has seen (let alone been with) a woman in ages. In this regard the film features a raw sexuality rare for a Hollywood move made in 1948. 92 minutes. Western