Guns of the Timberland

Physically ,Alan Ladd was becoming the ghost of himself:His puffed up face had lost most of its charm;it was even worse in "duel of champions" (aka "Horatio E Curazio"),his Italian sword and sandal,the following year.In his final years ,only "the carpetbaggers"-in other respects an average movie- gave him a prophetic role worthy of himself ,an aging actor down on his luck.

This is a western which displays ecological concern : lumberjacks versus farmers (the best scene shows Jeanne Crain taking Ladd to the ghost town :"you would ruin our village too ").The cinematography is fine ,with a good use of the wide screen which enhances the splendid landscapes ,particularly in the scenes of the fire.But the characters are cardboard .For those whose taste runs that way,Frankie Avalon sings two songs ,the first one in a ball and the second after a quarrel with his girlfriend.