Blood on the Moon
Down-and-out cowhand Jim Garry is asked by his old friend Tate Riling to help mediate a cattle dispute. When Garry arrives, however, it soon becomes clear that Riling has not been entirely forthright. Garry uncovers Riling's plot to dupe local rancher John Lufton out of a fortune. When Lufton's firecracker of a daughter, Amy, gets involved, Garry must choose between his old loyalties and what he knows to be right.
Director(s)
Robert Wise
Maxwell O. Henry
Bill Shanks
Cast & Crew
Details
Reviews
John Chard
I can buy me that kind of friend for $75 a month and no questions asked. Blood on the Moon is directed by Robert Wise and is adapted from a Luke Short story by Lillie Hayward and Harold Shumante. It stars Robert Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert Preston, Walter Brennan, Phyllis Thaxter, Frank Faylen, Tom Tully and Charles McGraw. Music is by Roy Webb and cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca. Story has Mitchum as drifting cowboy Jim Garry, who after receiving a job offer in the mail from old acquaintance Tate Riling (Preston), finds himself pitched in the middle of a war between cattle ranchers and homesteaders. Effective and tightly crafted Western that has garnered many favourable remarks, due in the main to its ability to veer away from formula suggested by the plot and the technical film noir touches brought about by the great Musuraca. With Mitchum turning in one of his great screen dominating performances, film is driven forward by the psychological aspects brought about by thematics such as duplicity, split loyalties and moral quandaries. Director Wise does a good job of pacing the film, keeping it on the slow burn whilst dialling into Jim Garry's mindset, and picture is further boosted by a great knuckle fight and a rip-roaring siege shoot out at the end. But it's the mood created by Musuraca and Wise that is the real winner. With the film set 90% at night or in darkened rooms, shadow play is high and an oppressive feel adds weight to the psychological clocks ticking away in the narrative. In support of Mitchum, Geddes does spunky cowgirl well, while the presence of Brennan, Faylen and the gravel voiced McGraw is keenly felt. Good story, well acted and visually potent. 7/10
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Blood on the Moon FAQs
The directors of Blood on the Moon are Robert Wise, Maxwell O. Henry, and Bill Shanks.
The cast of Blood on the Moon includes Frank Faylen as Jake Pindalest, Robert Mitchum as Jim Garry, Phyllis Thaxter as Carol Lufton, Harry Carey Jr. as Cowboy (uncredited), Barbara Bel Geddes as Amy Lufton, Charles McGraw as Milo Sweet, Joe Devlin as Barney (uncredited), Robert Preston as Tate Riling, Walter Brennan as Kris Barden, Tom Tully as John Lufton, Clifton Young as Joe Shotten, Tom Tyler as Frank Reardon, and more.
The duration of Blood on the Moon is 1h 28 mins.
Yes. You can watch the Blood on the Moon trailer on this Fanbiz page on Fanziz.
Blood on the Moon was released on 11 Nov 1948.
Blood on the Moon is listed under Western and Romance on Fanbiz.
Blood on the Moon has 1 review on Fanziz, with an average rating of 7.0/10. One reviewer wrote: "I can buy me that kind of friend for $75 a month and no questions asked. Blood on the Moon is directed by Robert Wise and is adapted from a Luke Short story by Lillie Hayward..."
