The Law and Jake Wade

John Sturges: The Law and Jake Wade (US 1958) with Patricia Owens (Peggy) and Robert Taylor (Jake Wade). Photo: La Cinémathèque française.

Le Trésor du pendu / Saaliinjako / De tysta husens dal.

    John Sturges / États-Unis / 1958 / 86 min / 35 mm Copie unique / Metrocolor / CinemaScope 2.35:1

US © 1958 Loew's Inc.

D'après le roman The Law and Jake Wade de Marvin H. Albert.

Avec Robert Taylor, Richard Widmark, Patricia Owens.

Loc: California: High Sierra: Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, Death Valley.

Finnish premiere: 5 Dec 1958.

    Copie avec sous-titres français: M. Seawl

    Vu dimanche 20 avril 2025, La Cinémathèque française, Rétrospective Le Western, en 25 films indispensables, Salle Henri Langlois, 51 Rue de Bercy, 75012 Paris, M° Bercy Lignes 14, 6

La Cinémathèque française: "Un ancien gangster, devenu shérif, voit son passé resurgir quand un ancien complice se manifeste pour remettre la main sur un vieux magot. Sans éluder les passages obligés du genre – l'attaque nocturne des Comanches, le duel final au pistolet –, Sturges se recentre autour d'un scénario qui mêle sens du suspense et relation équivoque, et où brille le magnétique Richard Widmark."

"En pleine gloire après le succès de Fort Bravo (1953) et Règlement de comptes à O.K. Corral (1957), John Sturges transpose sur grand écran le roman de Marvin H. Albert, The Law and Jake Wade – renommé Le Trésor du pendu – en 1958. Quelques mois avant son ambitieuse adaptation du Vieil Homme et la mer d'Ernest Hemingway, il filme un combat psychologique au sommet entre Robert Taylor et Richard Widmark, souligné par la superbe photographie de Robert Surtees. En abordant le western par une veine plus intime, plus proche de ses personnages, le cinéaste rend compte de la complexité des sentiments et de l'inévitable confrontation à son passé. Sans éluder plusieurs passages obligés du genre – l'attaque nocturne des Comanches, le duel final au pistolet –, il se recentre autour d'un scénario qui mêle sens du suspense et relation équivoque, où brille le magnétique Richard Widmark. Dans les paysages somptueux de la Sierra Nevada, Le Trésor du pendu s'éloigne peu à peu des sentiers balisés pour incarner le poids de la fatalité et du destin, de l'amitié fraternelle devenue haine viscérale."

AA: John Sturges's The Law and Jake Wade is a Western in the classic tradition, perfectly enjoyable in the same way as Viennese classicism in music. The sound and the elements are familiar, but infinite variations are possible.

The conflict between two men, Jake Wade (Robert Taylor) and Clint Hollister (Richard Widmark), former gang partners, now on opposite sides of the law, is the driving force.

Maestro Robert Surtees is the cinematographer, and the mise-en-scène is stunning on authentic High Sierra locations (in daytime), alternating with MGM studio setups (in nighttime). It would presumably have been unbearably cold on location at night. I'm happy to suspend disbelief.

I see Jake Wade for the first time and begin to think about affinities among the six movies that I have seen so far in the Cinémathèque's "Le Western, en 25 films indispensables" series,

The Civil War connection intrigues me. In three (The Naked Spur, Vera Cruz, Jake Wade), the protagonists are Civil War veterans. Two (Ulzana's Raid, Colorado Territory) take place 15-20 years after the war. One (3:10 to Yuma) is outside history.

In most, the relationship between two men is central. Only in Colorado Territory the main relationship is between a man and a woman (Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo). In Ulzana's Raid we have a veteran (Burt Lancaster) mentoring a newcomer (Bruce Davison). In Vera Cruz, two mercenaries  (Burt Lancaster, Gary Cooper) meddle in the Mexican Civil War as frenemies, finally settling their accounts in a showdown. 

In The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Robert Ryan), 3:10 to Yuma (Van Heflin, Glenn Ford) and The Law and Jake Wade, the relationship between the two men is more complex than simple antagonism. In all, the outlaw is the most intelligent and articulate one, able to dominate the airspace with psychological intrigue and undermine the adversary's assurance, mission and conviction. There is a Dostoevskyan sense that the outlaw can channel to the dark side and turn into an evil double. He can instinctively find the weak spot and the weak link and exploit them ingeniously.

In The Law and Jake Wade, Richard Widmark has the juiciest part as the voice of the Devil tempting Jesus in the Desert. He is excellent as Clint Hollister, but his cynical monologues tend sometimes to be on the long side. He might be capable of boring fellow passengers to death without having to touch guns. The granite-faced Robert Taylor carries his role with silent dignity. Perhaps he is happy to be on the right side of the law and be spared of tedious tirades in the future.

The Law and Jake Wade does not belong to the cynical Westerns like Vera Cruz. It is still the age of chivalry and codes of honour prevail even among killers. A classic showdown is unavoidable.

I enjoy the big screen presentation of a beautiful 35 mm print in what seems authentic Metrocolor and CinemaScope. The autumn colours are engaging. At times the look resembles a watercolour, at other times an oil painting with soft outlines, not sharp but appealingly vibrant. This soft touch is not that of a blurry, duped print but of an exceptionally fine one, perhaps close to the camera negative.