In the 1950s the American western was dominated by a set of clear leading men, who would reappear again and again as the stars of the genre. John Wayne was the obvious head of the pack, but year after year the audience could expect to see Glenn Ford make one or two appearances, as well as James Stewart, Randolph Scott, and a few other. One famous actor you would never expect to see on a horse was James Cagney, star of crime films and musicals. Yet on a horse he is in Nicholas Ray’s Run for Cover.

If anything, Cagney was the iconic face of American crime, having headlined Public Enemy (1931), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), and White Heat (1949) among many others. When he seemed certain to be typecast as the ultimate Hollywood tough guy, he segued into musicals. He won an Oscar for Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). Despite his demonstrated range, he never quite embraced the western. Over a thirty year film career, he headlined a western twice: The Oklahoma Kid in 1939, and Run for Cover 16 years later.

Run for Cover begins with Cagney’s rugged Matt Dow meeting young cowboy Davey Bishop (John Derek) on the trail. When a series of unfortunate coincidences lead the nearby town to arrest them as bank robbers, Dow’s angry denials improbably lead him to being appointed town sheriff, and Davey his deputy. Dow then romances a Swedish farmer’s daughter (Viveca Lindfors) while defending his new home from the actual gang of robbers.

Cagney cuts an odd figure as a cowboy turned sheriff. It is not so much seeing such a well-established crime star playing in a western. It is more that his performances comes without his signature tough persona that would seem a natural choice for a gun-wielding lawman. There is a gentle, trusting core to Matt Dow. He seems a more comfortable character when romancing the beautiful Helga Swenson, or coaching his appointed mentee Davey.

Davey proves an interesting character. He is badly injured in the film’s film action sequence, and after a long recovery continues to walk with a pronounced limp. Despite his disability, he is pushed into the deputy role by Dow. John Derek plays the character with a lot of charm, but it is the uncertain, worrying core at Davey’s centre that proves more interesting, and Derek plays it very well. There is a growing concern that Davey may not meet the image that Dow has imposed upon him.

Viveca Lindfors is wonderful as Helga, and Jean Hersholt pulls plenty of gentle humour out of her gruff father. Ernest Borgnine plays Morgan, leader of the local criminal gang. He was only a few years into his film career here, but had already played in numerous films – including Nicholas Ray’s previous western Johnny Guitar (1954). I am always appreciative when Borgnine turns up in a movie. He has such a relaxed and immensely watchable presence.

Cinematographer Daniel Fapp lenses the picture very attractively using the VistaVision format. Like the best westerns, the American landscape is captured beautifully.

Part of the film’s climax involves encroaching into Comanche territory to recover a stolen swag of money. Despite the growing trend of 1950s westerns engaging more sensitively with Native American people and culture – although not necessarily casting appropriately – here they are presented in a typically old-fashioned and impersonal way as a nameless violent mob. It was the fashion of the time, and it seems unfair to criticise the film’s creatives too heavily. As with all old cinema, context is key.

Run for Cover distinguishes itself against the westerns of its time by virtue of its oddly gentle characters and its sensitive approach to genre. It lacks a bit of what the industry used to describe as ‘giddyup action’, but it has stronger than expected depth and character in return.

1955 West is a review project to watch as many western features from 1955 as possible, in order to gain a ‘snapshot’ view of the genre at its height. According to Letterboxd, there were 72 westerns released that year. You can see all of FictionMachine’s reviews of them to date by clicking here.