Blood on the Moon

This article is about the film. For the unrelated novel, see Blood on the Moon (novel).

Blood on the Moon
Directed by	Robert Wise
Produced by	Theron Warth
Screenplay by	Lillie Hayward Harold Shumate
Story by	Luke Short
Starring	Robert Mitchum Barbara Bel Geddes Robert Preston
Music by	Roy Webb
Cinematography	Nicholas Musuraca
Editing by	Samuel E. Beetley
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures
Release date(s)	November 9, 1948 (United States)
Running time	88 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Blood on the Moon (1948) is an RKO black-and-white "psychological" western directed by Robert Wise with cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca. The film, starring Robert Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Robert Preston has many film noir elements. It was shot in California and some of the more scenic shots at Red Rock Crossing, Sedona, Arizona. The picture is based on the novel Gunman's Chance by Luke Short.

Plot

Drifter cowboy Jim Garry receives a job offer by mail from smooth-talking Tate Riling. Garry rides into an Indian reservation and finds himself in the middle of a feud between cattle ranchers and homesteaders. Garry doesn't realize that his new boss Riling is a criminal.

Riling intends to swindle naive landowners in an elaborate scheme involving a plan to make sure that cattle owner Lufton and his family don't get grazing land, thereby losing their stock.

At first aligning himself with Riling, Garry finally figures out that his so-called friend is up to no good. He switches loyalty to Lufton and his daughters, leading to a bloody showdown.

Cast

• Robert Mitchum as Jim Garry
• Barbara Bel Geddes as Amy Lufton
• Robert Preston as Tate Riling
• Walter Brennan as Kris Barden
• Phyllis Thaxter as Carol Lufton
• Frank Faylen as Jake Pindalest
• Tom Tully as John Lufton
• Charles McGraw as Milo Sweet
• Clifton Young as Joe Shotten
• Tom Tyler as Frank Reardon
• George Cooper as Fred Barden
• Tom Keene as Ted Elser
• Bud Osborne as Cap Willis
• Zon Murray as Nels Titterton
• Robert Bray as Bart Daniels

Critical reception

The New York Times gave the film a good review and lauded Robert Mitchum's acting and Lilly Hayward's screenplay:

...Blood on the Moon still stands out from run-of-the-range action dramas. The reason is obvious enough. This picture has a sound, sensible story to tell and, besides, it is well acted. Robert Mitchum carries the burden of the film and his acting is superior all the way...Lillie Hayward's screen play, taken from a novel by Luke Short, is solidly constructed and by not over-emphasizing Jim Garry's inherent honesty, she has permitted Mr. Mitchum to illuminate a character that is reasonable and most always interesting. The same can be said of the rancher's daughter, whom Miss Bel Geddes represents. Others who give worthy help include Walter Brennan, Mr. Preston, Phyllis Thaxter, Frank Faylen and Tom Tully. And a word should be said, too, for the direction by Robert Wise. A comparative newcomer to the directorial ranks, he has managed to keep the atmosphere of this leisurely paced film charged with impending violence.

The film was also reviewed favorably by Variety magazine:

Blood on the Moon is a terse, tightly-drawn western drama. There's none of the formula approach to its story telling. Picture captures the crisp style used by Luke Short in writing his western novels...Picture's pace has a false sense of leisureliness that points up several tough moments of action. There is a deadly knock-down and drag-out fist fight between Mitchum and Preston; a long chase across snow-covered mountains and the climax gun battle between Preston's henchmen and Mitchum, Brennan and Bel Geddes that are loaded with suspense wallop.

See also

• List of American films of 1948

External links

• Blood On The Moon (1948 Trailer) on YouTube
• Blood on the Moon at the Internet Movie Database.
• Blood on the Moon at AllRovi.
• Blood on the Moon at the TCM Movie Database.