HIGH LONESOME

Cinemavixion Review

Alan Le May's "High Lonesome" is a stark, atmospheric Western that plunges viewers into the unforgiving landscape of Texas' Big Bend country. Released in 1950, the film centers on a young drifter, known only as Cooncat, whose arrival coincides with a series of unsettling murders. The local community, embodied by the Davis clan and their ranch hands, immediately casts suspicion on the newcomer, whose past is shrouded in mystery and violence. John Drew Barrymore delivers a compelling performance as the enigmatic drifter, grappling with a hazy recollection of events and the weight of accusations. The narrative cleverly weaves a tale of mistrust, with the harsh environment mirroring the characters' internal struggles. While the film may not boast the widespread acclaim of some of its contemporaries, it offers a compelling character study and a brooding exploration of a frontier justice that is as brutal as the land itself. "High Lonesome" is a worthy, if lesser-known, entry into the Western canon, recommended for those who appreciate a more grounded and psychologically complex take on the genre.