Pursued (1947)
Written by Niven Busch
Directed by Raoul Walsh
Starring Robert Mitchum, Teresa Wright, Judith Anderson, Dean Jagger and Alan Hale
Runtime 101 minutes
Available from Kino Lorber on special edition Blu-ray here

by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport & Editor in Chief

Back of the box synopsis:
From legendary director Raoul Walsh (High Sierra, White Heat) comes what Martin Scorsese hails as Hollywood’s first “western noir.” Screen icon Robert Mitchum (The Night of the Hunter) plays Jeb Rand, one of Hollywood’s early anti-heroes—an orphan-turned-war-hero caught in the middle of a violent family feud. Written by Niven Busch (Duel in the Sun), Pursued is the story of Jeb’s love for his stepsister, Thorley (a terrific Teresa Wright, Shadow of a Doubt), which triggers a fatal gun battle with her brother Adam (John Rodney, Key Largo). Despite this tragedy she marries Jeb, intent on avenging the death on their wedding night. But Jeb’s dark past closes in with the arrival of a stranger with a score to settle who sets off a brutal climax of treachery, murder and shocking revelations. Judith Anderson (Rebecca) plays Mrs. Callum, the widow who takes in young Jeb; Dean Jagger (Dark City) plays Grant, a one-armed stranger who seems bent on tormenting Jeb; Alan Hale (The Crusades) plays Jake Dingle, a casino owner who becomes Jeb’s business partner; and Harry Carey Jr. (Man of the East) plays Prentice, a young man also in love with Thorley. Gorgeous black-and-white cinematography by James Wong Howe (Hud) and a rousing score by Max Steiner (Casablanca) further enrich Walsh’s brilliant blending of two distinctly American film genres.

Features that make it special…

• Audio commentary by film historian Imogen Sara Smith

• Introduction by Martin Scorsese

• High quality slip case

Why you need to add it to your video library…

In January Robert Mitchum was star of the month on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). For those not familiar with TCM’s star of the month feature, it involves a celebration of a particular Hollywood actor by showing a selection of motion pictures from their filmography along with sharing tidbits about their lives via hosted introductions. This is how I learned that Mitchum had an affinity for knitting, compliments of Alicia Malone.

Additionally, it was TCM’s star of the month observance that made me realize that I was slacking in terms of the number of Robert Mitchum pictures I have witnessed. Since my partner in crime and I have yet to cut the cord on cable, we benefit from utilizing TCM’s streaming app. As the Mitchum movies started to appear on the app, I was astonished by how many I had yet to experience. Sure, I have seen the hits: Cape Fear (1962), Night of The Hunter (1955) and Out of The Past (1947). Although, when it came to the deep cuts, I had a lot of work ahead of me. As of writing this article, I have watched fifty-seven Mitchum movies this year. Of course not all of these flicks were masterpieces. There were some undeniable duds discovered and laughs were had… which is to be expected. No matter who the actor, everyone is prone to make a flop at some point in their career. However, Pursued (1947) is anything but a bomb.

This Raoul Walsh directed, western noir, is filled with powerhouse performances from Teresa Wright and Robert Mitchum. The wonderful landscapes are plentiful compliments of Academy Award winning cinematographer, James Wong Howe (Seconds, Hud and The Rose Tattoo) and truly shine given the 4K scan that was made from the original 35mm print camera negative, compliments of Kino Lorber. These glorious western backdrops are on full display right from the opening of the picture when a lone rider, Thorley “Thor” Callum (Teresa Wright) gallops across the screen. In listening to the thoughtful and insightful commentary from Imogen Sara Smith (read her book on noir, entitled In Lonely Places for more sharp film noir analysis), I learned that it was somewhat uncommon to find a woman on a horse opening a motion picture, particularly a western. Essentially, this choice is a sign that tells the viewer they are about to watch something unexpected. Further, it was interesting to learn that Teresa Wright’s husband (at time of filming), Niven Busch penned the screenplay and was also the screenwriter behind one of my favorite flicks, The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946). Something I loved, that Smith pointed out, was the use of the flashback technique to convey a character with repressed memory. Flashbacks were a common method used during 1940s filmmaking, especially within the noir genre. In Pursed, Mitchum is haunted by visions from the night his family was murdered, which causes him to question his current situation.

This special edition release also contains a brief, yet informative, introduction from acclaimed filmmaker, Martin Scorcese who hails director, Raoul Walsh as “quintessential and prolific”. Raoul may have been known more for his action dramas such as White Heat, The Roaring Twenties, and They Drive By Night, but with Pursed he proves that he could handle a variety of genres. Pursued is the kind of motion picture that one will find they will want to revisit as there is so much going on under the surface. Mitchum once said that he had two styles of acting: with or without a horse. In this case you witness him with a horse and together they surely will ride away with your cinematic heart.