Rancho Notorious

"Where anything goes… for a price!"

1952 1h 26m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 130

DramaWestern

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A man in search of revenge infiltrates a ranch, hidden in an inhospitable region, where its owner, Altar Keane, gives shelter to outlaws fleeing from the law in exchange for a price.

“Where anything goes… for a price!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Marlene Dietrich
Altar Keane
Arthur Kennedy
Vern Haskell
Mel Ferrer
Frenchy Fairmont
Gloria Henry
Beth Forbes
William Frawley
Baldy Gunder
Lisa Ferraday
Maxine
John Raven
Dealer
Jack Elam
Mort Geary

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Fritz Lang
Writers: Daniel Taradash, Silvia Richards
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

86 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

74 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Fritz Lang, shot by Hal Mohr. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Emil Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Marlene Dietrich and Arthur Kennedy and Mel Ferrer carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Where anything goes… for a price!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0045070 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Fritz Lang directs. Hal Mohr behind the camera. Emil Newman scores. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

186 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
274 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by Fritz Lang, shot by Hal Mohr. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Emil Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Marlene Dietrich and Arthur Kennedy and Mel Ferrer carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Where anything goes… for a price!".
7IMDB entry: tt0045070 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Released under 13 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Hal Mohr
Original score: Emil Newman
Production design: Wiard B. Ihnen
Makeup / hair: Frank Westmore
Runtime: 86 min · 1h 26m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: Rancho Notorious (1952)

Also by

Fritz Lang

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2022-09-11
★ 6/10
Western oddity about a ranch haven for outlaws led by Marlene Dietrich A vengeful Wyoming ranch hand (Arthur Kennedy) relentlessly pursues the cowardly murderer of his fiancé (Gloria Henry). He eventually teams-up with a smooth brigand (Mel Ferrer) in the Southwest who takes him to a hacienda that’s a secret sanctuary for hooligans led by a former saloon entertainer named Altar Keane (Dietrich). The last of three Westerns directed by Fritz Lang, "Rancho Notorious" (1952) is a largely set-bound stylized ‘B’ movie that distorts reality in its implementation of artificial backdrops and shadowy interiors, which is why some view it as Western noir. The closest comparison would be “Johnny Guitar” (1954), but this one isn’t in the same ballpark of exceptionalness. The story’s just not as compelling. Yet there’s enough entertainment value here for those interested. Marlene was 50 during shooting yet still in shape and easily looking ten years younger. The amusing bar room race where the ladies ride the backs of drunken men like horses is a highlight with Altar Keane’s pure joy at winning the race being priceless. In the gambling sequence, look for a young Russell Johnson, aka the Professor on Gilligan’s Island. The film runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot at studios in North Hollywood and Hollywood (e.g. Republic Studios). GRADE: B-
drystyx2023-04-03
★ 8/10
Spectacle and action. That's what this Western offers to the fullest degree. It's a revenge tale, and ordinarily might be run of the mill, but for some incredible cinematography. The spectacle is great. Arthur Kennedy plays the man looking for his fiance's killer. There is a mystery first as to where the killer is, and second a mystery of whom the killer is. Two men commit a robbery. The albino man waits outside while the culprit robs and kills the hero's fiance. Later, the killer argues with the albino over where to go. A place called "Chugalug", but the albino wants to part ways. He is shot in the back. The hero finds the albino and wants to know where the killer is. "Chugalug". That part is solved about a third of the way into the film. It's a ranch run by Marlene Dietrich who hosts bandits and gives them haven for a cut of their loot. Outlaws like Mel Ferrer, who plays her lover, Jack Elam, who is angry over the way Marlene takes advantage of him. George Reeves, who is not superman here. And many other interesting outlaws,including the killer, but our hero doesn't know which one. Like I say, this is "style over substance", a real spectacle, but the characters are endearing. Mel Ferrer plays a romanticized outlaw who cares about his comrades more than most outlaws do. He even stops to bury his best friend while on the run from the law. (His best friend is dead).
CinemaSerf2024-05-11
★ 7/10
Now this doesn't start off very well - we have a really terrible "chuck-a-luck" song that makes you squirm a little. Stick with it though as "Vern" (Arthur Kennedy) sets off to track down the murderer of his gal who was slain in a hold up. Meantime, "Altar" (Marlene Dietrich) gets the boot from her hotel singing job but not before, with the help of "Frenchy" (Mel Ferrer), she wins quite a large sum on it's rigged wheel of chance. The two threads of the story knit together when "Vern" arrives at a remote ranch that's now owned by her and that offers a sort of sanctuary for those fleeing the law - so long as she gets 10%. Dressed for dinner, she wears a brooch that used to belong to the murdered girl so "Vern" determines to find out where she got it - and then avenge her death, upsetting the delicate equilibrium amongst his fellow crooks. Kennedy was never very engaging to watch, but Ferrer is a little more charismatic here as the deadly muscle for Dietrich's hard-as-nails songstress-turned-criminal. On that note, Ken Darby has penned a few unremarkable songs for her which did rather take from the pace of the adventure but do imbue her character with a little of the charm she so effectively uses to make a fortune off the backs of her miscreant companions. The ending is all a bit rushed, but the star manages to hold it together well enough for ninety minutes that I quite enjoyed, though most likely won't remember.