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RUNTIME
Did you know
89 minutes exactly β the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#01
Man Without a Star
"A love-bargain is like barbed-wire...fight it and you'll get hurt!"
1955 1h 29m EN
π
6.4
MID
β
6.4TMDB Β· 126
Western
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A wandering cowboy gets caught up in a range war.
βA love-bargain is like barbed-wire...fight it and you'll get hurt!β
Cast
Kirk Douglas
Dempsey Rae
Jeanne Crain
Reed Bowman
Claire Trevor
Idonee
William Campbell
Jeff Jimson
Richard Boone
Steve Miles
Jay C. Flippen
Strap Davis
Myrna Hansen
Tess Cassidy
Mara Corday
Moccasin Mary
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- King Vidor
- Writers
- Borden Chase, D.D. Beauchamp
- 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 πΏ
2 / 7
ERA
Did you know
71 years old β a genuine piece of film history.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#02
3 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by King Vidor, shot by Russell Metty. Note their partnership β DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#03
4 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Virgil W. Vogel shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#04
5 / 7
CAST
Did you know
Kirk Douglas and Jeanne Crain and Claire Trevor carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#05
6 / 7
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "A love-bargain is like barbed-wire...fight it and you'll get hurt!".
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#06
7 / 7
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0048340 β still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#07
Cinephile deep dive
The take
King Vidor directs. Russell Metty behind the camera. Virgil W. Vogel cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 189 minutes exactly β the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
- 271 years old β a genuine piece of film history.
- 3Directed by King Vidor, shot by Russell Metty. Note their partnership β DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Editor Virgil W. Vogel shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 5Kirk Douglas and Jeanne Crain and Claire Trevor carry the top of the cast.
- 6Marketing tagline: "A love-bargain is like barbed-wire...fight it and you'll get hurt!".
- 7IMDB entry: tt0048340 β still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Russell Metty
- Editing
- Virgil W. Vogel
- Costume design
- Rosemary Odell
- Makeup / hair
- Joan St. Oegger
- Runtime
- 89 min Β· 1h 29m
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- NR
Also by
King Vidor
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- John Chardβ 7/10
To fence or not to fence, that is the question. Man Without A Star is directed by King Vidor and adapted by Borden Chase & D. D. Beauchamp from the Dee Linford novel. It stars Kirk Douglas, Jeanne Crain, Claire Trevor, William Campbell & Richard Boone. Photographed by Russell Metty in Technicolor around the Thousand Oaks area in California, with the title song warbled by Frankie Laine. Dempsey Rae (Douglas) is easy going and a lover of life, so much so he has no qualms about befriending young hot head Jeff Jimson (Campbell). The pair, after a scare with the law, amble into town and find work at a ranch owned by the mysterious Reed Bowman. Who after finally showing up turns out to be a lady (Crain), with very ambitious plans. As sexual tensions start to run high, so do tempers, as the boys find themselves in the middle of a range war. It's all very conventional stuff in the grand scheme of range war Western things, but none the less it manages to stay well above average in spite of a tricky first quarter. For the fist part Vidor and Douglas seem to be playing the film for laughs, with the actor mugging for all he is worth. Add in the wet behind the ears performance of Campbell and one wonders if this is going to be a spoof. But once the lads land in town and the girls show up (Trevor classy, Crain smouldering), the film shifts in gear and starts to get edgy with Vidor proving to have paced it wisely. The thematics of era and lifestyle changes, here signified by barbed wire, are well written into the plot. While interesting camera angles and biting photography keep the mood sexually skew whiff. Boone lifts proceedings with another fine villain performance, and Jay C. Flippen in support is as solid as he almost always was. 7/10
Production companies
Who made it
Universal International Pictures
US
Key crew
- NovelDee Linford
- SoundJoe Lapis
- Assistant DirectorFrank Shaw
- SoundLeslie I. Carey
- Music SupervisorJoseph Gershenson
- Costume DesignRosemary Odell
- VocalsFrankie Laine
- EditorVirgil W. Vogel
- Set DecorationRussell A. Gausman
- Art DirectionRichard H. Riedel
- Set DecorationJohn P. Austin
- HairstylistJoan St. Oegger
- Art DirectionAlexander Golitzen
- ProducerAaron Rosenberg
- Makeup ArtistBud Westmore
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- ranch
- drifter
- homestead
Release history Β· US
When it landed
- Theatrical1955-03-24NRΒ· (New York City, New York)
- Theatrical1955-04-27NRΒ· (Los Angeles, California)
Also known as
International titles
- μ€νκ° μλ μ¬λμ΄KR
- Urodzony pod zΕΔ gwiazdΔ PL
- ιζͺζΈΈδΎ CN
- The Man Without a StarUS
