Backlash

"Was The SIXTH MAN The Secret To The Five Empty Graves?...the Answer waited in a woman's lips and watched from the shadows of a frightened town!"

1956 1h 24m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

⭐

6.6

IMDB

★6.5TMDB · 51★6.6IMDB · 1,946

Western

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Jim Slater's father (whom he never knew) died in the Apache ambush at Gila Valley, and Jim is searching for the one survivor, who supposedly went for help but disappeared with a lot of gold. In the process, he gets several people gunning for him, and he keeps meeting liberated woman Karyl Orton, who may be on a similar mission. Renewed Apache hostilities and an impending range war provide complications.

“Was The SIXTH MAN The Secret To The Five Empty Graves?...the Answer waited in a woman's lips and watched from the shadows of a frightened town!”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Richard Widmark
Jim Slater
Donna Reed
Karyl Orton
William Campbell
Johnny Cool
John McIntire
Jim Bonniwell / William Slater
Barton MacLane
Sergeant George Lake
Harry Morgan
Tony Welker
Robert J. Wilke
Jeff Welker
Jack Lambert
Benton

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Sturges
Writers: Borden Chase
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 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $1.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

70 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Sturges, shot by Irving Glassberg. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Sherman Todd shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Richard Widmark and Donna Reed and William Campbell carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Was The SIXTH MAN The Secret To The Five Empty Graves?...the Answer waited in a woman's lips and watched from the shadows of a frightened town!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0048976 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Sturges directs. Irving Glassberg behind the camera. Sherman Todd cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

184 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Shot for just $1.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
370 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
4Directed by John Sturges, shot by Irving Glassberg. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Sherman Todd shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Richard Widmark and Donna Reed and William Campbell carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Was The SIXTH MAN The Secret To The Five Empty Graves?...the Answer waited in a woman's lips and watched from the shadows of a frightened town!".
8IMDB entry: tt0048976 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 51 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Irving Glassberg
Editing: Sherman Todd
Costume design: Rosemary Odell
Makeup / hair: Joan St. Oegger
Runtime: 84 min · 1h 24m
Status: Released
Budget: $1,025,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Backlash (1956)
IMDB rating: 6.6/10 · 1,946 votes
MPAA: Approved

Also by

John Sturges

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2017-02-10
★ 7/10
There's things a man has to know and has to do, and it's best that he does them alone. Backlash (1956) is directed by John Sturges and adapted by Borden Chase from the novel written by Frank Gruber. It stars Richard Widmark, Donna Reed, John McIntire & William Campbell. It's shot in Technicolor by Irving Glassberg on location in Tuscon, Arizona. 1870 Arizona, and Jim Slater (Widmark) is searching for the truth about what happened to his father during the Apache ambush at Gila Valley. This brings him into contact with strong willed Karyl Orton (Reed), who courtesy of her missing husband also has an interest in the events of that raid. Missing family members and missing gold, the can is now open and worms are pouring out every where. It's about the writing and the characters here. From the off it should be known that this is no high octane actioner. We are dealing in a mystery, with what amounts to a detective story played out in a Western theme. It's a touch unusual but never less than interesting as Chases' unconventional script gives birth to a myriad of characters, some complex, others just stock genre story fleshers. There's some clichés spliced within the piece, but they are off set by some nice twists in the story. And while this is no Anthony Mann/Borden Chase psychologically tinted production, it doesn't cop out with its big decisions. Glassberg's cinematography is first class, really vibrant and bursting out from the screen as they nicely film it on location of where the story is set. The cast is real strong. Widmark is excellent as the tough as nails hero and Reed looks stunning whilst neatly essaying a prickly femme fatale type. McIntire gives another classy supporting turn and Campbell is enjoyably OTT as hothead gunslinger Johnny Cool. The principals have all done far better work in the genre, but this is a nice change of pace for all of them. It's unlikely to raise the pulses of the action seeking fan, but for those of a more literary persuasion this should hit the spot. 7/10
Wuchak2025-03-08
★ 6/10
Colorful Western marred by eye-rolling 50’s Hollywood-isms After a man and a woman meet in Gila Valley in southern Arizona (Richard Widmark and Donna Reed), they eventually discern that they’re both looking for the mystery survivor of an Apache massacre who made off with a stolen fortune (John McIntire). “Backlash” (1956) has vibrant Southwestern locations and the staples of gunfights, stagecoaches, wraith-like Indian attacks, a salty calvary sergeant (Barton MacLane), saloons and a brash punk gunfighter (William Campbell). Speaking of the latter, it’s entertaining seeing diminutive Harry Morgan convincingly pull-off a no-nonsense gunfighter. Think about it, if you’re skilled with a pistol and have the nerve, it doesn’t matter how tall you are, right? Regrettably, it’s flawed by old Western banalities and contrivances, like the protagonist rashly slapping the female interest and yet she’s deeply attracted to him. Why Sure! Still, there’s enough good here if you like 50’s Westerns like “Hangman’s Knot,” “Gun Fury,” “Garden of Evil,” “The Last Wagon” and “The Law and Jake Wade.” It just ranks with the least of ’em. It’s short ‘n’ sweet at 1 hour, 24 minutes, and was shot in southern Arizona, including Old Tucson, with additional stuff done at Universal Studios in SoCal, along with nearby Sherman Oaks and Benedict Canyon, Beverly Hills. GRADE: B-