Blood on the Moon

Dir: Robert Wise

1948

****

Blood on the Moon is one of the most underrated Westerns of all time. While the story isn't particularly unique for the genre, the performances are impressive and the visuals are nothing short of stunning. Robert Wise is one of the greatest unsung directors in my opinion, his films are always original and way ahead of their time. Visually he was one of the best in the business, in 1948's Blood on the Moon (based on Luke Short's 1941 novel Gunman's Chance) he is teamed up with one of the greatest cinematographers of all time, the brilliant Nicholas Musurace (Cat People, I Remember Mama, Stranger on the Third Floor). This darkly rich black and white noir is a million miles away from the usual formulaic western of the era and is just as good as the classics of the time. Robert Mitchum's performance is intense and uncompromising, he's the cool and calm drifter you expect from films of this ilk but he remains mysterious, and more importantly, unpredictable. 1948 was also a good year for young Barbara Bel Geddes, between Blood on the Moon and I Remember Mama, there was no questioning her acting repertoire. The pair are brilliant together on screen and share some scenes that I'm surprised have never been considered classics. Robert Mitchum was always the go-to guy for psychological tension but I really can't think of any other western made within twenty years of Blood on the Moon that reaches the same level of intensity. Its influence is vast and not just within the western genre either. The film drips class at every turn, it's stunning to watch and backs up the visuals with real depth and intrigue.