The Hanging Tree

Cooper is an old West doctor with a past who comes into a small town to start again. He rescues thief Piazza from a lynch mob and reforms him, then helps temporarily blinded Swiss girl Schell. He gives her money to buy into a gold mine with Piazza and heavy Malden. When they strike it rich, Malden attacks Schell but Cooper arrives in time and shoots him. An angry mob takes Cooper to the hanging tree to string him up, but Schell buys them off with her gold. She and Piazza cut Cooper down. This carefully paced formalist western is oddly effective despite flaws in the script. Good performances by all, including George C. Scott in his first film. The title song was nom...