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The Tin Star

The Tin Star

Western · 1957

An experienced bounty hunter helps a young sheriff learn the meaning of his badge.

Movie details

The Tin Star

“For $40 a month and a shiny Tin Star…the young sheriff faced the mob alone…except for the angry ex-sheriff who couldn’t watch him die and a hero-worshipping boy who lived only for the day he’d wear a Tin Star of his own!”

1957 Western 1h 33m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.0 / 10

Community rating

An experienced bounty hunter helps a young sheriff learn the meaning of his badge.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Tin Star?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

The Naked Spur

The Naked Spur

Western · 1953

A bounty hunter trying to bring a murderer to justice is forced to accept the help of two less-than-trustworthy strangers.

Day of the Outlaw

Day of the Outlaw

Western · 1959

Blaise Starrett is a rancher at odds with homesteaders when outlaws hold up the small town. The outlaws are held in check only by their notorious leader, but he is diagnosed with a fatal wound and the town is a powder keg waiting to blow.

The Gunfighter

The Gunfighter

Western · 1950

The fastest gun in the West tries to escape his reputation.

Warlock

Warlock

Western · 1959

A band of murderous cowboys has imposed a reign of terror on the town of Warlock. With the sheriff humiliatingly run out of town, the residents hire the services of Clay Blaisedell as de facto town marshal. He arrives along with his friend, Tom Morgan, and sets about restoring law and order on his own terms whilst also overseeing the establishment of a gambling house and saloon.

Ride Lonesome

Ride Lonesome

Western · 1959

On the way to pick up the bounty on a wanted murderer, a bounty hunter stops at a staging post where he is forced to continue his journey with two outlaws who want the murderer for their own reasons and a recently-widowed woman, with the murderer's brother and his men in hot pursuit.

Flaming Star

Flaming Star

Western · 1960

Pacer Burton, a young man of mixed Kiowa and white heritage, is caught between two worlds as conflict erupts between Native Americans and white settlers in Texas.

Chato's Land

Chato's Land

Western · 1972

In 1870s New Mexico, a half-breed kills a bigoted sheriff in self-defense but the posse that eventually hunts him finds itself in dangerous territory.

Rio Bravo

Rio Bravo

Western · 1959

A small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a disabled man, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy.

One-Eyed Jacks

One-Eyed Jacks

Western · 1961

Running from the law after a bank robbery in Mexico, Dad Longworth finds an opportunity to take the stolen gold and leave his partner Rio to be captured. Years later, Rio escapes from the prison where he has been since, and hunts down Dad for revenge. Dad is now a respectable sheriff in California, and has been living in fear of Rio's return.

Shoot Out

Shoot Out

Western · 1971

Clay Lomax, a bank robber, gets out of jail after an 7 year sentence. He is looking after Sam Foley, the man who betrayed him. Knowing that, Foley hires three men to pay attention of Clay's steps. The things get complicated when Lomax, waiting to receive some money from his ex-lover, gets only the notice of her death and an 7 year old girl, sometimes very annoying, presumed to be his daughter.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Anthony Mann

Written by

Dudley Nichols · Barney Slater · Joel Kane

Henry Fonda

Henry Fonda

Morgan Hickman

Anthony Perkins

Anthony Perkins

Ben Owens

Betsy Palmer

Betsy Palmer

Nona Mayfield

Michel Ray

Michel Ray

Kip Mayfield

Neville Brand

Neville Brand

Bart Bogardus

John McIntire

John McIntire

Joseph "Doc" McCord

Mary Webster

Mary Webster

Millie Parker

Court is in session

Put The Tin Star on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.