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Along the Great Divide

Along the Great Divide

Western · 1951

US marshal Len Merrick saves Tim Keith from lynching at the hands of the Roden clan, and hopes to get him to Santa Loma for trial. Vindictive Ned Roden, whose son Ed was killed, still wants personal revenge, and Tim would like to escape before Ned catches up with him again. Can the marshal make it across the desert with Tim and his daughter? Even if he makes it, will justice be served?

Movie details

Along the Great Divide

“AN ADVENTURE THAT AVALANCHES FROM THE BULLET-PROOF ROOF OF THE ROCKIES TO THE FIERY DESERT FLOOR!”

1951 Western 1h 28m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.4 / 10

Community rating

US marshal Len Merrick saves Tim Keith from lynching at the hands of the Roden clan, and hopes to get him to Santa Loma for trial. Vindictive Ned Roden, whose son Ed was killed, still wants personal revenge, and Tim would like to escape before Ned catches up with him again. Can the marshal make it across the desert with Tim and his daughter? Even if he makes it, will justice be served?

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 Along the Great Divide?

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.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Raoul Walsh

Written by

Walter Doniger · Lewis Meltzer

Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas

Marshal Len Merrick

Virginia Mayo

Virginia Mayo

Ann Keith

John Agar

John Agar

Billy Shear

Walter Brennan

Walter Brennan

Timothy 'Pop' Keith

Ray Teal

Ray Teal

Deputy Lou Gray

Hugh Sanders

Hugh Sanders

Frank Newcombe

Morris Ankrum

Morris Ankrum

Ed Roden

Court is in session

Put Along the Great Divide 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.