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The Sheepman

The Sheepman

Western · Comedy · 1958

A stranger in a Western cattle-town behaves with remarkable self-assurance, establishing himself as a man to be reckoned with. The reason appears with his stock: a herd of sheep, which he intends to graze on the range. The horrified inhabitants decide to run him out at all costs.

Movie details

The Sheepman

“They called him the STRANGER WITH A GUN...”

1958 Western · Comedy 1h 25m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

A stranger in a Western cattle-town behaves with remarkable self-assurance, establishing himself as a man to be reckoned with. The reason appears with his stock: a herd of sheep, which he intends to graze on the range. The horrified inhabitants decide to run him out at all costs.

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 Sheepman?

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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A former gunslinger is forced to take up arms again when he and his cattle crew are threatened by a corrupt lawman.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

George Marshall

Written by

William Bowers · James Edward Grant

Glenn Ford

Glenn Ford

Jason Sweet

Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine

Dell Payton

Leslie Nielsen

Leslie Nielsen

Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe

Mickey Shaughnessy

Mickey Shaughnessy

"Jumbo" McCall

Edgar Buchanan

Edgar Buchanan

Milt Masters

Willis Bouchey

Willis Bouchey

Frank Payton

Pernell Roberts

Pernell Roberts

Chocktaw Neal

Court is in session

Put The Sheepman on trial.

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

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.