Wizard-8 If you know about the Hollywood Production Code - which was still in effect when "Face of a Fugitive" was made - you will know early on in the movie, after it's been established that Fred MacMurray's character is a bad guy who hasn't paid for his crimes, that there will be only one of two possible fates for this character. Despite the ending being somewhat predictable, the movie isn't all that bad. MacMurray does pretty well as an outlaw who goes through a (believable) change in character. The rest of the cast also does well, and it's fun seeing James Coburn in an early (but fairly meaty) role before he became famous. The movie is kind of leisurely paced, and there isn't much action (though the climax is kind of exciting.) But the movie has a kind of old fashioned charm in this day and age, kind of refreshing in an "R" rated world. While the movie won't change the minds of people who dislike westerns into liking them, western fans should find this one pleasant enough.

classicsoncall Fred MacMurray doesn't really have the face for an outlaw, nor the voice, which makes it difficult to picture him in a Western. However in "Face Of A Fugitive", he fares much better than he did in "The Oregon Trail" from the same year. The unshaven look and casting as a loner adds to the appeal of his character Jim Larsen, who takes on the masquerade of a mine inspector looking for a change. Trouble finds him after escaping arrest from a territorial marshal, but the brother who helped him winds up dead, and things get even more complicated when circumstances find him siding with a lawman against Reed Williams (Alan Baxter), a rancher who intends to fence his range land in violation of a government order. Wouldn't you know it, sheriff Mark Riley (Lin McCarthy) has a widowed sister (Dorothy Green) who falls for Larsen/Kincaid, and the feeling is mutual. It's the typical recipe for trouble.You know, I had to stop and think about the value of merchandise as presented in the story. Larsen paid eighteen dollars for a gun belt and firearm, but only five dollars for a pair of pants and a jacket. Perhaps it was meant to indicate that protection had it's price in the old West, but I wonder if the numbers were accurate; I'll have to dig up an 1880's Sears catalog.The action takes place in a Wyoming town called Tangle Blue, which is one of the coolest sounding place names I've come across in a Western, and there are plenty. I wonder if that might have been the inspiration for Bob Dylan's song "Tangled Up In Blue"? Nah, I doubt it.You'll probably have to look long and hard for another story where the outlaw on the run needs to get as creative in dispatching a dead body. With no alternative, Larsen bundles up brother Jim in a canvas mail sack and heaves him off a train as it heads over a river crossing. Somehow you just knew that it wasn't the last you'd see of the young outlaw, he washes up ashore some time later, and for Larsen/Kincaid, it arrived with postage due. By the time it's all over, the Williams gang is no match for reluctant outlaw Larsen in a creative shoot out, leaving sheriff Riley a tough time matching up the face with the wanted poster.

cableaddict I must admit, I have never before liked any movie that starred Fred McMurrey. This is a first.The action moves slowly here, as much of the tension has to do with how the characters think and interact. However, that's exactly what makes it special. Even the female lead has important lines, which is exceedingly rare in this genre. McMurray's character is one you would expect Gary Cooper to have played, and he pulls it off surprisingly well.While not a classic, this is an extremely well-made Western, and I highly recommend it.

hoodcsa Fred MacMurray really stands out in this largely unknown western. MacMurray's character is on the run, but gets tangled up in the deadly affairs of a small town. The love story, which could have been nothing more than a routine plot device, actually works on a very fundamental level. MacMurray is top notch as the film's anti-hero. The rest of the cast is not as good, particularly a wooden Lin McCarthy as the embattled sheriff. Director Paul Wendkos delivers a crisply directed film. A lot of little things which could have been done routinely or sloppily are filmed with gusto and precision. The end-of-the-movie shootout is particularly energetic. Face of a Fugitive is not a great western, but it's very entertaining and should be seen by genre fans.