Wuchak Released in 1952, "Hangman's Knot" tells the story of a small troop of Confederates led by Major Stewart (Randolph Scott) on special assignment in the West to apprehend gold for the Confederacy. After ambushing a Union stagecoach full of gold they find out the war has been over for a month. Desperate, they hitch a ride with stagecoach to get out of the area, but are eventually forced to hold up at a way station. Lee Marvin and Claude Jarman Jr. co-star as two of Stewart's men while Donna Reed plays a Union nurse and Richard Denning her traveling companion."Hangman's Knot" lacks those roll-your-eyes elements typical of too many older Westerns and benefits from a confined-location plot that's conducive to characterization. Many of the characters are corrupted by the bloody four-year war or just plain greed while some try to maintain a sense of honor amidst the madness. Despite the many deaths, the climax leaves you with a good feeling. Contrived or not, it's inspiring.The film runs 81 minutes and was shot in Alabama Hills, Lone Pine and Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California.GRADE: B

TheLittleSongbird Hangman's Knot may be too short at only an hour and twenty minutes or so, there are one or two scenes that take too long to get going and some of the characters are clichéd(ie. nurse devoted to duty). However, it is a very well made movie, with tight editing, lavish scenery and beautiful photography. The film is beautifully directed, I love the metaphorical title, the script is well-written and intriguing, the opening twenty minutes set the tone of the film brilliantly and the sequence involving the "Rebs" is fantastic. The acting is very good and do a credible job in making us care for their somewhat clichéd characters. Randolph Scott is commanding, Donna Reed is as lovely as ever and Lee Marvin makes a positive impression without stealing his scenes too much. Overall, a very effective and underrated western. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Claudio Carvalho In 1865, a troop of Confederate soldiers led by Major Matt Stewart (Randolph Scott) attack the wagon of gold escorted by Union cavalry and the soldiers are killed. The only wounded survivor tells that the war ended one month ago, and the group decides to take the gold and meet their liaison that knew that the war ended but did not inform the troop. The harsh Rolph Bainter (Lee Marvin) kills the greedy man and the soldiers flee in his wagon driven by Major Stewart. When they meet a posse chasing them, Stewart gives wrong information to misguide the group; however, they have an accident with the wagon and lose the horses. They decide to stop a stagecoach and force the driver to transport them, but the posse returns and they are trapped in the station with the passenger. They realize that the men are not deputies and have no intention to bring them to justice but take the stolen gold. "Hangman's Knot" is a simple but effective Western in the after American Civil War period mainly about lack of communication and greed. Randolph Scott and Lee Marvin in the beginning of his career perform their usual type of characters, a fair rough man and a bad character. The story is engaging with many conflictive situations and the screenplay is very tight. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "O Laço do Carrasco" ("The Hangman's Noose")

loydmooney-1 This one starts out superbly. The main problem is a kind of Hamlet-like attenuation of a situation that should have been over rather quickly: you never believe that it takes as long as it does to drive the main crew out of the house they are holed up in. Suspension of disbelief comes at a premium just as surely as with Hamlet taking upteem hours and days and weeks and months to get rid of the big old bad guy standing in his way......but then there would have been no play, or in this case an entirely different movie. However, the beginning is as good as any Boetticher, all silent, signals as quiet as Comanche smoke while a few rebels are ambushing a Union gold shipment before finding out that it was all wasted effort, that the war has been over quite a while. No doubt a plot to be rescued for some world war two Nazi gold movie. Scott never looked better in a slick black coat believing a rather soft center: it's Frank Faylen who is the greedy one who must pay the price in the end for wanting the gold for himself. Until the rebel band get stuck between four walls, the film moves like a western should. Yellow Sky , a much better foray into lust for lost gold is a lot more believable, and should be seen for comparison what a great director can do with the magnetic little yellow bags. That said, this still should not be missed for the opening twenty or so minutes.