A western is primarily good versus evil. The movie, Shane is a clear definition of that. The cattlemen are trying to intimidate the homesteaders. One of the homesteaders is trying to stand up to them, Joe Starrett, (Van Heflin). He is not able to do it alone. Into this almost unwinnable situation walks Shane, (Alan Ladd). He is an ex-gunfighter, looking to leave his past behind, and settle down. He attempts to do that, with the Starrett family, which includes Marian, Joe’s wife, (Jean Arthur) and their son, Joey, (Brandon De Wilde). Unfortunately things don’t go well for Shane. When it’s found out, that he’s helping the good guys, he’s a target for the ranchers. Shane enters the bar, and Chris Calloway, (Ben Johnson tries to pick a fight. Shane ignores him, and walks out. Shane, not one to be intimidated, comes back later. Calloway, not the brightest of men, again picks a fight. On this occasion, Shane fights back. He beats Chris Calloway, but the ranchers aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed. They attempt to beat up Shane. Joe Starrett hears what’s happening and goes to help Shane. Together they beat the ranchers, scoring one for their side. All of this is witnessed by Joey Starrett, who indulges in hero worship of Shane. Marian, wants to be the dutiful wife to Joe. She has a hard time understanding why her husband would risk his life, and his family’s safety, for property. Shane manages to persuade the family to stay.
The cattlemen are now very frustrated at their situation. They know it’s impossible to win with Shane and Joe Starrett, unifying the homesteaders. They do what they think is best to keep their monopoly. They hire a gunman named Jack Wilson. This man is played by Jack Palance, dressed in black, and dripping with evil. When one of homesteaders, Stonewall Torrey, (Elisha Cook Jr.) has had enough, he calls out Wilson. He is killed, setting up the showdown with Shane.
This film has good performances. Alan Ladd is top notch as Shane. His character isn’t entirely original. He just lights the way in the darkness, giving the homesteaders courage. Van Heflin gives a personality to Joe Starrett. He shows a face of the pioneer who wouldn’t be intimidated, and looks out for his friends. He was never an A-lister in Hollywood, but Joe Starrett, is one of his best performances. Jean Arthur was quite an actress, having become famous, working with Frank Capra. She shows off her skills, when she breaks down, after her son shows off the gun handling skills that Shane has shown him. It is a shame that Marian Starrett, was the last film role for Jean Arthur. She walked away from Hollywood after a thirty year career in films.
George Stevens directed films for years, winning two academy awards. He proved with Shane, that he could take a typical western and make it atypical. Stevens does this in different ways. He has the always prevalent saloon brawl. It isn’t out of the ordinary, but it’s well staged. He doesn’t have the protagonist, wearing a white hat, but does make sure that Jack Wilson is dressed in black. It is interesting that the showdown takes place at night, but this points out how the the town is consumed by evil, with Shane coming to confront it. George Stevens has the advantage of having a director’s best friend: a well written screenplay, by A.B. Guthrie, adapted from the novel, by Jack Schaefer. Stevens uses all of his movie making skills, to make Shane one of the best westerns of the fifties.