Jubal

Filmmaker Delmer Daves' 1956 Western Jubal serves up a strange riff on Othello, set against the vast grandeur of the 19th-century Wyoming frontier. Glenn Ford stars as Jubal Troop, a wandering cowboy who is hired by a cattle operation run by crass but good-natured rancher Shep Horgan (Ernest Borgnine). Jubal earns Shep's admiration and is quickly promoted to foreman, much to the anger of malcontent cowhand Pinky (Rod Steiger). Complicating matters is Shep's oversexed French-Canadian wife, Mae (British actress Valerie French, with an on-again/off-again Québécois accent), who seems to be attracted to every man except her husband. Pinky adopts an Iago-worthy manipulative stance that inevitably brings violent tragedy to all connected parties, including a wagon train of Mormon-inspired religious pilgrims who are somehow sucked into the maelstrom. Unfortunately, Jubal is thrown off-kilter by its unsatisfactory acting: Ford is too old and too stolid for his role, while Steiger and French deliver wildly overstated performances that nearly turn the film into unintentional comedy. Jubal's saving grace is its spectacular CinemaScope views of the Teton Range, beautifully presented in this new 4K restoration. DVD extras include an essay by film historian Kent Jones. A strong optional purchase. (P. Hall)