There Was a Crooked Man...

There Was a Crooked Man… is a 1970’s western crime film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, starring the ever-iconic Kirk Douglas, Henry Fonda, and Hume Cronyn. A unique fusion of the classic 'western' and 'prison' movie genres, the movie brilliantly exhibits an undertone of satiric humor intertwined with a plot of deception, double crossing, and resilience against oppression.

Masterfully played by Kirk Douglas, our protagonist Paris Pitman Jr., is a charismatic yet deceitful outlaw, a man of great audacity and wit. After a successful bank robbery and managing to gather a small fortune of $500,000, Pitman finds himself betrayed by his beloved woman, who tips off the law enforcement about his illegal endeavors. Thus lands Pitman in Arizona's brutal “Territorial Prison”, a harsh environment where the warden and guards impose their ruthless laws upon the inmates.

This is where Henry Fonda steps in. Fonda plays the stoic, honorable, and incorruptible warden LeGoff, who is newly assigned with the aim to reform the corrupt prison and its inmates. LeGoff, despite seeing through Pitman’s cunning nature, somehow ends up forming an unlikely bond with him. This bond becomes a focal point of the story, adding to the twists and turns of the narrative. The backdrop of stringent discipline, cruel punishment, and injustice in the prison set against the star-spangled skies and arid terrain of the western frontier brings out a stark contrast, highlighting more clearly the struggle for power, control, and survival.

Hume Cronyn plays Dudley Whinner, the aging and nervy accomplice of Pitman, who’s caught in the crossfire of Pitman’s schemes and his attempt to survive in this terrible prison environment. Together with a group of fellow captives, they form an uneasy alliance fraught with mistrust and betrayal, attempting to escape the formidable Territorial Prison.

What sets “There Was a Crooked Man…” apart is its clever fusion of Comedy and Drama. The dialogs are sharp, incisive and witty, setting the mood with light-hearted banter and sarcastic jibes, while the narrative core is still a serious tale of crime, betrayal, and punishment. The storyline charts the growth and decay of man-to-man relationships, mind games between inmates, and the constant push and pull of morality and personal gain. Despite being a Western, at its core, the film navigates a labyrinth of complex human emotions, resilience, and morality.

Veteran director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, renowned for classics like All About Eve and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, lends his trademark sophistication, spectacle, and scale to the film. A depiction of extreme landscapes, the potent vulnerability, and the audacity of human spirit against a backdrop of harsh prison life mark the film as one of Mankiewicz’s most ambitious works. The movie also notably breaks away from the traditional Western genre characterizations, where we would generally see a clear black and white, hero and villain portrayal. Instead, “There Was a Crooked Man…” delves into the murkier grey areas that reside within each character.

In terms of cinematic execution, the movie boasts a huge ensemble of classic character actors who add more depth and texture to the story. The swift cinematography captures the austerity of the prison and the desolate beauty of the Old West. Furthermore, the brilliant score underlines the intensity of the narrative while toning down the grim severity with occasional light-hearted melodies.

There Was a Crooked Man… stands as a classic combination of bitter comedy and tragedy and is worth noting for its break from the conventional norms of the Western genre and a venture into unexplored territories. Featuring strong performances, the movie pins you to your seat from the beginning and while being entertaining never fails to keep you engaged.