Rancho Skulduggery. Man in the Saddle comes from director Andre De Toth and features a screenplay by Kenneth Gamet, based on a novel by Ernest Haycox. The cast includes Randolph Scott, Joan Leslie, John Russell, Ellen Drew, Alexander Knox, Richard Rober, and Guinn Williams. George Duning composed the music, with cinematography by Charles Lawton Jr. While Andre De Toth is frequently recognized for his Western films alongside Budd Boetticher, it’s easy to overlook his long collaboration with Randolph Scott. Man in the Saddle was their initial project of six Westerns made together, and it establishes a strong foundation. Many Westerns from the nineteen fifties are described as formulaic or typical, and Man in the Saddle has been wrongly labeled that way too. The story isn’t particularly unique—essentially, Randy is a peaceful farmer who must resort to violence when an unscrupulous landowner uses intimidation—but the energy of the action, the stunts performed, the color photography (Lone Pine remains a destination for Western enthusiasts) and Scott's performance all contribute to a very enjoyable film. The characters possess more psychological depth than you typically find in “B” Westerns from that period. A complicated situation involving four people is clearly headed toward misfortune, pain, and death; there’s a commentary on capitalism with its portrayal of an arrogant bully, and the obsessive actions of the main characters cast a dark shadow over this corner of the West. The action sequences are also noteworthy, demonstrating De Toth's skill as a director. The film contains a remarkable runaway wagon scene, a stampede, a particularly well-executed gunfight in a dimly lit saloon, a fist fight that literally destroys a building – and continues down a ravine – and a final shootout set during a dust storm that delivers plenty of excitement. Scott embodies Western stoicism, especially when he changes from the bright clothes he wears initially to darker attire, signifying his shift toward a more aggressive stance against those who have wronged him. It’s definitely an overlooked film, both as a Randolph Scott vehicle and as a Western overall. Ignore those who dismiss it as ordinary; there's genuine skill on display here, and it provides a lot of entertainment. 7.5/10

Source on TMDB