The Naked Spur Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		4.0

The Naked Spur Blu-ray Movie Review

A basket of bad apples.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III September 24, 2021

It's almost a futile effort to heap praise upon Anthony Mann's The Naked Spur, a hugely influential 1953 Western that remains a pinnacle of his long and lustrous career. Again teaming with star Jimmy Stewart (as bounty hunter Howard Kemp), Mann's character-driven piece quickly forms a five-person party that simmers with tension as the true nature of each member is gradually revealed. Kemp is our first; he's hot on the trail of outlaw Ben Vandergroat (Robert Ryan), who's wanted for murder in Abilene, Kansas. He enlists the help of prospector Jesse Tate (Millard Mitchell), presenting himself as a lawman to earn the old man's trust, and it's not long before they close in on their target. More help arrives with discharged Union soldier Roy Anderson (Ralph Meeker) -- he kind of shoehorns his way into the situation rather than being invited, even deftly scaling the cliff where Ben hides when Howard can't manage to do it. After a scuffle, the outlaw is captured along with his pretty companion Lina Patch (Janet Leigh)... but they've got a long, hard road back to Abilene, and Ben's carefully biding his time with a scheme to dismantle the group from within.

It turns out to be an easier job than expected for two reasons. One is that all three of Ben's captors aren't exactly who they claim to be, either by profession or intent. This leads directly to the second: "lawman" Howard will get a $5,000 reward for Ben's delivery, a secret that Roy and Jesse immediately resent when compared to their paltry compensation. Even after Howard reluctantly agrees to split the money three ways, a rift has been created and, as their long and winding journey continues, Ben attempts to widen the gap at almost each and every turn. He uses another tool in Lina, who Roy obviously takes a liking to -- but who grows to admire Howard instead -- by encouraging her to lead both men on while chipping away at both of their already-fading trust in one another. External dangers arrive in both unforgiving Colorado trails and a roving band of Blackfoot Native Americans, but let's not kid ourselves here: The Naked Spur's conflicts lie almost entirely within the five-person group, who also deliver the film's only speaking parts.

It's a terrific character piece, and one that absolutely boils with tension at the right moments. Much of the weight is carried by Stewart's intense, turbulent portrayal of a reluctant bounty hunter; one who's after the money for a very specific reason that, despite his untrustworthy nature, seems like the absolute truth. Robert Ryan stands in great contrast here, playing a quiet and subdued adversary that's always thinking... but when his true colors emerge, The Naked Spur jumps into high gear and stays there through its thrilling climax near a raging river that threatens the lives of almost every group member. Janet Leigh also does a lot with what could have been a thankless role, earning our sympathy despite her allegiances while going through one of the film's most satisfying character arcs. Millard Mitchell is the absolute blueprint for his type of character, a well-worn prospector who can't help but follow the money to change his luck. Only Ralph Meeker's Roy feels like dead weight here; his shifty demeanor creates some tension, especially in regards to his treatment of Lina, but something about the performance just can't match his four companions.

Filmed in beautiful Technicolor, The Naked Spur's stunning location footage make it a joy to watch as the character interactions ebb and flow. All told, you can see its fingerprints on countless Westerns that arrived later in the decade; perhaps the one that most immediately comes to mind is Delmer Daves' excellent 3:10 to Yuma, which is more widely known by modern audiences for its 2007 remake. But in the singular atmosphere of The Naked Spur, tension arrives quickly and holds tight as its fat-free story unspools, creating possibilities that Anthony Mann's biographer Jeanine Basinger once famously described as "five times five" (referring to the number of its primary characters and their ever-changing relationships with one another). Almost 70 years after its debut, this is still a journey worth taking.

Despite the film's sterling reputation, The Naked Spur has never earned a truly decent edition on home video -- the last release was a 2006 DVD by Warner Bros. that disappointed Western fans with a scuzzy transfer that resembled a VHS tape in terms of detail, depth, and color. Warner Archive has once again righted wrongs with a top-notch 1080p transfer sourced from original elements, supporting the film's stunning locations and lush Technicolor palette with outstanding picture quality that, to use a tired cliché, will be like watching the film for the first time. Even The Naked Spur's bonus features, though recycled and limited in number, get a nice bump in quality from at least one perspective.

The Naked Spur Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Warner Archive once again works their restorative magic with The Naked Spur, a three-strip Technicolor beauty that fizzled on DVD with an extremely poor picture that wasn't far above VHS quality. Fans will rejoice upon first sight of this stunning new 1080p transfer, which pushes format limits to the extreme with a gorgeous, purist-friendly appearance that highlights the stunning Colorado and California location footage in great detail. Shot in the waning days of 1.37:1 (the first Cinemascope film, 20th Century Fox's The Robe, premiered just seven months later) The Naked Spur features tight and beautifully-framed compositions that regularly take full advantage of height-impacted locations -- such as the early cliff climb -- while, of course, sacrificing the natural width of its picturesque landscapes. No matter: the carefully-controlled color and contrast do most of the driving here, and they're represented perfectly from start to finish with bold primaries, accurate skin tones, and soft but rich black levels that run deep with no perceivable crush. Dirt and debris are virtually absent from start to finish, thanks to the boutique label's careful application of manual cleanup that preserves an ideal theatrical appearance without compromising The Naked Spur's natural texture.

Film grain, as expected, appears very tight since excessive noise reduction has not been applied here, while the Blu-ray itself runs at an extremely high bit rate on this dual-layered disc. Overall, it's top-tier work as usual for the boutique label, which has a long and extremely consistent history of producing some of the best-looking catalog titles on Blu-ray. If that doesn't convince you, this review's accompanying screenshots should speak for themselves.

The Naked Spur Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Aside from some straining of the high end during the loudest moments of Bronisław Kaper's brassy original score, I've got absolutely nothing bad to say about this DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation of The Naked Spur's original one-channel mix. Dialogue is given top priority most of the time and conversations come through crystal clear with excellent placement as different members of the five-person party pair off. A few dodgy moments of ADR are easily picked out but, for the most part, blend in without distracting too much. The outstanding location footage offers plenty of room for subtle echoes that create noticeable depth after gunshots and other high-volume effects, while the occasional rumble of horse hooves -- mostly during their encounter with Native Americans near the halfway point -- and climactic "raging river" sequence even offer a bit of low end that adds to the atmosphere's considerable weight. It's a top-notch track, all things considered, and really pushes the boundaries of a one-channel presentation from this era.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only -- not the extras, unfortunately.

The Naked Spur Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with original one-sheet cover artwork. All three bonus features have been carried over from previous home video editions, although one has been fully remastered.

• Things We Can Do Without (8:50) - Directed by and starring Dave O'Brien (as "Thaddeus E. Thud III"), this milk-dated 1953 Pete Smith-narrated Specialty short features a droll presentation of fancy household gadgets that just don't cut it as "modern conveniences". Hey, you're either a Pete Smith fan or you're not.

• Little Johnny Jet (7:04) - Appropriately enough, this Tex Avery short -- likewise released the same year as The Naked Spur, so one can assume it was also shown in theatres -- is fully remastered (as seen in screenshot #26), offering fans a preview of the forthcoming Tex Avery Screwball Classice, Volume 3, which will complete the series. As for the actual cartoon itself, it's a real charmer and one of my favorites from the director.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:44) - This rousing, sexist promotional piece can also be seen here.

The Naked Spur Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Anthony Mann's The Naked Spur is a top-tier Western released during the height of the genre's popularity. Extremely influential and entertaining to boot, it's filled with solid performances and boasts a fat-free story that crackles with character-driven tension from start to unforgettable finish. Add in a terrific original score, gorgeous location footage in the Colorado mountains, and terrific dialogue, and you've got a film that still ends up being slightly more than the sum of its well-oiled parts. Warner Archive's Blu-ray easily surpasses the DVD released by their parent company in 2006, featuring a flawless new restoration and lossless audio. Even at least one of the bonus features, though recycled and not entirely film-specific, gets a nice facelift. Highly Recommended for die-hard fans or as a blind buy.