Search - Rough Night in Jericho on DVD

Content Advisory: Violence, Not For Children Movie Release: 1967 DVD Release: 10/19/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 43 mins Studio: Universal Studios Members Wishing: 2 Genres: Western, Revisionist Western

This typical western tale of beleaguered townsfolk mustering up the courage to fight the villain that controls their town with an iron fist features atypically bloody violence. Supposedly the top peacekeeper in the frontier town of Jericho, Sheriff Alex Flood (Dean Martin) is actually a ruthless bully and racketeer who owns or profitably intimidates every enterprise in Jericho with the help of his henchmen, including the Yarbrough (Slim Pickens). That is, every business except the lucrative stagecoach line run by the widow Molly Lang (Jean Simmons) and Hickman (John McIntire). Predictably, Flood wants command of the stage business, too, but Lang resists him, even when threatened with bodily harm. Tough gambler Dolan (George Peppard), a former marshal, rides into town intending to work for Lang as a driver, but when he learns of the tension between Lang and Flood he backs off, not wanting any trouble. However, when Yarbrough is caught by Lang trying to sabotage a coach on her property, the thug savagely beats her, forcing Dolan to get involved. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Dean Martin - Alex Flood
George Peppard - Dolan
Jean Simmons - Molly Lang
John McIntire - Ben Hickman
Slim Pickens - Yarbrough

This DVD is pretty much a straight conversion of the letterboxed MCA laserdisc, with a clean image and bright sound, and a surprisingly generous 18 chapters. The movie itself was one of Hollywood's partly successful attempts to emulate the violence of the Italian-made Westerns that were starting to make serious money in American theaters. Director Arnold Laven fills the Techniscope screen with action (some of it very violent) and activity, thus making the letterboxed image essential in appreciating the film -- watching this DVD after many years of only knowing the movie in its pan-and-scan presentation on broadcast television is something of a visual treat. The transfer is bright enough, with deep, rich tones that show up better here than they did on the laserdisc; cinematographer Russell Metty could justifiably have been proud of his work, which is more subtle than anything else in the movie, and comes to life nicely here. The only supplement consists of a couple of frames of background information (in print that is almost too small) that tell of Dean Martin's reticence over playing an unabashed villain, and his special concern over accidentally hurting co-star Jean Simmons during their fight scenes together. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide