AllMovie

As Yellow Sky amply demonstrates, a film doesn't have to be either revolutionary or overly complex to be a great picture. When you look at the story elements of Sky, it's easy to think "That's all been done before." And it has -- not only because bits and pieces are taken from other Westerns but because the central "gold lust" theme has been seen in such other films as Greed and Treasure of the Sierra Madre. And screenwriter Lamar Trotti has not taken these familiar components and given them a surprising twist or used them in a new manner. Instead, he has fashioned them into a crackling good screenplay, one which believes in the sheer power of these components and knows exactly how to frame them so that they deliver that power. He's also provided memorable dialogue and clearly drawn characters; they're not necessarily deep, but they're individuals and impress on that account. For his part, William Wellman has provided beautifully detailed direction that doesn't skimp on suspense or action and that even makes the love angle work -- often a hard trick in "manly" Westerns. He's aided by Joe MacDonald's stark, almost expressionistic cinematography, a feast of black-and-white images that carry their own considerable emotional weight. Finally, Sky has a marvelous cast, with Gregory Peck a solid leading man with a villainous side, James Barton a welcome addition as the man who knows (perhaps) where the gold is, and Richard Widmark adding another notch to his irreplaceable psychotic lowlife repertoire.