Directed by Paul Wendkos, Face of a Fugitive is a thoughtful and tightly constructed Western that stars Fred MacMurray in one of his more morally complex roles. Released by Columbia Pictures, this 81-minute film blends action with introspection, offering a story of a man on the run who finds himself unexpectedly defending the very law he once fled.
Plot Summary
MacMurray plays Jim Larsen, a seasoned bank robber who escapes custody after his younger brother is killed during a botched attempt to free him. Assuming a new identity as Ray Kincaid, he hides out in a small border town near Mexico. There, he becomes entangled in a land dispute between a wealthy rancher and the town’s idealistic young sheriff, Mark Riley (Lin McCarthy). As Larsen begins to admire the sheriff’s commitment to justice, he’s forced to choose between self-preservation and doing what’s right—even if it means revealing his true identity.
Cast Highlights
- Fred MacMurray as Jim Larsen / Ray Kincaid
- Lin McCarthy as Sheriff Mark Riley
- Dorothy Green as Ellen Bailey
- Alan Baxter, Myrna Fahey, and a young James Coburn in supporting roles
- Jerry Goldsmith composed the score, adding emotional depth to the film’s tension
Behind-the-Scenes Insights
- The film was praised for its subtle moral themes, with some critics comparing its tone to High Noon—but with a twist: the outlaw becomes the defender of law
- Fred MacMurray, often cast as clean-cut heroes or comedic leads, delivers a nuanced performance that prefigures his darker turn in The Apartment (1960)
- The sheriff’s character was described as reading law books “the way other men read the Bible,” underscoring the film’s central theme: law vs. force
- The screenplay was written by David T. Chantler and Daniel B. Ullman, based on a story by Peter Dawson
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