Nevada Smith [VHS]
The Max Sand backstory in Harold Robbins's trashyThe Carpetbaggers(an enjoyable wallow onscreen in 1964) made for a solid Western vehicle for Steve McQueen at his peak.Nevada Smithis a revenge movie, but closer in spirit toThe Bravadosthan aDeath Wish-style exercise in nihilism. Young Max, offspring of a white father and Indian mother, sets out to avenge their slaughter by three villains. His odyssey includes spiritual re-parenting at several stages, most notably by canny gun dealer Jonas Cord (a swell character part for Brian Keith). The supporting cast will have you saying, "He's in it,too!" at regular intervals (from costars Karl Malden and Arthur Kennedy down to such incidental interlopers as L.Q. Jones and Strother Martin). Since director Henry Hathaway and cameraman Lucien Ballard couldn't frame a bad shot if their lives depended on it, it's criminal that this movie is unavailable in a widescreen format.--Richard T. Jameson