The Man from Colorado is a 1948 American western-psychological drama film directed by
Henry Levin and produced by Jules Schermer for Columbia Pictures.
It stars Glenn Ford as a Union officer who becomes addicted to killing during the American Civil War,
William Holden as his best friend, and Ellen Drew as their common love interest.
Robert Andrews and Ben Maddow based the screenplay on a story by Borden Chase.
User Review
Interesting Technicolor western is a mild exploration of the effect of the ravages of war during peacetime.
8 December 2013 | by adam-703-808689 (NZ)
Quote from ADAMAlthough it's a good-looking Technicolor western; this film attempts to explore the effect war has on one man, a colonel, (played by Glenn Ford) and those who fall foul of his obsessive behaviour. Although Ford is a bit one-note in his portrayal of an officer unhinged by power and blood-lust, it's interesting to see him play a nutter, while his friend, William Holden, is (for the most part) a bland good guy. I have a feeling that this western - one of the earliest with a "psychological" theme - wanted to say a lot more about the way people are deranged by the horrors of war, but it was probably constricted by the need to tell a box-office yarn. The direction is stolid; the colour is lavish, and there are some excellent confrontational scenes between Ford and the victims of his mania. Ellen Drew doesn't have much to do as the girl loved by both Ford and Holden. The ending is suitably melodramatic. It's just a shame we aren't able to see a little further into why Ford has turned into a monster; or the circumstances which have led him to his state. There's a bit too much of him twitching and glaring every time someone suggests he might be a bit loopy - we're always on the outside; if we were more on the inside it could have been a touching tragedy.