Yellow Sky (1948)

75% of users liked it
(342 ratings)

William Wellman's westerns always seemed a little claustrophobic, but in Yellow Sky the director's technique works to the film's advantage. Outlaw leader Gregory Peck takes refuge in a frontier ghost town. The only inhabitants are elderly James Barton and his pretty granddaughter Anne Baxter. Barton… More William Wellman's westerns always seemed a little claustrophobic, but in Yellow Sky the director's technique works to the film's advantage. Outlaw leader Gregory Peck takes refuge in a frontier ghost town. The only inhabitants are elderly James Barton and his pretty granddaughter Anne Baxter. Barton reveals that there's gold hereabouts, prompting a few of Peck's companions--especially Richard Widmark--to plot the old man's demise and claim the treasure for themselves. For his part, Peck is basically honorable, and offers to split fifty-fifty with Barton. Dissension, hostility and gunplay ensue, finally narrowing down to a standoff between Peck and Widmark. Yellow Sky was based on a novel by W.R. Burnett, who moved from westerns to gangster stories and back again with the greatest of ease. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: William A. Wellman
Written By: Lamar Trotti, W.R. Burnett
Genres: Western, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1948 Wide
On DVD: May 23, 2006

Critic Reviews

Bosley Crowther, New York Times
For seventy-odd minutes, in this scorcher from Twentieth Century-Fox, the guns blaze, fists fly and passions tangle in the best realistic Western style.
Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing
Takes some unusual detours that allow it to stand out from the pack.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
This superior western is marked by an outstanding performance by Gregory Peck.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Bruce B

Excellent Western where Gregory Peck plays an Outlaw with a gang who is chased across the salt flats into what appears to be a ghost town where near dying of thirst they come across the beautiful Anne Baxter who plays the granddaughter of a miner. The gang is going to steal all the… More
Excellent Western where Gregory Peck plays an Outlaw with a gang who is chased across the salt flats into what appears to be a ghost town where near dying of thirst they come across the beautiful Anne Baxter who plays the granddaughter of a miner. The gang is going to steal all the old mans gold until Peck goes soft for the young lady. All in All a great western and great acting by Peck, 4 1/2 Stars
jay n

Good cast, ordinary western.