Strange Lady in Town

I watched this on TCM first, didn't think it good enough to keep, though there were parts I really liked. I'm a big fan of both Garson and Andrews- I thought Garson's character well-acted and inspirational (strong, principled, etc.), while Andrews' was bizarre and his character development made little sense. He acted like a nutcase. This had partly to do with the writing, of course. That said, there were lofty, and quite profound, ahead-of-their-time ideas expressed (like "enabling"), one reason I think it worth watching. Also, I found the character development of supplemental characters (Garson's brother and Andrews' daughter) intriguing and integral to the plot. The main critique I have is of Andrews' whacko behavior and a failure to show how he went from point A to point B. The way Latinos were depicted was also cringe-worthy. But I never found the film boring, and I liked the ending.

From the onset, you will probably notice how strange the casting is on this one. After all, of all the actresses to be in a Western, Greer Garson is probably the last you'd expect to see! It gets even weirder when you see she's playing a lady who was born in Boston, as her accent is as much Boston as Brigitte Bardot's! Why didn't they just say she was from England...now THAT would have made sense! And, to make it worse, her brother in the film is played by Cameron Mitchell--who is NOTHING like Greer...NOTHING.

The film is set in Santa Fe during the late 19th century. It begins with a plucky female doctor (Garson) arriving there not only to see her no-good brother but also to live there. However, there already is one doctor in town (Dana Andrews) and he's a sexist who insists that women aren't cut out for 'man's work'. Not surprisingly, the pair eventually fall in love. However, it's the stuff in the middle that makes the film interesting...but I'll let you see that for yourself.

"Strange Lady in Town" is a great example of a decent film despite insane casting decisions. While the film is far from a classic (as it's awfully predictable in some ways), it never was dull and is worth seeing. Plus, while miscast, Garson tried her best and Andrews was, as always, excellent.

By the way, the film shows an insane cliché. When a guy is getting a tooth pulled, his 'friend' bashes him on the head with his gun butt to knock him out!! Kid's DON'T try this at home...all you'll really achieve is brain damage!

While not a classic, a truly enjoyable film with a favorite star of mine, Greer Garson. Dana Andrews is also a fine actor and plays his part with convincing sincerity. Mitchell is also a fine actor but does seem to be acting, more so than Greer Garson or Dana Andrews. The Billy the Kid segment is a bit over the top, but OK. The young lady is GREAT!Wish I had been able to see more of her. The theme song is a fine one. Frankie Lane never acquired the acclaim he should have had, either. However, it was evidently a forgettable tune, but one I know by heart. Dana Andrews is a doctor, soured on life since the death of his wife. He is raising a daughter, while being the only M.D. in a small village, in the old west. Into town drives Greer Garson. A brilliant woman who has studied medicine in Europe and has several new techniques to try to update the staid, older doctor. Sparks fly and so do the tempers.

First off it's Garson's last film. And secondly it features a very distinct difference in acting styles. Garson displays her grand style in use of language and presentation as if she were back on the stage. Andrews displays the man from "The Best Years of Our Lives" years on who opted to not so much act as be present. And then there's the new kid, Lois Smith. Her very contemporary (for 1955) Brandoesque inhabiting of "Spurs" puts all of this together in the strangest way imaginable. I think SHE was the "Strange Lady in Town" or at least this movie.

There is also the reality of how women Hollywood films seem to be retired once the aging process makes them too old for leading ladies. Garson isn't the best representative for this argument because her acting style was of another era. But she should have been able to continue on were she not so much a star. That comes through here loud and clear.

It's 1880 Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dr. Julia Winslow Garth newly arrives in town from back east. She's an oddity. She's a woman AND a doctor.

The most interesting actor for me is Lois Smith who plays Spurs O'Brien. I've only known her as an old woman. It's weird to see her as a fetching twenty something. It would have been interesting to see a buggy crash after a buggy chase. This western romance struggles to be interesting. There is no heat in the lead romance which generates no tension. Greer Garson starts off interesting but only for being a doctor. Dana Andrews is doing nothing after screaming for his buggy. The two of them really face no real hurdle. There is more energy in Spurs' crush. At least, that has a bit of drama. At two hours, this simply drags on too long with no intensity.