Ride in the Whirlwind (1966)

Starring Cameron Mitchell and Jack Nicholson, with an appearance by Harry Dean Stanton (which is always a delightful treat). The film was also co-produced and written by Nicholson. Which is saying a lot, especially considering this was three years before Easy Rider which is widely regarded as Nicholson’s breakout role. His deep involvement with the film, both in front of and behind the camera, even after years of smaller acting roles, speaks to the dedication he already had toward his craft.

The basic premise here is that a gang of bandits hold up a stagecoach, killing a man in the process and robbing the passengers. Vern (Mitchell) and Wes (Nicholson), who were not at all involved in the heist, stumble upon the outlaw’s hideout. The gang, headed by Blind Dick (Stanton) – who explains he got his nickname “on account of the eye patch” – cautiously invite the strangers into their hideout to avoid arousing suspicion that they might be the bandits. Trouble comes the next morning when a vigilante hanging party shows up, escalating into a shootout. Vern and Wes manage to escape, but are now considered fugitives. A case of mistaken identity, or guilt by association, since circumstance had them staying with the outlaws when the vigilantes arrived.

There’s a good bit of tension and some solid drama, especially once Vern and Wes force themselves upon a family while trying to evade the hanging mob.

Nicholson, who had a prolific career as an actor, only had a small handful of writing credits. I really enjoyed this. It was a pared-down Western, with good pacing, and a satisfying conclusion.

Ride in the Whirlwind was shot on location in the Utah desert, so there were plenty of arresting landscape scenes. Gregory Sandor was the cinematographer. In addition to the wide open desert shots, his framing of some of the horse chases in particular, as well as the scene when the outlaw hideout was torched, were impressive.

Worth a watch for Western fans, and for anyone curious to see a film Nicholson wrote before he became an internationally recognized actor.