The Deadly Companions (1961)

'The Deadly Companions' from 1961 is another western gem from legendary director Sam Peckinpah. It was his first feature film and stars Brian Keith and Maureen O'Hara.

Keith plays an ex-army officer out for revenge, but during a shootout he accidentally kills a young boy. In an attempt to make things right he teams up with the boys mother (O'Hara) who is determined to bring her dead son to a desserted town in the wilderness so that he can be burried next to his father. The movie follows their journey together and focuses on their tense relationship.

Both Keith and O'Hara give very good performances and the chemistry between them is excellent. The movie is sweet and touching and has a beautiful score. I like how it manages to depict feelings like hate, love and sorrow without forcing it. Everything is very low key and more traditional than Peckinpah's later films. It shows his love for classic western movies and proves that he can play in the same league as the masters.

'The Deadly Companions' might not be the first film I would show someone as an introduction to Sam Peckinpah, but as lover of the genre I enjoyed it very much.