Yellow Sky

1948

1h 38m

Western

List

100%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

78%

Audience Score

250+ Ratings

Fugitive James "Stretch" Dawson (Gregory Peck) and his ring of bandits hide out in a town that has been deserted by its entire population, except for a young woman named Mike (Anne Baxter) and her grandfather. When Dude (Richard Widmark), the cruelest thug in the gang, learns from the two locals that there is gold nearby, he devises a scheme to knock off Mike and her grandpa, then gets his cohorts to go along with the plan. Stretch refuses, which leads to a violent power struggle.

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

It has some good action and fine photography and ranks several notches above the western film standard.

Jul 25, 2019

Full Review

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.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 1, 2006

Full Review

Zita Short

InSession Film

Yellow Sky holds the distinction of doing it during a period when the Western was highly popular and avoiding the temptation to build itself up too much.

Feb 1, 2023

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

It has tiny predictable moments, but that does not affect, in my opinion, a rather intriguing plot that gallops strongly with Wellman's skill through the fields of betrayal, passions and greed that destroys the men of the west. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

May 7, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Creative Loafing

Takes some unusual detours that allow it to stand out from the pack.

Rated: 3/4

May 31, 2006

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

This superior western is marked by an outstanding performance by Gregory Peck.

Rated: B+

Feb 21, 2004

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acsdoug D

What a great western. I loved to see Gregory Peck as a (semi) bad guy and the fact that there b no musical soundtrack. That really conveys the grittiness of the characters' circumstances.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Really good western right here. Yes I recommend it. James Welch, Henderson, Arkansas April 20, 2023.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/20/23

Full Review

Deke P

great CAST. WIDMARK & PECK as bad cowboy criminals. ANN BAXTER younger & even more glookn than as NEFIRTIRI in the 10 Commandments. Seen parts of it a few times, and most all again on tv3.14.23. Sky high RT reviews. Good tension & conflicts. Pay more attention next time to the denouement. Listen to my brief audio notes. Giving it 3 1/2 RT stars... 'good... rec it'

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/14/23

Full Review

steve d

I am not into this kind of film normally but it is quite well done and the cast is great.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The quintessential classic western that includes every myth of the old west - the gold rush, ghost towns, outlaws, greed, loyalty, betrayal, Apaches, love and redemption. It keeps moving at a thriller's pace with great performances by bad guy Widmark and bad-guy-turned-good guy. Peck. The best allusion: greed for gold (riches) ruins every man it touches.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I enjoyed the psychology of the film...how rough men treated each other...loyalties of the daughter and her father, and the robbers toward each other...I wish we could see it colorized--don't hate me for that. The B/W treatment is too muddy, and not well-enough carried out. But, the story was interesting, and the acting generally superb. Nice to see a young Anne Baxter, too.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

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William A. Wellman

Director

Gregory Peck

James "Stretch" Dawson

Anne Baxter

Constance Mae

Richard Widmark

Dude

Robert Arthur

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John Russell

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Synopsis

Fugitive James "Stretch" Dawson (Gregory Peck) and his ring of bandits hide out in a town that has been deserted by its entire population, except for a young woman named Mike (Anne Baxter) and her grandfather. When Dude (Richard Widmark), the cruelest thug in the gang, learns from the two locals that there is gold nearby, he devises a scheme to knock off Mike and her grandpa, then gets his cohorts to go along with the plan. Stretch refuses, which leads to a violent power struggle.

Director: William A. Wellman
Screenwriter: Lamar Trotti
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 4, 2016
Runtime: 1h 38m