There never was a man like SHANE. There never was a motion picture like SHANE.

Starring: Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon deWilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan, Ellen Corby, Emile Meyer, Elisha Cook Jr.

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Joey, there's no living with... with a killing. There's no going back from one. Right or wrong, it's a brand. A brand sticks. There's no going back." - Shane

Why watch this? An epic tale of the loner who tries to help a family in need.

Plot Summary: A mysterious, soft-spoken ex-gunfighter becomes entangled in the lives of a family of homesteaders in 1889 Wyoming. The homesteaders, led by Joe Starrett and his family, are facing a bitter struggle against a powerful cattle baron, Rufus Ryker, who wants their land for his herds. Shane's presence brings a glimmer of hope to the settlers as they fight to protect their homes and way of life against Ryker's increasing intimidation tactics, including the hiring of gunslinger Jack Wilson.

Dad's Preview: This is the quintessential Western story: A stranger joins settlers in need of help. He has a hidden, violence-filled past, but is trying to put that behind him. When a greedy landowner brings in thugs to run the settlers off the land, Shane has a choice to make. I love the little boy in this film (Brandon deWilde) because he reminds me of, well, me.

George Stevens; Paramount Pictures