7/10
Lesser-known Coop film: not his best but OK
27 February 2011
NWMP has just had a rare outing on British TV and it's a Gary Cooper film I hadn't seen before. It wasn't bad by 1940s' standards for a Western. The scenic shots at the beginning were a bit garish but then the colour seemed to settle down.

It's worth a look for:

1. Gary Cooper, who's never looked better facially; 2. Paulette Goddard, who looked fantastic; 3. the unusual historical setting; 4. early, albeit minor, appearances of Robert Ryan and Rod Cameron.

The police head-gear apart, some effort had been made to make the uniforms and civilian clothes look authentic.

The tragi-comic "duel" that the Scotsman involved himself did jar a little.

I'm not perceptive enough to read much "sub-text" in films, but I did wonder about the date of issue (1940) and the gallant, laid-back US coming to the aid of the stuffy but devoted-to-duty Brits.

Not for the first time, I had a slight difficulty in distinguishing at first between the two Prestons on the small screen.

I would be happy to watch NWMP again, recording it if necessary, if it's screened again in a year or so.
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