Another grim Western from Werker, notable for the realism of ist depiction of life in the Arizona State Penitentiary at the turn of the century. McNally is the psychotic killer seeking revenge on Robertson, also imprisoned, while Mayo is the girl working in the prison dispensary to help McNally to escape, who switches sides at the last minute. In all essentials a prison-break movie in Western costume, it survives the imposition of 3-D thanks to Musuraca's low-key lighting effects. - Furthermore, this is an opportunity to watch Arthur Hunnicutt in another of his marvellous sketches of very special and likable sidekicks.Phil Hardy

I taped Devil's Canyon when TCM screened it in November 2009 b/c another western with a historical theme (Great Day in the Morning)was next and I had plenty of tape (I'm still an analogue guy). Reasons for giving it a chance included Dale Robertson in his prime, Steve McInally who was a dependable western heavy, plus Virginia Mayo's OK, but esp. b/c RKO in its decline often made uniquely flawed but curious products.What's strange about Devil's Canyon (besides the absence of a canyon) is the prison set, which appears only partially, but the walls appear to be enormous hewn stones that cast off strange pastel glows that change with the time of day. As a complement to these eerie atmospherics, the script and scenario range from casually crude to bluntly stupid. As a friend once said of a similar film, "It's just like a porn flick except everybody keeps their clothes on." The film's best passage--the attempted prison break--takes advantage of the set. The escapees anticipate which doors the guards will open and ambush their entrances, eventually controlling the entire prison, which sets up Robertson's gatling gun throwdown. Overall, the direction and editing of Devil's Canyon overall are unredeemable, but if you're not asking for much in those regards, the film's visuals have the quality of a meaningless dream.

500 desperate men and only one woman .....as the trailer breathlessly tells us from the lusting voice over, panting away at that idea in this Howard Hughes tailored RKO prison scenario....the idea that there are 500 horny desperate convict loonies punching it out to be the..er...... rider up DEVIL'S CANYON' is just too obvious for me. Arthur Hunnicut who must have been the representative for the 'dirty ol man hillbilly' section of this bumpkin intended audience jumped ship from THE FRENCH LINE to chew his face and mouth spittle led asides about anyone and everything in this possible combo of what would be PAPILLON and THE BEAUTIFUL BLONDE FROM BASHFUL BEND. No wonder poor RKO was on the skids....and if all else fails, there is always VIRGINIA MAYO-NOSE to make word jokes about.

This grim sagebrush drama is about a clash between inmates at a 1890s Arizona prison. Dale Robertson is the ex-marshal that finds himself behind bars for killing two men in self defense. Virgina Mayo is the love interest and maybe best thing about the movie. Also in the cast are: Stephen McNally, Robert Keith and Earl Holliman. Typically predictable western.