"Raw Edge" is an exploitation Universal western in its story and direction but shot in classic settings. It was directed by John Sherwood who was a great assistant director (he worked for Anthony Mann, Bud Boetticher, Max Ophüls, John Sturges, ...). Harry Essex wrote the script of "Raw Edge", he wrote also scripts for Jack Arnold, and the three movies John Sherwoood shot were like Jack Arnold's movies, "The Creature Walks Among Us" and "The Monolith Monsters" being the two others."Raw Edge" describes how sex could have been in those times with workers having no home and being strong alcoholics. There are scenes never seen before in a western, like the one with Neville Brand and Yvonne de Carlo. So "Raw Edge" cannot please to westerns purists, it's more a western for 1956 youth watching it in a drive-in in their muscle-car, looking for sex and violence. Rory Calhoun had already played in the western "Four Guns To The Border" directed by Richard Carlson in which there also were very erotic scenes with Colleen Miller. How could those scenes have been through the censorship? Beginning of the end...

This is one of the most implausible Westerns I have ever seen. Despite the good actors, acting, cinema-photography and other good production values, the story reduces the movie to rubbish. ***Lots of spoilers.**** The movie centers on a stupid rule/custom of the locale that an unmarried woman can be claimed by any (strong) man. So when an Indian wife's (Mara Corday) white husband is hanged on flimsy grounds, she calmly accepts the man claiming her, even though the Indian helping her escape back to her tribe is also killed.. Vigilantes hung the husband for assault even though the wife (Yvonne De Carlo) of the big local land baron said the Indian's husband did not attack her. Rory Calhoun is looking for the land baron, who instigated the hanging (of Calhoun's brother), so some lustful townspeople follow along hoping to claim the land baron's wife and property after he is hopefully killed by Calhoun. Even though he had Corday's husband hanged, the land baron trusts Corday that the Indian tribe wants to see him, not kill him, but she lies and he is killed. Near the end one of the bad guys shoots his father in the back. To top it off, at the end De Carlo goes off with drifter Calhoun, seemingly leaving her wealthy husband's property behind.

In 1842, Oregon, might makes right. And might belongs to Montgomery, who rules over the land. One of his "laws" is that any "free" woman rightfully belongs to the first man who claims her, until his death. And he has claimed the desirable Hannah (Yvonne De Carlo - no wonder she made so many Westerns, that woman can ride!). When the brother of a man whom Montgomery unjustly sentenced to hanging comes looking for revenge, Montgomery's protectors decide to side with him, hoping to see their boss dead and his wife open to re-claiming. The threat of rape, if not explicit then certainly strongly implied, hangs over the proceedings throughout "Raw Edge", giving the film an unpleasant air (this is definitely no family fare). Even the "hero", or at least the person who comes closest to that description (Rory Calhoun), is morally questionable at best. But the cast is good, and the film is beautifully shot in natural locations and vivid Technicolor. **1/2 out of 4.

This edgy and off-beat western has plenty of seething resentment amongst its characters (and there are lots of them: vengeful gunslinger, baddie, baddie's dumb henchmen, local gambler, baddie's wife, baddies girlfriend...) but isn't too believable. Some good action scenes but only average over all. (5