Stellead Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

zardoz-13 Robert Mitchum plays an amiable cowpoke named Jim Lacy in Edward Killy's "Nevada" based on the Zane Grey novel of the same name. Lacy and his compadres Chito Rafferty (Richard Martin) and Dusty (Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams) hear about the sudden gold strike nearby in the Comstock Lode. Lacy wants to take a crack at it, while Dusty is hesitate. Chito is up for it, especially for the women. Speaking of women, a carriage with a runaway horse attracts Lacy's attention, and he stops the runaway. The lady in charge, Julie Dexter (Anne Jeffreys), thanks Lacy for his gallant gesture. Later, our trio get into a game of dice and Lacy wins over seven thousand dollars. The man who runs the gambling table tries to pulls a fast one on Lacy and slip him a pair of loaded dice. Fortunately, Lacy sees through the trick and wins more money before his compadres and he have to flee. Meantime, Julie learns from an assayer that it isn't gold that is showing up in the Comstock but silver. An old man racing to register his claim is bushwhacked by two riflemen. Lacy hears the shooting and rides to investigate. About the same time that he shows up so does a posse. They arrest Lacy because they found him at the scene of the crime and they dug seven thousand dollars out of his jeans. Lacy has to be resourceful to change the low opinion that most people around town have toward him. "Nevada" is strictly a B-western with a better than average scenario and a strong cast. It is interesting to watch Mitchum in his youth.

SnorrSm1989 To the casual viewer, this loose, low-budget adaptation of a Zane Grey-story may not appear to be worthy of any particular attention, but NEVADA did have a significant impact on the career of a young "Bob Mitchum," as billed in the opening credits. Prior to this, Mitchum's later so iconic figure could only be glimpsed here and there in bit parts, but after four years of struggle, he had apparently impressed RKO enough to be considered a valid replacement for their B-western star Tim Holt, who'd just enlisted in the army. It's not hard to grasp just why the company sought Mitchum. Though some of my impression may be colored by his later output, he's definitely got a certain "something" about him also at this early point, charismatic even when the main focus is not on him in a scene. In private, Mitchum was by this time was a married man and a father, and must have been relieved that his career was finally going somewhere.Even so, it shouldn't be illegal to note that NEVADA proved a limited opportunity for Mitchum as far as showcasing the range of his talent was concerned. Granted, Mitchum may not have been quite confident as a leading actor himself at this point, so a ginger debut as this western was, perhaps, fitting in a sense. But one is almost tempted to encourage Mitchum, while watching the film, to go further with the role; as noted, some of the unfailing charisma is definitely present, but one finds little of the dry, ironic wit (or simply "coolness") which was to become a vital part of Mitchum's style and image. Then again, the script, which does not seem to regard Grey's original novel as much more than bare bone material for a story, hardly calls for nuanced characterization (the inevitable brevity of the film certainly contributes to this as well).However, it would be ridiculous to judge NEVADA out of context; if accepted as what it is, a low-budget western telling the tale of a not supremely law-abiding but honest cowboy, who is wrongly accused of murder, it works just fine. There's a smooth interaction between the suspense and the more humorous bits, typical for westerns of the era. Guinn Williams and Richard Martin appear as a sort of sweet comedy team (possibly in part to emphasize Mitchum's masculine appeal), and the scene involving young Harry McKim doing a terrible job at faking that he's in pains actually had me laugh out loud. Robert Mitchum would go to much greater heights than this, both in and outside the western genre, but NEVADA remains an entertaining enough way to spend an hour on a rainy day.

MartinHafer Apparently Bob Mitchum (that's how he's billed in this film) did quite a few supporting roles before he got his first starring role in NEVADA. And, like many up and coming stars of the day, they gave him this chance in a B-movie role--a minor film that was a second feature for a double-feature. In other words, a lesser film made with a smaller budget. Oddly, however, they put Mitchum into this Western--I guess since they had no preconceptions about what types of roles he'd be good at they thought they could make him a cowboy hero--not realizing he'd make much more of a mark in Film Noir and dramas. As for Mitchum's acting, it was very good and I could see him starring in more of the like, though he only did a few more Westerns here and there.Aside from the novelty of seeing Mitchum in a Gene Autry type role, there really isn't that much to distinguish this film. It's not bad but also suffers from the problem many B-movies had--they were rushed into production so quickly and shoved into such a short running time (rarely much more than 60 minutes) that the films cut corners plot-wise. Here, the plot resolutions happen way too quickly and conveniently for the film to be anything more than average for the genre.The film's pluses were Mitchum's acting, the acting of some of the supporting actors (screen veteran Guinn Williams was a nice addition) and nice location shooting. Minuses were the obvious and poor use of stunt doubles and the very preachy ending that left the viewer with a bad final impression--the lady's soliloquy just sounded silly and fake. Overall, this is worth watching--particularly if you are a film historian or Robert Mitchum fan. Otherwise, it's a time passer and nothing more.

vitaleralphlouis Once again a well-made RKO Radio Picture from yesteryear provides a fine entertainment in a summer when TV is a total washout and there are no movies at the multiplex for grown-ups over 13.This noteworthy formula western introduces Robert Mitchum in a story that moves along fast while focusing on the early days of the Comstock Lode in Gold Hill, CA. The story is good, the acting fine, the cinematography just great. They got the history straight and everything is on-the-level except that the real Gold Hill is on a steep grade, not flat; and that's the only flaw in the movie. Filming at Lone Pine, CA certainly fooled me, as the terrain is exactly the same as around Carson City, NV and Gold Hill.They knew how to make westerns in 1944; they don't in 2007. Unlike 3:10 to Yuma, this one doesn't turn stupid in the final 16 minutes.Look for NEVADA in recent DVD release. Then look around the house for an old $20 Gold Double Eagle minted from Comstock gold in 1870 at the mint in Carson City. It'll be worth $200,000 in poor condition; lots more if it still looks pretty.