Day of the Outlaw (1959)

The biggest conflict in the small town of Bitters, Wyoming is between rancher Robert Ryan and the homesteaders who have taken over the land. That is until an injured Burl Ives and his gang of bank robbers arrive and take the town hostage. Ryan is brooding and introspective as a not-so-good guy who searches for some internal honor to save the town from guys worse than him. I always enjoy seeing Ives as a bad guy even while getting Big Rock Candy Mountain in my head every time. It’s unusual to see a western set in snow, but the cold, covered mountains are a character themselves and adds to the atmosphere and tension.