Ride in the Whirlwind (USA, 1966) 82 min color DIR-EDITOR: Monte Hellman. PROD: Monte Hellman, Jack Nicholson. SCR: Jack Nicholson. DOP: Gregory Sandor. MUSIC: Robert Drasnin. CAST: Cameron Mitchell, Jack Nicholson, Tom Filer, Millie Perkins, Katherine Squire, George Mitchell, Harry Dean Stanton, Rupert Crosse, Gary Kent. (Jack H. Harris Enterprises; Favorite Films)
Amusingly though accurately coined as “Kafka on the range” in Steven H. Scheuer’s perennial reference guide, Movies on TV, Ride in the Whirlwind was one of two westerns shot back-to-back in Utah by Monte Hellman in 1965, as a “two for one” package deal for Roger Corman. Sharing much of the same crew (including excellent colour cinematography by Gregory Sandor) and some principal cast members (Jack Nicholson and Millie Perkins appear in both), Whirlwind, and its companion film, The Shooting, share the common theme of characters thrown into situations beyond their control or understanding.