You ever watch a movie and feel like you’re witnessing a weird, high-stakes collision of different acting schools? That is exactly what happens when you look at the cast of the movie Jubal. Released in 1956, this isn't your standard "shoot-'em-up" Western. It’s basically Shakespeare’s Othello wearing a Stetson and spurs, filmed against the jagged, gorgeous backdrop of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming.
The film follows Jubal Troop, a drifter with a streak of bad luck who gets taken in by a jolly but naive rancher. Before long, jealousy, sexual tension, and a very "Method" villain turn the ranch into a powder keg. Honestly, the reason this movie sticks in the brain isn't just the plot—it’s the combustible chemistry between four or five actors who were all at completely different points in their legendary careers.
Glenn Ford as the Reluctant Hero
Glenn Ford plays Jubal Troop. At this point in the mid-50s, Ford was the king of the "tight-lipped but simmering" performance. He doesn't play Jubal like a typical alpha cowboy. Instead, he’s hesitant. He’s a guy running from a traumatic past—specifically, a childhood memory of his mother trying to drown him—and he just wants to be left alone.
Critics at the time, and even modern fans, often point out how much Ford seems to be channeling James Dean here. He’s slouchy. He mumbles a bit. He rubs his face and avoids eye contact. It’s a vulnerable performance that makes you actually care whether he makes it out of the third act alive. This was the first of three collaborations between Ford and director Delmer Daves, and arguably the one where Ford felt most "human."
Ernest Borgnine: The Heart of the Ranch
Fresh off his Oscar win for Marty, Ernest Borgnine stepped into the boots of Shep Horgan. Shep is the "Othello" of this story. He’s big, loud, and incredibly friendly. He finds Jubal half-dead on the road and, instead of ignoring him, brings him home and gives him a job.
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Borgnine brings this massive, boisterous energy that makes the eventual tragedy hurt more. He’s so oblivious to the fact that his wife hates their isolated life that you almost want to reach through the screen and shake him. He plays Shep with a "garrulous amiability," as the TCM experts put it, which acts as the perfect foil to Glenn Ford’s quietness.
Rod Steiger and the "Method" Villain
If Ford is the soul and Borgnine is the heart, Rod Steiger is the pure, unadulterated venom. He plays "Pinky" Pinkum, the ranch hand who feels usurped when Shep promotes Jubal to foreman.
Steiger was a die-hard Method actor, and it shows. While the rest of the cast is playing things relatively straight, Steiger is doing... a lot. He’s got a thick Southern drawl, he barks his lines, and he treats every scene like he’s trying to chew the scenery into sawdust.
There’s a famous bit of trivia that director Delmer Daves actually hated Steiger’s performance. He thought it was too much. But the producers loved it, so it stayed. Looking back, that friction works. Pinky should feel like he doesn't belong. He’s a "McCarthy-like figure," using lies and fear-mongering to turn a peaceful community into a lynch mob.
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The Women Caught in the Middle
The cast of the movie Jubal featured two women who represented the two paths Jubal could take.
- Valerie French (Mae Horgan): This was her American debut. She plays Shep’s wife, a "disenchanted" Canadian woman who is bored to tears by ranch life. She tries to seduce Jubal, not necessarily because she loves him, but because she’s desperate for an escape. When he rejects her, her pride turns into a weapon.
- Felicia Farr (Naomi Hoktor): On the flip side, you have Naomi. She’s part of a group of "rawhiders" (religious pilgrims) passing through. She represents the "pure" love interest. Farr and Ford had such good chemistry that Daves cast them together again a year later in the classic 3:10 to Yuma.
The Supporting Players: Look Closely
You might miss it if you aren't paying attention, but a very young Charles Bronson (billed as Charles Buchinsky earlier in his career) plays Reb Haislipp. He’s the one guy who stays loyal to Jubal when things go south. It’s one of his first "substantial" roles, and you can already see that "Man with No Name" toughness starting to form.
The movie also features:
- Noah Beery Jr. as Sam, the violin-playing ranch hand.
- Jack Elam, the man with the most famous wandering eye in Hollywood, as a shady character named McCoy.
- Basil Ruysdael as Shem Hoktor, the leader of the religious group.
Why the Casting Works (and Doesn't)
Is the movie perfect? Nah. Some people find Steiger’s "Iago" act a little too theatrical for a Western. It’s definitely "loud."
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But the reason people still search for the cast of the movie Jubal today is that it represents a turning point in the genre. It was an "adult Western." It dealt with repressed trauma, sexual frustration, and the psychology of a lynch mob. Without this specific group of actors—the stoic Ford, the boisterous Borgnine, and the manic Steiger—it would have just been another forgotten B-movie.
How to Appreciate the Performances Today
If you're going to revisit this 1956 gem, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the background: Specifically in the scenes where the ranch hands are hanging out. You’ll see Charles Bronson and Noah Beery Jr. adding a lot of texture that isn't in the script.
- Contrast the styles: Pay attention to how differently Rod Steiger moves compared to Glenn Ford. One is all outward energy; the other is all internal tension.
- Look for the Othello parallels: If you know the play, watching Borgnine descend into a jealous rage is a masterclass in how to adapt Shakespeare without making it feel "stuffy."
Basically, if you’re a fan of 50s cinema or just want to see what happens when the "Marty" guy and the "Big Heat" guy face off in the mountains, you’ve got to check this one out. It’s a weird, beautiful, and sometimes uncomfortable slice of Hollywood history.
To get the most out of your viewing, try to find the Criterion Collection version. The transfer is much cleaner than the old DVDs, and you can really see the sweat and dust on the actors' faces during the climax. You should also look up the film 3:10 to Yuma afterward to see how Ford and Farr’s dynamic evolved under the same director.