Even though the face to face showdown in the middle of a dusty street was more a product of Hollywood than the Old West, you know what was really incredible to me? Marshal Dan Blaine (Glenn Ford) gave up a 'notion' from girlfriend Lisa Denton (Angie Dickinson) in order to go fishing! What?? No way, or at the very least, couldn't he have found time to fit both activities in during the same day?
Well, the theme here has been done in hundreds of Westerns, and for my money, the one that does it best is Gregory Peck's 1950 film "The Gunfighter". I'm talking about the young, hotshot gunslinger trying to make a name for himself by out-drawing the fastest gun with the best reputation in the territory. The twist here has the opposing gunmen, Lot McGuire (Chad Everett) and Marshal Blaine meeting up on the dusty trail as strangers, and sharing a meal and some camaraderie before their identities are revealed to each other. Once that's done, all bets are off as to McGuire's true intentions regarding the lawman.
I liked Everett in this one, just a few years after appearing as Deputy Del Stark in the TV Western 'The Dakotas", an intelligently written series given the era. Come to think of it, another Dakotas alum appeared here too, Jack Elam as the underhanded trail bum who accepts Miss Denton's offer to take out McGuire before he even reaches town. That was another dynamic I haven't seen before, and made for a confrontational scene between her and the Marshal before the final showdown.
Even though McGuire previewed his ability with a weapon during that rattlesnake scene, Blaine never wavered in his conviction that he could take out the undisciplined, young gunfighter. For a while, I thought the picture might have been setting us up for some conflicted resolution to the final face off, but when the time came, I was surprised how quick and efficient the whole thing went down. No wise guy dialog between the pair of gunfighters, just one man outdrawing the other in classic fashion. But this time, the traditional ride into the sunset occurred with the Marshal throwing away his gun into the opponent's coffin, and the girlfriend left to nurse a weary heart over a miscalculation that sealed her disappointment.
Well, the theme here has been done in hundreds of Westerns, and for my money, the one that does it best is Gregory Peck's 1950 film "The Gunfighter". I'm talking about the young, hotshot gunslinger trying to make a name for himself by out-drawing the fastest gun with the best reputation in the territory. The twist here has the opposing gunmen, Lot McGuire (Chad Everett) and Marshal Blaine meeting up on the dusty trail as strangers, and sharing a meal and some camaraderie before their identities are revealed to each other. Once that's done, all bets are off as to McGuire's true intentions regarding the lawman.
I liked Everett in this one, just a few years after appearing as Deputy Del Stark in the TV Western 'The Dakotas", an intelligently written series given the era. Come to think of it, another Dakotas alum appeared here too, Jack Elam as the underhanded trail bum who accepts Miss Denton's offer to take out McGuire before he even reaches town. That was another dynamic I haven't seen before, and made for a confrontational scene between her and the Marshal before the final showdown.
Even though McGuire previewed his ability with a weapon during that rattlesnake scene, Blaine never wavered in his conviction that he could take out the undisciplined, young gunfighter. For a while, I thought the picture might have been setting us up for some conflicted resolution to the final face off, but when the time came, I was surprised how quick and efficient the whole thing went down. No wise guy dialog between the pair of gunfighters, just one man outdrawing the other in classic fashion. But this time, the traditional ride into the sunset occurred with the Marshal throwing away his gun into the opponent's coffin, and the girlfriend left to nurse a weary heart over a miscalculation that sealed her disappointment.