Gunfighters (1947)

Gunfighter "Brazos" Kane lays aside his guns "forever" when he is forced to shoot his best friend, and decides to join another friend, Bob Tyrell, as a cowhand on the Inskip ranch. Upon ... See full summary »

Director:

George Waggner

Writers:

Zane Grey (novel), Alan Le May (screenplay)

Stars:

Randolph Scott, Barbara Britton, Bruce Cabot

Cast

Cast overview:
Randolph Scott	...	Brazos Kane
Barbara Britton	...	Bess Banner
Bruce Cabot	...	Bard Macky
Charley Grapewin	...	Rancher Inskip
Steven Geray	...	Jose aka Uncle Joe
Forrest Tucker	...	Ben Orcutt
Charles Kemper	...	Sheriff Kiscaden
Grant Withers	...	Deputy Bill Yount
John Miles	...	Johnny O'Neil
Griff Barnett	...	Mr. Banner
Dorothy Hart	...	Jane Banner

Storyline

Gunfighter "Brazos" Kane lays aside his guns "forever" when he is forced to shoot his best friend, and decides to join another friend, Bob Tyrell, as a cowhand on the Inskip ranch. Upon arriving there he finds the bullet-riddled body of his friend. He carries the body to the Banner ranch, the largest in the territory, and is accused by Banner of murdering Tyrell; Banner orders Deputy Sheriff Bill Yount, who is in Banner's pay, to arrest Kane. But Kane has the sympathy of Banner's daughter, Jane, who notifies Inskip of Kane's plight, and Inskip arrives in time to prevent a lynching. Sheriff Kiscade dismisses the murder charge for lack of evidence. Brazos then sets out to find the killer of his friend. Bess Bannister, Jane's sister, is in love with the Banner ranch foreman, Bard Macky, and knowing that Bard killed Tyrell and that Kane will track him down, then hampers Kane's mission somewhat by pretending to be in love with him.

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Plot Keywords:

ranch | sheriff | killer | daughter | sister | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 July 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rächer ohne Waffen

Filming Locations:

Andy Jauregui Ranch - Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Producers-Actors Corporation, Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Cinecolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

As Inskip is shot and falls into the back of his buggy, his hat disappears and reappears on his head.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[Tom calls out Brazos for a gunslinging showdown]
Tom: Brazos. Brazos!

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Connections

Referenced in The James Dean Story (1957)

User Reviews

screenplay by Alan Le May, above average western

From a story of Zane Grey, and with a screenplay by Alan Le May, who later wrote "The Searchers" and "The Unforgiven" this is not a great film, but it is also not an average western, especially if you consider it was made in 1947. The colors are pleasing in Cinecolor, not as great as Technicolor, the yellow and the green are absent. There is a shocking scene when Randolph Scott starts shooting at different parts of the body of a bad guy, to make him confess. But even though kind of sadistic, this scene was a cry of independence from the B western unrealistic codes of the times (think of Roy-Gene). And because of the Alan Le May screenplay, this film was more modern than many of the westerns Scott made after. The box office results were so good that it formed the famous partnership of Scott and Harry Joe Brown. The two actresses, Barbara Britton and Dorothy Hart give an important feminine presence playing two sisters with conflicting feelings. If you are a Scott fan, don't miss this one.