The Gunfighter (1950)

Notorious gunfighter Jimmy Ringo rides into town to find his true love, who doesn't want to see him. He hasn't come looking for trouble, but trouble finds him around every corner.

Director:

Henry King

Writers:

William Bowers (screenplay), William Sellers (screenplay),

Stars:

Gregory Peck, Helen Westcott, Millard Mitchell

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gregory Peck	...	Jimmy Ringo
Helen Westcott	...	Peggy Walsh
Millard Mitchell	...	Marshal Mark Strett
Jean Parker	...	Molly
Karl Malden	...	Mac
Skip Homeier	...	Hunt Bromley
Anthony Ross	...	Deputy Charlie Norris
Verna Felton	...	Mrs. August Pennyfeather
Ellen Corby	...	Mrs. Devlin
Richard Jaeckel	...	Eddie

Storyline

A reformed Gunfighter Jimmy Ringo is on his way to a sleepy town in the hope of a reunion with his estranged sweetheart and their young son who he has never seen. On arrival, a chance meeting with some old friends including the town's Marshal gives the repentant Jimmy some respite. But as always Jimmy's reputation has already cast its shadow, this time in the form of three vengeful cowboys hot on his trail and a local gunslinger hoping to use Jimmy to make a name for himself. With a showdown looming, the town is soon in a frenzy as news of Jimmy's arrival spreads. His movements are restricted to the saloon while a secret meeting with his son can be arranged giving him ideas of a long term reunion with his family far removed from his wild past.

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Plot Keywords:

gunslinger | marshal | saloon | single mother | jail | 

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Taglines:

His only friend was his gun... His only refuge - a woman's heart!

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 August 1950 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Der Scharfschütze

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bob Dylan's 1986 song "Brownsville Girl," co-written with Sam Shepard, alludes to watching Gregory Peck in this film. Peck himself thanked Dylan publicly when he delivered the speech when Dylan was given his Kennedy Center award in 1997.

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Goofs

When Jimmy Ringo goes into the hotel room to get the sniper with the winchester rifle, the lock on the door is just a handle. There is no mechanism to go into the jamb to allow the door to lock.

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Quotes

Marshal Mark Strett: Somebody after you?
Jimmy Ringo: Three somebodies.
Marshal Mark Strett: The law?
Jimmy Ringo: Naw, this is personal.
Marshal Mark Strett: I don't want 'em to catch up with you here.
Jimmy Ringo: I don't want 'em to catch up with me anywhere.

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Connections

Version of The 20th Century-Fox Hour: End of a Gun (1957)

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Soundtracks

"Rock of Ages"
(uncredited)

User Reviews

One of Gregory Peck's finest performances.....

Other than "To Kill a Mockingbird", I have not considered Gregory Peck to be a great actor. Having only seen him in films like "Roman Holiday","The Man in the Gray-Flannel Suit" and "Spellbound" I always thought his acting style was a little on the stiff side.

However, and this is a big however........I have now seen both "The Gunfighter" and "Twelve-O-Clock High" (he made them in succession) and realize that he can be sensational in the right part.

His portrayal of Jimmy Ringo was so wonderful, especially at the end, I have completely changed my opinion regarding his acting ability. I also thought that Millard Mitchell (the Marshal) was excellent. The final scenes of this movie were absolutely riveting........which is not always the case with westerns. I was also not surprised to find out later that this script was nominated for an Academy Award. I would watch this movie again just for the dialogue.