The Gunfighter (1950)

Director:

Henry King

Writers:

William Bowers (screenplay) and
William Sellers (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 August 1950 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Tagline:

RINGO WAS HIS NAME! THE CHALLENGE OF EVERY OUTLAW GUNMAN! THE NOTORIOUS SELF-DEFENSE KILLER! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Gunslinger | Marshal | Saloon | Single Mother | Jail

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Murray Alper	...	Townsman at Funeral (uncredited)
Larry Buchanan	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Cliff Clark	...	Jerry Marlowe (uncredited)
Angela Clarke	...	Mac's Wife (uncredited)
David Clarke	...	Second Brother (uncredited)
Edmund Cobb	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Dick Curtis	...	Crowd Extra (uncredited)
Eddie Ehrhart	...	Archie (uncredited)
Alan Hale Jr.	...	First Brother (uncredited)
Harry Harvey	...	Ike (uncredited)
Jean Inness	...	Alice Marlowe (uncredited)
Tommy Lee	...	Long Fu - Cayenne Restaurant Cook (uncredited)
Pierce Lyden	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Mae Marsh	...	Mrs. O'Brien (uncredited)
Harry Mendoza	...	Frank Loving (uncredited)
James Millican	...	Pete (uncredited)
Alberto Morin	...	Pablo (uncredited)
Edward Mundy	...	Man on Street (uncredited)
B.G. Norman	...	Jimmie Walsh (uncredited)
Eddie Parks	...	Joe the Barber (uncredited)
Hank Patterson	...	Jake (uncredited)
John Pickard	...	Third Brother (uncredited)
Warren Schannon	...	Boy (uncredited)
Harry Shannon	...	Chuck (uncredited)
Kim Spalding	...	Clerk (uncredited)
Houseley Stevenson	...	Mr. Barlow (uncredited)
Ferris Taylor	...	George the Grocer (uncredited)
Kenneth Tobey	...	Swede (uncredited)
Jack Tornek	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Archie Twitchell	...	Johnny (uncredited)
William Vedder	...	Minister (uncredited)
Dan White	...	Card Player in Barber Shop (uncredited)
Anne Whitfield	...	Carrie Lou (uncredited)
Credda Zajac	...	Mrs. Cooper (uncredited)

Directed by
Henry King

Writing credits
William Bowers		(screenplay) and
William Sellers		(screenplay)
William Bowers		(story) and
André De Toth		(story) (as Andre de Toth)
Roger Corman		uncredited &
Nunnally Johnson		uncredited

Produced by
Nunnally Johnson	....	producer

Original Music by
Alfred Newman

Cinematography by
Arthur C. Miller		(director of photography) (as Arthur Miller)

Film Editing by
Barbara McLean

Art Direction by
Richard Irvine
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little		(set decorations)
Walter M. Scott		(set decorations) (as Walter M.Scott)

Costume Design by
Travilla		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Myrtle Ford	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Joseph C. Behm	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
F.E. 'Johnny' Johnston	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Alfred Bruzlin	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)

Special Effects by
Fred Sersen	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Ted Mapes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Duke York	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Lockwood	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Cliff Maupin	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director (as Charles LeMaire)
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ed Wynigear	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator (as Edward Powell)
Alfred Newman	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Teresa Brachetto	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Roger Corman	....	story editor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century-Fox) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation also)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1950) (USA) (theatrical) (released by) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (released by) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• 20th Century Fox (1953) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1953) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (1965) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• EuroVideo (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | USA:Approved (PCA #14217) | West Germany:12 | Germany:12 | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:Not Rated | Norway:A | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts) | UK:U (video rating) (1994) | UK:U (tv rating)

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

In 1996, veteran character actor Richard Jaeckel, who played "Eddie", was diagnosed with cancer at the same time his wife had Alzheimer's disease. The Jaeckels had lost their Brentwood (CA) home, were over $1 million in debt and Jaeckel was basically homeless. His family tried unsuccessfully to place him into the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, CA. Peck lobbied for Jaeckel's admittance, and three days later Jaeckel was placed in the facility. He stayed in the hospital until his death in June 1997.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

Quotes:

Jimmy Ringo:You're Hunt Bromley, ain't ya?
Hunt Bromley:Yeah... you heard of me already?
Jimmy Ringo:Yeah, I heard about you. I heard you're a cheap, no-good bar-room loafer. If I didn't have somethin' else on my mind I'd take them guns away from ya and slap ya cross-eyed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976)

Soundtrack:

Beautiful Dreamer

A True Classic

This underrated classic deservs to be seen by true fans of westerns - in 1950 when it came out it was one of the first that tried to get it really right - the clothes, the guns, the look, etc. Peck gives a wonderfully angry, sad performance as Ringo an old gunfighter who is dead tired of the "life" and wants to retire. Fascinating characters, great performances, tight, strong script. Seek this one out. Made before High Noon but never gets the attention it deserves.