Gunsmoke (1953)

Director:

Nathan Juran

Writers:

D.D. Beauchamp (screenplay)
Norman A. Fox (novel)

Release Date:

March 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

Hired Gunslinger In A Lawless Land!

Plot:

A young gun slinger tries to help a rancher and his daughter, save their land and cattle from an evil, wealthy land owner.

Plot Keywords:

Cattle | Rancher | Gunslinger | Tough Guy | Colt .45

Cast

Audie Murphy	...	Reb Kittredge
Susan Cabot	...	Rita Saxon
Paul Kelly	...	Dan Saxon
Charles Drake	...	Johnny Lake
Mary Castle	...	Cora Dufrayne
Jack Kelly	...	Curly Mather
Jesse White	...	Professor
Donald Randolph	...	Matt Telford
William Reynolds	...	Brazos
Chubby Johnson	...	Doc Farrell
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Philo McCullough	...	Abner Sneed (scenes deleted)
Carl Andre	...	(uncredited)
Holly Bane	...	Telford Henchman (uncredited)
Gregg Barton	...	Bratton (uncredited)
Lysa Baugher	...	Saloon Dancer (uncredited)
Edmund Cobb	...	Charlie (uncredited)
Frank Cordell	...	Telford Henchman (uncredited)
George Eldredge	...	Stagecoach Passenger (uncredited)
Marietta Elliott	...	Saloon Dancer (uncredited)
William Fawcett	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Clem Fuller	...	Two Dot (uncredited)
Jack Kenny	...	Barfly (uncredited)
William F. Leicester	...	Irish (uncredited)
Sylvia Lewis	...	Saloon Danceer (uncredited)
Stanley Mack	...	(uncredited)
Patti McKay	...	Saloon Dancer (uncredited)
Monte Montague	...	Superintendant (uncredited)
Denver Pyle	...	Greasy (uncredited)
Bill Radovich	...	Bartender (uncredited)
James Stone	...	O'Shay (uncredited)
Forrest Taylor	...	Cal (uncredited)
George Taylor	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Jack Tornek	...	Townsman (uncredited)
James Van Horn	...	Clay (uncredited)
Henry Wills	...	Telford Henchman (uncredited)

Directed by
Nathan Juran

Writing credits
D.D. Beauchamp		(screenplay)
Norman A. Fox		(novel "Roughshod") (as Norman A.Fox)

Produced by
Aaron Rosenberg	....	producer

Original Music by
Herman Stein		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Charles P. Boyle		(director of photography)
Harvey Gould		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Ted J. Kent

Art Direction by
Robert F. Boyle
Alexander Golitzen

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman
Ray Jeffers		(set decorations)

Costume Design by
Rosemary Odell

Makeup Department
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jack Gertsman	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Holland	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey	....	sound
Robert Pritchard	....	sound

Stunts
Carl Andre	....	stunts (uncredited)
Emile Avery	....	stunts (uncredited)
Polly Burson	....	stunt double: Susan Cabot (uncredited)
Frank Cordell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Clem Fuller	....	stunts (uncredited)
Don Happy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Leroy Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Miles	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carl Pitti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunts (uncredited)
James Van Horn	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)
Willard W. Willingham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Henry Wills	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Joseph Gershenson	....	musical director
Arthur Lange	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Henry Mancini	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Milton Rosen	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Miklós Rózsa	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Hans J. Salter	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Frank Skinner	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
William Fritzsche	....	Technicolor color consultant
Harold Belfer	....	choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI) (presents) (as Universal-International) (as A Universal International Picture also)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1953) (USA) (theatrical) (as Universal International)
• Comet Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"A Man's Country" - USA (alternative title)
"Roughshod" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #16145) | Sweden:15 | UK:U (passed with cuts)

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

During the cattle drive, Audie Murphy (Reb) has ridden up ahead, over a ridge, to scout the trail and sees a range fire burning towards the herd. As he races back down the hill to the other riders, his horse slips and almost falls down. He and the horse are able to recover and without missing a beat, Murphy says his lines to the others and the scene goes on.

Quotes:

Reb Kittredge:The last time I saw you, you was down in Denver. Why did you leave?
Cora Dufrayne:Why did you?
Reb Kittredge:I had a reason.
Cora Dufrayne:You had twelve reasons... each one of 'em had a gun in his hand. I understand you got run out of Wyoming, too.
Reb Kittredge:Yeah.
Cora Dufrayne:Well, you've got a pretty good record. Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming...
Reb Kittredge:I'm young yet.
Cora Dufrayne:You've run out of states, too.
Reb Kittredge:I understand there's lots of room left in Canada.

Soundtrack:

See What the Boys in the Back Room Will Have

formulas western with creative twist

Like most westerns between 1945 and 1985, the hero begins as an outlaw. I always called this Saul/Paul syndrome. Americans love a bad guy gone good better than anything. That said, this formula western had a creative twist a lot of people who enjoyed the movie never noticed. It may be the only Western ever where the lead character chickened out of fistfights and still held his dignity. In this movie, Audie Murphy plays a man who has virtually one skill-gunmanship. He is not a champion boxer, fighter, cowhand; he can do one thing good, and he is thinking about his future. In fact, his character is much like what the later anti hero of the seventies strived to be. That said, this is a very action packed interesting movie, with bad guys, wise guys, and good direction.