At Gunpoint (1955)

The peace-loving owner of a general store, who became a town hero when he luckily killed the leader of a gang of bank robbers, is deserted by the townspeople who fear the threatened return of the vengeful bandits.

Director:

Alfred L. Werker

Writer:

Daniel B. Ullman (story)

Stars:

Fred MacMurray, Dorothy Malone, Walter Brennan

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Fred MacMurray	...	Jack Wright
Dorothy Malone	...	Martha Wright
Walter Brennan	...	Doc Lacy
Tommy Rettig	...	Billy Wright
Skip Homeier	...	Bob Dennis
John Qualen	...	Livingstone
Whit Bissell	...	Clem Clark
Irving Bacon	...	Al Ferguson
Jack Lambert	...	Kirk
John Pickard	...	Alvin Dennis
James Griffith	...	The Stranger (Bob Alexander)
Harry Shannon	...	Marshal MacKay
Frank Ferguson	...	Marshal George Henderson
James O'Hara	...	Wally (as James Lilburn)
Harry Lauter	...	Federal Marshal

Storyline

The peace-loving owner of a general store, who became a town hero when he luckily killed the leader of a gang of bank robbers, is deserted by the townspeople who fear the threatened return of the vengeful bandits.

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Plot Keywords:

showdown

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Taglines:

STARTLING as looking down the barrel of a loaded gun!

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ameaça de Morte

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Allied Artists Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
[Bob Dennis is practicing aiming and firing his gun]
Alvin Dennis: You're sure itchin' to use that thing again, ain't ya?
Bob Dennis: Never hurts to be ready.
Alvin Dennis: You're always ready. Put it away.
Bob Dennis: You're nervous, huh?
Alvin Dennis: Yeah, well, I wouldn't be if it wasn't for you.

User Reviews

Excellent movie, well acted, very suspenseful, universal themes.

About 30 years ago, I was on vacation in Florida with my family. One rainy night in our motel we settled down to watch this movie, and it stuck with me forever. Even today, I can watch a movie, and a month later, I can't remember it - usually because it had terrible acting, an awful (or non-existent) plot, or both. But I will never forget, "At Gunpoint." I suppose another reason I remember this movie is because I was so young, and the movie had adult themes. But I understood the themes. I liked how MacMurray, the common man, became an unlikely hero. To me, this was a movie about heroism being thrust upon a person, and how MacMurray's character awkwardly dealt with the responsibilities that came with that heroism. In kind of a backwards way, the heroism came first, then the courage, but only after a long, drawn-out, sweaty palms, interim battle with his own fears. I also liked the way the movie juxtaposed accidental heroism with the real, earned heroism in the same character--it defined heroism. This was also a movie about how a hero sometimes has to stand alone amidst a community of cowards, even if it means certain death, and that, sometimes, honor is more important than life itself. The suspense in this movie was gripping. When watching it, I felt MacMurray's nearly incapacitating fear as he waited for the dead bandit's friends to return and get their vengeance. Everyone should be able to easily relate to the universal themes in "At Gunpoint." I didn't comment on the details of the scenes of this movie for fear of getting them wrong - it has been over 30 years since I saw it.