The Fastest Gun Alive (1956)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Russell Rouse

Writers:

Frank D. Gilroy (screenplay) and
Russell Rouse (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

12 July 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

WHAT HAPPENS in the next few minutes makes one of the most dramatic climaxes of any story you've ever seen!

Plot:

Whenever it becomes known how good he is with guns, ex-gunman George and his wife Dora have to flee the town...

Plot Keywords:

Posse | Psychological Drama | General Store | Murder | 1880s

Cast

Glenn Ford	...	George Temple / George Kelby, Jr.
Jeanne Crain	...	Dora Temple
Broderick Crawford	...	Vinnie Harold
Russ Tamblyn	...	Eric Doolittle
Allyn Joslyn	...	Harvey Maxwell
Leif Erickson	...	Lou Glover
John Dehner	...	Taylor Swope
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Dink Wells (as Noah Beery)
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Kevin McGovern
Rhys Williams	...	Brian Tibbs
Virginia Gregg	...	Rose Tibbs
Chubby Johnson	...	Frank Stringer
John Doucette	...	Ben Buddy
William 'Bill' Phillips	...	Lars Toomey
Christopher Olsen	...	Bobby Tibbs (as Chris Olsen)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Perspecta Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (certificate #17971) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Red Rock Canyon State Park - Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Goofs:

Factual errors: Glenn Ford's pistol is already cocked while in his holster. A professional gunfighter would never do that because of the very likely possibility it would go off as soon as it was touched.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Vinnie Harold: I'm lookin' for Fallon.

Interesting and Enjoyable Western

"The Fastest Gun Alive" is not one of those that come easily to your mind when you think about westerns. No one could say this a classic or even a great movie in the genre.

However, if you analyze this film you can't find major flaws or weaknesses in it. In fact, "The Fast Gun Alive" has an original plot with more than one real good moments, an acceptable direction and development, interesting characters, a very good casting and a tense surprising and much original ending.

Glenn Ford is most convincing as the man of the title that has to face a dangerous situation that his own search for respect and insecurity brings against him. Broderick Crawford renders a real good performance as the gunfighter who has to constantly prove to himself that he is the best and second to no one. Jeanne Crain plays Ford's wife, the woman that suffers because of his husband's insatisfactions with his life. Noah Beery, Jr. and John Dennher credit the supporting cast as Crawford's sidekicks.

I have to say I found this film interesting and enjoyable; most recommendable for western fans.