Forty Guns (1957)

An authoritarian rancher, Barbara Stanwyck, who rules an Arizona county with her private posse of hired guns. When a new marshall arrives to set things straight, the cattle queen finds ... See full summary »

Director:

Samuel Fuller

Writer:

Samuel Fuller

Stars:

Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan, Dean Jagger

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Jessica Drummond
Barry Sullivan	...	Griff Bonnell
Dean Jagger	...	Sheriff Ned Logan
John Ericson	...	Brockie Drummond
Gene Barry	...	Wes Bonnell
Robert Dix	...	Chico Bonnell
Jidge Carroll	...	Barney Cashman
Paul Dubov	...	Judge Macy
Gerald Milton	...	Shotgun Spanger
Ziva Rodann	...	Rio
Hank Worden	...	Marshal John Chisum
Neyle Morrow	...	Wiley
Chuck Roberson	...	Howard Swain
Chuck Hayward	...	Charlie Savage
Sandy Wirth	...	Chico's Girlfriend (as Sandra Wirth)

Storyline

An authoritarian rancher, Barbara Stanwyck, who rules an Arizona county with her private posse of hired guns. When a new marshall arrives to set things straight, the cattle queen finds herself falling, brutally for the avowedly non-violent lawman. Both have itchy-fingered brothers, a female gunman enters the picture, and things go desperately wrong.

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Plot Keywords:

cattle | rancher | arizona | singing | corruption | 

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

September 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Vierzig Gewehre

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Globe Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Condemned in the US because of its brutal handling of the narrative, but praised in Europe for its stylistic vigor.

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Quotes

Griff Bonnell: What's the matter? You look upset.
Jessica Drummond: I was born upset.

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Connections

Referenced in Legend of the Phantom Rider (2002)

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Soundtracks

"High Ridin' Woman"
by Harold Adamson and Harry Sukman
Sung by Jidge Carroll

User Reviews

It 's a must see for Western fans and cult movies lovers

Jessicca Drummond ( Barbara Stanwick ) is an untameable owner who rules over a small city in Arizona county . The cattle queen is supported by a little army formed by forty gunfighters . Her power will be modified in arriving the Bonnell brothers ( Barry Sullivan, Gene Evans and Dix ). One of them ( Sullivan ) is proclaimed sheriff and his vision from law and justice differs quite of Jessica Drummond and her brother ( John Erikson ), a young gunman eager to take up a life of crime .

This is a magnificent Western plenty of violence , hatred ,gun-play, an impossible love story...in a word : emotion , besides it contains effective action sequences as the raid on the small town . Of course , there are ritual shootouts among gunslingers confronting each other in some quick-draw duels in the accepted Western movie fashion , but this time with no observing the honorable ¨ Code of the west ¨ . The showdown isn't the usual because of it is developed of strangest manner and no habitual rules , just like is seen at the initial and final feud . The film has exciting and captivating images as when Barbara Stanwick appears riding in her white stallion with his forty henchmen worn in black and in column( just like Alibaba and the forty thieves from ¨Thousand and one nights¨ book ) and strange images of a dead man on the showcase with the caption : murdered by Bonell brothers and shot in back . Furthermore , it packs a sensational black and white cinematography by Joseph Biroc . The film gets excellent edition by Gene Fowler , he is a famous editor and occasionally director of Western and Sci-Fi ( I married a monster from outer space , I was a teenage wolf ). Samuel Fuller direction is inspired , he directed other three especial Western ( Run of the arrow , Baron the Arizona , I shot Jesse James ). But ¨ Forty guns ¨ is the best , he realized a thrilling and fascinating story , nowadays converted in an essential and indispensable cult movie. Rating : Better than average. Wholesome watching .