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Death of a Gunfighter (1969)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
April 1969 (Austria) moreTagline:
Marshall Patch... he lived by the law of the gun...Plot:
In the turn-of-the century Texas town of Cottownwood Springs, marshal Frank Patch is an old-style lawman in a town determined to become modern... more | add synopsisUser Comments:
Death of a Gunfighter was Lena Horne's only straight drama moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Richard Widmark | ... | Marshal Frank Patch | |
| Lena Horne | ... | Claire Quintana | |
| Carroll O'Connor | ... | Lester Locke | |
| David Opatoshu | ... | Edward Rosenblum | |
| Kent Smith | ... | Andrew Oxley | |
| Jacqueline Scott | ... | Laurie Mills | |
| Morgan Woodward | ... | Ivan Stanek | |
| Larry Gates | ... | Mayor Chester Sayre | |
| Dub Taylor | ... | Doc Adams | |
| John Saxon | ... | Lou Trinidad | |
| Darleen Carr | ... | Hilda Jorgenson | |
| Michael McGreevey | ... | Dan Joslin | |
| Royal Dano | ... | Arch Brandt | |
| Jimmy Lydon | ... | Luke Mills (as James Lydon) | |
| Kathleen Freeman | ... | Mary Elizabeth |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
Brazil:94 min | USA:100 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Certification:
Norway:16 | West Germany:18 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PGFun Stuff
Trivia:
Star Richard Widmark and original director Robert Totten had "artistic differences," and Totten was replaced by Don Siegel. When the film was completed, Siegel, saying that Totten directed more of the film than he did, refused to take screen credit for it, but Widmark didn't want Totten's name on it. A compromise was reached whereby the film was credited to the fictitious "Alan Smithee" (originally to be called Al Smith, but the DGA said there had already been a director by that name), thereby setting a precedent for directors who, for one reason or another, did not want their name on a film they made. moreQuotes:
Dan Joslin: It's awful seeing a man kill himself. One minute he's there... alive... then he's dead. Blood and the smell of powdersmoke. And it's all over and one with. It's awful! moreSoundtrack:
SWEET APPLE WINE moreFAQ
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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Death of a Gunfighter (1969)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
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| Alan Smithee's debut film | Grimlocksnewbrain |
| Town of Bad Hats | sistergrimm |
| I missed the beginning | mickya |
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In continuing to review African-Americans on film and television in chronological order for Black History Month, we're now at 1969 with Death of a Gunfighter with Lean Horne in her only straight role though you do hear her recording of the song, "Sweet Apple Wine" in the beginning and end credits. Though she's billed above the title with Richard Widmark, her role of Claire Quintana is very much a supporting one that's mainly there as one of the few people who stands by Marshal Frank Patch (Widmark) as the townspeople are fed up with his violent ways of dealing with justice. Also among the supporting cast are Michael McGreevey as Dan-a young man who also likes the marshal, Darleen Carr-sister of The Sound of Music's Charmian Carr-as his girlfriend Hilda, Jacqueline Scott-probably best known as Richard Kimble's sister Donna on "The Fugitive-as the widow, Laurie Mills, of the first man killed by Patch at the beginning of the movie, Harry Carey, Jr. as Rev. Rork, John Saxon as county Shriff Lou Trinidad who tries to get Patch to get out of town peacefully, and, in a nice surprise from his later role as Archie Bunker, Carroll O'Connor as the bar owner, Lester Locke, who bides his time in letting other people get Frank before he himself tries. Many of the cast I just mentioned and lots of others I haven't contribute great tension as the film chronicles the last days of the Marshal. Horne acquits herself nicely with her few scenes and it's nice seeing her and Widmark kiss at their wedding especially when one knows that Widmark played a racist opposite Sidney Poitier in his movie debut, No Way Out (1950). Love the music score, by Oliver Nelson, and direction especially many of the close-ups. That direction, by the way, was credited to one "Allen Smithee" which is the name used when the real director doesn't want his own name used. In this case, they're Robert Totten-who had "creative differences" with Widmark, and Don Siegel-who had filmed the actor previously in Madigan. This marked "Smithee's" feature film debut. All in all, Death of a Gunfighter was another pleasant surprise for me.