The Sheepman (1958)

A brash stranger and his sheep arrive in a small town, but not soon after, the townspeople decide they've seen enough of him.

Director:

George Marshall

Writers:

William Bowers (screenplay), James Edward Grant (screenplay)

Stars:

Glenn Ford, Shirley MacLaine, Leslie Nielsen

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Glenn Ford	...	Jason Sweet
Shirley MacLaine	...	Dell Payton
Leslie Nielsen	...	Col. Stephen Bedford
Mickey Shaughnessy	...	Jumbo McCall
Edgar Buchanan	...	Milt Masters
Willis Bouchey	...	Frank Payton
Pernell Roberts	...	Chocktaw Neal
Slim Pickens	...	Marshal
Robert 'Buzz' Henry	...	Red (as Buzz Henry)
Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez	...	Angelo

Storyline

A stranger in a Western cattle-town behaves with remarkable self-assurance, establishing himself as a man to be reckoned with. The reason appears with his stock: a herd of sheep, which he intends to graze on the range. The horrified inhabitants decide to run him out at all costs.

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Plot Keywords:

alias | dog | sheep | firecracker | hired killer | 

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Taglines:

They called him the STRANGER WITH A GUN...

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 May 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

Stranger with a Gun

Filming Locations:

Montrose, Colorado, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,283,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$1,535,000, 31 December 1958

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,735,000, 31 December 1958

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Perspecta Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez is the grandfather of Clifton Collins Jr., actor, (Tigerland, The Replacement Killers, One Eight Seven). For a time Collins used the name Clifton Gonzalez-Gonzalez, in homage to his grandfather.

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Goofs

After being run out of town on the train the night of the party, the next day when Jason had the train back into town, a contrail is clearly visible above the locomotive cab.

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Quotes

Dell Payton: Was he very bad?
Jason Sweet: Well, let's just say that he wasn't in any danger of getting a headache from the weight of all the gold stars on his crown.

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Connections

Featured in 100 Years of the Hollywood Western (1994)

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Soundtracks

Buffalo Girls
(uncredited)
Traditional
[Sung at the party when Sweet is taken to visit the colonel]

User Reviews

Nothing sheepish about this Beef and Lamb Hot Pot.

The Sheepman is directed by George Marshall and written by William Bowers, James Edward Grant and William Roberts. It stars Glenn Ford, Shirley MacLaine, Leslie Nielsen, Mickey Shaughnessy, Edgar Buchanan, Willis Bouchey, Pernell Roberts, and Slim Pickens. Music is by Jeff Alexander and cinematography by Robert J. Bronner.

Utterly delightful semi-comic Oater, The Sheepman pitches Ford as sheep farmer Jason Sweet, who arrives in Powder Valley - a place ruled by cattle ranchers only - and upturns the applecart by announcing he intends to let his sheep graze on the lands there. Trouble, motives and back stories will out!

With the exception of some poor rear projection work, this is a pic that's constructed with style and humour. The opening is a doozy as Sweet quickly puts down a marker in the town, with a glint in his eye and a punch of some force. It's an irresistible characterisation by Ford, deftly blending humour with machismo, setting up the rest of the film by firmly pulling us viewers onto his side. Supporting cast are bang on the money, doing justice to well written characters (the screenplay was Oscar nominated), with the writing also having some nous via twists and a commitment to never let the story be boring or twee.

An absolute must see film for fans of the irrepressible Glenn Ford. 8/10