Last Train from Gun Hill (1959)

A marshal tries to bring the son of an old friend, an autocratic cattle baron, to justice for his role in the rape and murder of the marshal's Native American wife.

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

Les Crutchfield (story "Showdown"), James Poe (screenplay)

Stars:

Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Carolyn Jones

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Kirk Douglas	...	Marshal Matt Morgan
Anthony Quinn	...	Craig Belden
Carolyn Jones	...	Linda
Earl Holliman	...	Rick Belden
Brad Dexter	...	Beero
Brian G. Hutton	...	Lee Smithers (as Brian Hutton)
Ziva Rodann	...	Catherine Morgan
Bing Russell	...	Skag
Val Avery	...	Steve, Horseshoe Bartender'
Walter Sande	...	Sheriff Bartlett

Storyline

The wife of marshal Matt Morgan is raped and murdered. The killers leave behind a distinctive saddle, that Morgan recognises as belonging to his old friend Craig Belden, now cattle baron in the town of Gun Hill. Belden is sympathetic, until it transpires that one of the murderers is his own son Rick, whom he refuses to hand over. Morgan is determined to capture Rick and take him away by the 9.00 train; but he is trapped in the town alone, with Belden and all his men now looking to kill him.

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Plot Keywords:

monogrammed saddle | racism | cherokee | three riding a horse | matte painting | 

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Taglines:

The mightiest double-barreled excitement to blaze across the screen !

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Genres:

Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 October 1959 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Last Train from Harper's Junction

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bryna Productions,Hal Wallis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the fight between Rick and Beero, Brad Dexter swings a left at Earl Holliman. Although Holliman falls as though hit, the actual punch misses, but Dexter follows through and hits the wooden wing of the chair he had been leaning on, and the chair visibly moves. For the rest of the scene, Dexter shakes and massages his left hand to relieve the pain.

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Goofs

The train that Morgan takes to Gun Hill is seen to go round the same corner twice, once at night and once during the day.

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Quotes

Craig Belden: [trying to plead for his son] How can we settle this, Matt?
Marshal Matt Morgan: The law's gotta settle it, Craig. Not us.
Craig Belden: I saved your life once. You owe me that. You owe me one life.
Marshal Matt Morgan: I remember you saved my life. But he took a life! He killed a woman! Just for the fun of it! Just...
Craig Belden: Taking my boy ain't gonna bring your wife back.
Marshal Matt Morgan: My wife or somebody else's makes no difference. I took an oath for this job. The oath says bring him in. That's what I'll do.
Craig Belden: What do you want me to do? You want me to beg, Matt? Alright,...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven' (2000)

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Soundtracks

Polly Wolly Doodle
(uncredited)
Attributed to Dan Emmett

User Reviews

Make the Extraordinarily Suspenseful visit to "Gun Hill"

Don't miss the beginning of this film. Not only is it essential to the whole picture, but it is also a great example of how a filmmaker can show a brutal crime without showing the details on-screen. In the opening, a brutal rape and murder occur; director John Sturges and the performers relay very effectively what happens, it's the horror in your mind.

Kirk Douglas stars, and he is riveting. My favorite of Mr. Douglas' scenes is when he describes a hanging to Earl Holliman - it's an "award-worthy" performance; but won none or few, no doubt. The others all perform amicably, too. After Douglas goes to Gun Hill, he sees old friend Anthony Quinn… watch how Douglas and Mr. Quinn play their first scene and you'll see how good these two actors are.

You always have to suspend disbelief in film watching, and a western is a little different. Westerns have their own world, which you accept, or don't. I could not really accept Mr. Quinn and Earl Holliman as father and son, at first. I think it could have been helped if Quinn had done something different with his hair; he never seemed concerned about thinning or gray hair, so I can't fathom the hair… it made him look younger than usual. After the movie went on, I decided to just accept that like I accept the rules you accept when you watch a western.

Besides, Quinn and Holliman are far to good to replace. Then, add Carolyn Jones... Now, I figured, at first, she would have the standard "look pretty and kiss the hero" role -- but, that was not so; actually, she was given a real good part and had a chance to perform a meaningful acting role. Ms. Jones showed she should have been given more good film roles.

So many westerns try build this suspense -- "Last Train from Gun Hill" should have you shaking in your cowboy boots.

********* Last Train from Gun Hill (1959) John Sturges ~ Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Carolyn Jones, Earl Holliman