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:

Each Owed the Other His Life. This Was the Moment of Reckoning!

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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 final shootout, Morgan was supposed to beat Smithers to the draw. However, the actor playing Smithers, Brian G. Hutton kept beating Douglas to the draw. Finally it was decided that Douglas should be holding a shotgun thereby ending that argument. Afterwards Douglas remarked "Can you imagine that upstart beating me to the draw?" Anthony Quinn said, "Fon't worry about it Kirk we'll get him in the editing room."

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Goofs

On its way to Gun Hill, the train has four cars. By the time it reaches the station, there are only two, and the baggage car is a different one than before.

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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 Living Steam: Virginia and Truckee Then and Now at the Nevada State Railroad Museum (2008)

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Soundtracks

Polly Wolly Doodle
(uncredited)
Attributed to Dan Emmett

User Reviews

An Underrated Classic

John Sturges a number of the best movies ever made - The Great Escape, The Gunfight at O.K. Corral, the Magnificent Seven, and here is a great movie he made that doesn't get mentioned with the all-time greats as it should.

Kirk Douglas is outstanding as the uncompromising sheriff on a mission of revenge when his Native American wife is killed by the spoiled son of a lifelong friend. Anthony Quinn is excellent as the hardbitten rancher who respects Douglas' character more than anybody (and whose life he saved in their youth), but who behaves one as a protective father, and two as a man who is rich and powerful, and used to getting what he wants. Carolyn Jones is also great as a woman caught in the middle of the two men.

No cop-outs, no easily resolutions. Just a great movie with a great cast.