Studio-slick story with talky screenplay, it starts when Confederate soldier named Matt Weaver (George Segal) goes back to his village after the Civil War, he encounters that his house has been sold by landowner Sam Brewster (Pat Hingle). Brewster hires enigmatic gunfighter Jules Gaspard d'Estaing (Yul Brynner) to deal with Weaver and charged with taking him out but d'Estaing's independent approach settles the issues in a very unorthodox manner . When Jules is assigned for cleaning up the troubled community , he suddenly shifts loyalties and turning the balance of power. Meanwhile , there takes place a lovely triangle among the main characters (Brynner, Segal and Janice Rule).
This is a tremendously exciting story of a gunfighter-for-hire who had only one more killing to go. It begins as a slow-moving Western but follows to surprise us with dark characters and solid plot ; resulting to be a striking piece. Long on dialog but contains an exciting final with surprising duel . The tale is almost grim , a killer comes to a town just in time to make sure its citizenry but later the events get worse . Short on action Western with Brynner as rare gunslinger who is hired as professional murderous to kill outcast Confederate George Segal. The highlights are the violent destruction of the town and the climatic showdown at the ending. Phenomenal and great role for Yul Brynner as avenger angel and bitter gunfighter, he's the whole show at the height of his iconic game . Vivid and lively musical score by David Raksin. Atmospheric cinematography in glimmer color by Joseph McDonald. The motion picture is professionally realized by Richard Wilson (Al Capone , Three in Attic). Wilson was a previous associate of Orson Welles in the Mercury Theatre days and made another good Western as ¨Man with a gun¨, starring Robert Mitchum and ¨Zane Grey¨ episodes. Watchable results for this offbeat Western.
