Firecreek (1968)

A peace-loving, part-time Sheriff in the small town of Firecreek must take a stand when a gang of vicious outlaws takes over his town.

Director:

Vincent McEveety

Writer:

Calvin Clements Sr. (as Calvin Clements)

Stars:

James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Inger Stevens

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Stewart	...	Johnny Cobb
Henry Fonda	...	Bob Larkin
Inger Stevens	...	'Evelyn' / Evelyn Pittman
Gary Lockwood	...	Earl
Dean Jagger	...	Whittier
Ed Begley	...	Preacher Broyles
Jay C. Flippen	...	Mr. Pittman
Jack Elam	...	Norman
James Best	...	Drew
BarBara Luna	...	Meli (as Barbara Luna)
Jacqueline Scott	...	Henrietta Cobb
Brooke Bundy	...	Leah
Robert Porter	...	Arthur (as J. Robert Porter)
Morgan Woodward	...	Willard
John Qualen	...	Hall

Storyline

Farmer and family man Johnny Cobb moonlights as a two dollar a month Sheriff with a homemade badge in the quiet little town of Firecreek. When a gang of freebooters passes through, their leader Larkin, who is suffering from a minor wound, agrees to spend the night. The gang members prove to be vicious, sadistic sociopaths who take advantage of the frightened townspeople, humiliating them for their own perverse amusement. Although Larkin disapproves of their behavior, his leadership role is tenuous, and he is reluctant to test it by exercising control over his men. The mild-mannered Cobb faces a series of challenges from the gang's antisocial behavior. Things come to a head when Meli, an Indian woman with a mixed race child, incurs an attempted sexual attack by one of gang. Arthur, a simpleton stable boy, comes to her aid and accidentally kills the attacker. Cobb locks up Arthur to keep him safe, but when the Sheriff leaves town to visit his wife, who is struggling in labor, there is ...

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Plot Keywords:

place name in title | psychological western | sheriff | sociopath | psychopath | 

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Taglines:

JAMES STEWART as the farmer sheriff with a badge carved out of tin.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1968 (UK)

Also Known As:

Die fünf Vogelfreien

Filming Locations:

Laramie Street, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Opening credits: The story, all names, characters and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons, living or dead, is intended or should be inferred.

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Goofs

When Larkin has his bullet wound treated in the boarding house his shirt is covered in blood. Once he is bandaged, the same shirt is clean and good as new with no sign of a bullet hole.

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Quotes

Bob Larkin: You don't take after your Grandfather much in the way of talkin'. Not that I much complain when a woman keeps her mouth shut.
Evelyn Pittman: I find no complaint when a man does the same.

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Connections

Featured in John Wayne Made Me Cry: Our Western Heros (2002)

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Soundtracks

Rock of Ages
(uncredited)
Music by Thomas Hastings and lyrics by Augustus Montague Toplady

User Reviews

Amazing Western that entertains while sending a good message

This film shows the power of the motion picture. It is entertaining and it sends a strong message about doing the right thing while avoiding stereotyped good and bad characters. It stars Jimmy Stewart as a farmer is also the honorary part time sheriff. A gang of outlaws lead by Henry Fonda rides into town and starts to cause trouble. Stewart and the rest of the town folk want to avoid rocking the boat and figure that the new visitors are none of their business. It is only after a terrible event that Stewart finally realizes the mistake of inaction and understands that it is everyone's responsibility to stand up for what is right. The true beauty of this film is that neither the hero or the villain are common Western stereotypes. They much more resemble real people. The hero is more concerned with his own life and doesn't want to risk bodily harm trying to stop troublemakers that will be gone by morning. The lead villain is a man that seems to be trapped by his own reputation. He doesn't agree with what his gang is doing, but feels that they expect certain things from their leader. He says, "I don't know what to do, I feel like I am on a greased pig trying to hold on." When asked why he doesn't just leave the gang he responds that he spent his whole life building a reputation and he can't go back to being a nobody. The greatness of this picture is that it has the noble purpose of bettering its viewers, but it does not sacrifice its entertainment value to achieve it.