More Dead Than Alive (1969)

Released from prison after 18 years, notorious gunslinger 'Killer' Cain is a peaceful reformed man but the Old West has died and he cannot adapt to the modern West where some unpaid moral debts and old troubles resurface.

Director:

Robert Sparr

Writer:

George Schenck

Stars:

Clint Walker, Vincent Price, Anne Francis

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clint Walker	...	Cain
Vincent Price	...	Dan Ruffalo
Anne Francis	...	Monica Alton
Paul Hampton	...	Billy Valence
Craig Littler	...	Karma
Mike Henry	...	Luke Santee
Clarke Gordon	...	Carson
Beverly Powers	...	Sheree
William Woodson	...	Warden
Harry Lauter	...	Doctor
Eric Matthews	...	Wes Santee
Robert Foulk	...	Brill
Frank Baxter	...	Banker
Andy Albin	...	Fletcher
Emile Meyer	...	Bartender

Storyline

When the multiple murderer Cain is released from prison after 18 years, he wants to settle down as a rancher and never touch a gun again. But his former life haunts him; not only that nobody wants to give him a job, some villains also want to pay him back. So he has to accept the offer of showman Ruffalo to perform as "Killer Cain" in his traveling shooting show. However after 18 years without practice even Ruffalo's young assistant Billy shoots better than Cain.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | gunfighter | lawyer | banker | fistfight | 

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Taglines:

Gunslinger Rebellion - WINNER KILL ALL!

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Genres:

Romance | Western

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some western violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 January 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mais Morto que Vivo

Filming Locations:

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aubrey Schenck Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The opening sequence at the prison takes place in the same location used as Cestus III in the famous Star Trek story "Arena", often referred to as the "Gorn episode".

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Goofs

Cain's gun is supposed to have 12 notches, but a closeup only shows 8 notches.

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Quotes

Billy Valence: You're not gonna shoot me, are you?

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Connections

Referenced in McCloud: Top of the World, Ma! (1971)

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Soundtracks

The Messenger
Lyrics by Irwin Levine
Music by Philip Springer

User Reviews

" Didn't anyone ever teach you, . . never holster an unloaded gun? "

There are many films which the great actor Clint Walker made and a few became the foundation for the rest. In this film, which is one of his best, called " More Dead than Alive " is directed by Robert Spar and written by George Schench. It relates the unusual story of a multiple murderer, called Cain, (Clint Walker) who has paid the standard price for murdering several men, by serving nearly twenty years in prison. Now that he's out, he finds a job with Dan Ruffalo's (Vincent Price) wild west show. Earning honest money, Clain decides to capitalize on his infamous legacy while at the same time trying to go straight. Unfortunately, Cain's past is slowly creeping in on his peaceful life-style and it only a matter of time before it catches up to him. At the same time, Clain tries to teach Billy Valence an envious and arrogant reputation-seeking gun-slinger (Paul Hampton) not to make the same mistakes he made. The story is a moral one which has influence many a writer and director in the following movie years. For Walker, the least we can add is that this film has become a Classic. ****