The Gunfighter

1950 western

Rating: 16/20

Plot: Middle-aged Jimmy Ringo, the fastest draw in the West according to some, is tired of his notoriety. Brushing off cocky young punks wanting to make a name for themsevles or men with scores to settle exhausts him until he is finally ready to ride into that sunset to a place where nobody knows who he is. After killing one of those aforementioned young punks in self defense, he rides to a town to talk his old flame and their young son into disappearing with him. Not-so-hot-on-his-trail are the brothers of the young punk, three guys who aren't concerned in the least about whether Ringo's girl will talk to him or not. They just want him dead. Oh, snap!

Gregory Peck has some great moments in this even when the performances around him are pretty weak. This would frustrate anybody expecting a movie called The Gunfighter to actually show the title character drawing a gun, but it works as a more reflective, psychological, moody piece that sort of topples the myth-making of traditional westerns. Well-written and well-paced, this succinctly packs in small amounts of humor but loads and loads of tension. There are also shades of philosophies that will turn up in later westerns like High Noon and The Shootist. Bob Dylan sang about this movie in the mid-80's. I'm named after him! And a different western! And my dad!

This was a Cory recommendation.

I don't know where the camera is.