NO NAME ON THE BULLET

US, 1959, 77 minutes, Colour.
Audie Murphy, Charles Drake, Joan Evans, Virginia Grey, R.G. Armstrong, Warren Stevens, Whit Bissell.
Directed by Jack Arnold.

No Name on the Bullet is a brief but very effective western. It is one of Audie Murphy's best films; he made a number of westerns at Universal during the 1950s, most of which stand up well in later decades with their straightforward stories, characters and situations.

This film is an allegory of conscience and evil. Using the traditional story of the unknown gunfighter arriving in the town and causing problems to the citizens, echoes such films as Shane. It also anticipates Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter, which was a more elaborate treatment of this theme. There is a strong supporting cast of character actors and a good role for Charles Drake as the hero. Direction is by Jack Arnold who had a chequered career making such interesting films as The Incredible Shrinking Man, the Bob Hope- Lana Turner comedy Bachelor in Paradise and who worked in telemovies such as the biography of Marilyn Monroe, Marilyn.

1. Audience response to westerns? Their popularity in the '50s? The films of Audie Murphy? Perennial interest? Entertainment? The quality of this '50s western?

2. Production values: Cinemascope colour photography? The west, the town, the life of the town? The B budget ? but effective presentation? Musical score and atmosphere?

3. Audie Murphy as a '50s western figure? Popularity, style? The image of the western gunfighter: Murphy's size, height, youthfulness? The reputation of the gunfighters? Presence? Murphy portraying the ambiguous hero villain type?

4. The title and the focus on violence and the west? The style of murder mystery? the mystery about the victim rather than the killer?

5. The tradition of the stranger riding into town? The gunfighter inspiring fear? His being dressed in black? The device of his arriving at the farm and asking the way? Riding into town? Immediate reactions? His politeness ? to the farmers, to the people at the hotel, to Sidney at the desk? His booking his room Meeting people? The friendship with Luke? The range of reaction? The conscience-stirring? The violent reactions? Hostility, death? His style in provoking people and remaining within the law? The irony of his being defeated and coming to the end of his work as gunfighter? His being wounded?

6. John Gant as character: the Audie Murphy acting style of presence, immobile features/ reacting rather than acting? His watching people? Manner of talking? Skill at shooting and wounding e.g. Buck's hand? The playing chess? The technique of frightening people and provoking them? Lou and his challenge? Pearce and his wanting to kill Gant but killing himself? The confrontation with the mob led by Luke? The encounter with Anne? Searching out the judge, the confrontation? His heart attack? Not shooting him? The ambiguous values of the western gunfighter?

7. The gunfighter as killer, executioner, bounty hunter, avenging angel, purifier of evil men of the west, the administrator of justice? The gunfighter and his price? Lack of moral stance? Available for hire? The technique of provocation to remain within the law? Gant's comment about judges and doctors and their control over life? The irony of his being wounded by the doctor?

8. The range of reaction in the town and stirring of conscience? The card-players, Reeger and his manipulation, business associates and their manoeuvres, Pearce and his fears, the miners and their concern, the confrontation and shoot-out? Lou and his wife and fear? The judge and his lack of reaction in public, private concern? The sheriff and his deputy and their assessment of the situation? Staying within the law? The sheriff doing his job ? and his being shot in the hand? Reeger and others rousing the mob? Confronting Gant? Anne and her discovery about her father? Confronting Gant in his room? His setting the stage as if he had molested her to incite her father to reaction? Asa and Luke and their honest judgment and fairness? The gunfighter provoking each character to manifest strengths and qualities or weaknesses?

9. Luke as hero: the doctor, the good man, eastern education, love with Anne, welcoming Gant, the chess discussion, sensing the hostility, his reaction to Pearce's death and blaming Gant, his confronting the deputation and then having to lead them, the confrontation with Gant and Gant's rebuke, the discovery of the truth? The hammer-throwing and his stopping Gant? The healer and his violence to stop the gunfighter?

10. The judge and his illness, seeing him at home, love for his daughter. respect for Luke? The documents and his secret? Anne and her discovery? Her going to Gant? The judge's discussion with Gant and the reasons for his death? The taunt and his heart attack?

11. Pearce and his fear, the bank, the mines. Double deals? The businessmen and the rousing of the mob? The battles and the miners? Each suspicious of the other and drawing unwarranted conclusions?

12. Lou and his wife, the background of her leaving her husband, fear that he had hired the killer.. the drink. the spite, the drunken challenge and his life being spared?

13. The western theme of towns being changed by gunfighters? An interesting exploration of conscience and values in the context of law and justice and the American west?