WICHITA

US, 1955, 91 minutes, Colour.
Joel Mc Crea, Vera Miles, Peter Graves.
Directed by Jacques Tourneur.

Wichita is a well-made and enjoyable western. It is another focus on Wyatt Earp - after the experiences at the O.K. Corral.

There have been many films about Wyatt Earp and many actors have attempted to portray him - including Burt Lancaster, James Garner, Henry Fonda, Joel Mc Crea, with his western background, fills the role very well. The film is about law and order in the frontier towns.

The film has Vera Miles in an early role, a strong supporting cast including Edgar Buchanan as a villain. As with many of the westerns at the time, there is a title song as background to the film. Direction is by Jacques Tourneur, a director of some horror films for Val Lewton in the '40s and director of a range of genre films in the '50s.

1. A satisfying and entertaining western? The focus on a man of the West? Law and order? The film as a piece of Americana?

2. Cinemascope colour photography, the locations of the West, its atmosphere? The town? The establishing of law and order - gunfights? The musical score and the title song?

3. Wichita as a significant western town? The frontier? Law and order? The administration of justice? The role of Wyatt Earp in maintaining justice?

4. The portrait of Wyatt Earp? His background as a gunfighter? The O.K. Corral? His reputation and the role of the Mayor and McCoy? in asking him to be Marshall of Wichita? His reaction to the job? The drunken cowboys and the shoot-up? His administration of justice? The death of the boy? His decision to forbid the carrying of guns? The reaction of the town? The support of the editor, of Bat? The reaction of the McCoys? Of Laurie? The clash with Doc Burns? The plan to 'kill him? Its failure? Doc to leave town? The reaction of McCoy? The effect on him of the death of his wife with Doc Burns and the gunman returning? McCoy? and Earp's life, the killing of Burns? The restoration of law and order? The romance with Laurie McCoy?

5. The Mayor and McCoy? Their hold on the town? Their financial interests? The decision to ask Earp to be Marshall? The means of livelihood, the saloons, the cowboys and the gunfighters? Thinking that Earp had gone too far? Dr. Burns and the killing of Mrs McCoy? McCoy's change of heart? His killing Burns?

6. Laurie and her relationship with her father? Her mother? The home sequences in contrast with the wildness of the town? The attraction to~ wards Earp, clashes with him? Mrs. McCoy?, the pathos of her death? The marriage?

7. Doc Burns as villain, his place in the town, the drunken cowboys, the plan to kill Earp, his gunfighters? His attack on the town, the killing of Mrs McCoy? His death?

8. The younger men of the town - the cowboys and their drunkenness, the gunslingers, Bat and his support of P1hiteside?