THE HIRED GUN
US, 1957, 63 minutes, Black and white.
Rory Calhoun, Anne Francis, Vince Edwards, Chuck Conners, Robert Burton, John Litel, Guinn Williams.
Directed by Ray Nazarro.
The Hired Gun is a brief western, in Cinemascope and black-and-white, supporting feature from 1957. It is a standard story except for a woman about to be hanged for murder. She is played by Anne Francis – and is innocent. sSe is rescued from jail by a worker on her four uncle’s ranch, Chuck Conners. Her father-in-law employs a gunfighter to bring her back from New Mexico to Texas for justice, believing her guilty of killing his son.
Rory Calhoun who produced the film plays the gunfighter, Vince Edwards is the villain. Two veterans from the 1930s and 40s appearing (naturally) older are John Litel as the ranch owner and Guinn Williams as Kirby, the drunken alibi for the villain.
1. A small western, brisk, justice issues, a woman to be hanged?
2. Black-and-white photography, locations, mountains and rocks, Cinemascope style?
3. The opening narration from Ellen, the town, quiet, the jail, the noose, she being about to be hanged?
4. Judd disguised as a preacher, the jail, escaping with Ellen? Beldon, his son Kell, the posse, the planned escape, the two men in the wagon, abandoned, their story, Judd and Ellen escaping, arriving back home? Her uncle and his support? Her working with cattle, Judd’s approach, Ellen having no feelings for him, his aggressive response?
5. Beldon, urged on by his son, finding Mc Cord, the deal, the money?
6. Mc Cord, gunfighter, coming to the Conroy Ranch, getting work, with the cattle, meeting Ellen, saving her from Judd, taking her?
7. The journey, the dangers, Judd and his pursuit, Mc Cord disarming them, Judd being wounded?
8. Mc Cord doing his duty, not believing Ellen, gradually listening to her story, the flashback and the dance, her wanting to leave her drunken husband, Kell and his dislike of his brother, the father not believing this, the fight, Kell shooting his brother, Kirby as his witness? Their both lying in the court?
9. Mc Cord delivering Ellen, the jail, hiding her with his friend Ortega, Kell pursuing them, the confrontation and his death? Mc Cord getting the writ from the judge, Ellen’s innocence, Beldon and his disillusionment with his son?
10. Kirby, his presence at the killing, his perjury, Mc Cord finding him, questioning him, the leather and water torture persuading him to tell the truth? his accompanying Mc Cord to the sheriff?
11. Justice done, and happy ending?
