GUNMAN’S WALK

US, 1958, 97 minutes, Colour.
Van Heflin, Tab Hunter, Kathryn Grant, James Darren, Mickey Shaughnessy, Robert F.Simon, Ray Teal, Paul Birch, Will Wright.
Directed by Phil Karlson.

During the 1950s there was a proliferation of westerns, often small-budget, star vehicles for actors like Audie Murphy, Randolph Scott, Van Heflin. They often came from the Universal Studios or Colombia, with contributions from Warner Brothers.

These westerns, often supporting features, did in fact offer stories that were dramatisations of the conventions of the West, the Cowboys, the gunslingers, the clashes with the Indians. Because of their straightforwardness and the interesting themes, they have lasted longer in the public consciousness, on television and other means of streaming, than many of the more big-budget and upmarket feature films of the period.

This is one of the better ones, starting steadily with establishing the relationship between two brothers, the older Tab Hunter and the younger James Darren, and their relationship with their patriarchal father, owner of the cattle spread, Van Heflin. Gradually other themes are introduced, a touch of romance, prejudice against the mixed breed and the condemnation of “half-breeds�. There is a cattle run, the older brother killing one of the mixed breed, moving to a court case, the work of the local sheriff, the judge, the prosecutor, attempted justice in a context of racial prejudice.

The racial prejudice theme runs through the film, the patriarch being particularly bigoted and forbidding his son to romance the young Sioux woman, Kathryn Grant. This is particularly strong in the court case. There are other themes of the carrying of guns, the changing of the West, the role of the sheriff, quick draws and shootouts, posses.

Ultimately, the father has to confront his son, admit that he is a failure as a father, wanting to shape his son, the son being like his father but wanting to outdo him. It is inevitable that the father shoots the son, quicker on the draw.

Interestingly, the film ends with the father breaking down and weeping, respecting his younger son and the Sioux woman, not quite the usual ending of a Western.

Of interest is Quentin Tarantino’s liking of this film and promoting it, especially after Once Upon a Time in Hollywood with his faded TV star, Rick Dalton (Leonardo Di dear Tarantino admires the film and suggests that this character played by Tab Hunter would have been the ideal character for Rick Dalton to play at the end of the 1950s. Tarantino also admires director Phil Karlson who directed The Wrecking Crew, featuring Sharon Tate, which is significant in Tarantino’s film.

1. A solid Western from the late 1950s? The range and cattle setting, the town, law and order? Family issues and rival sons? Race issues and bigotry? Combined well into the narrative?

2. The Western setting, the open plains, the mountains? The town, the streets, bars? Law court? The musical score? The theme song about the runaway? Whistled, and singing it in the bar?

3. The title, the middle of the street where gunplay took place?

4. The introduction to the two brothers, Ed whistling, Dave silent, the clashes? Riding, meeting their father? Calling him Lee instead of Dad? His patriarchal approach, authoritarian, yet genially loving his sons, especially Ed, wanting and to be like him?

5. Lee, the past, guns, gunfighter, shooting the Indians? His pride and boasts? Seeing him as a shooter? Expectations of his sons? Testing Dave and his shooting? Ed and his success but risks? The household? Bob as his assistant? The plan for the cattle drive? The recommendation of the Sioux? His taking them, praising them? Yet his prejudice?

6. Ed, older, sombre, his relationship with his father, wanting to be like his father, wanting to be better than his father? Wanting his father’s praise? With Dave, his bigotry, the encounter with Cecily and his flirting? Her rejecting him? The white horse, the pursuit? With Cecily’s brother and the other men? Edging Paul to the cliff, his falling and dying? How deliberate? Or rivalry? His denials? The reaction of the sheriff? Defiance? His father defending him? The experience in court? The witness – and the revelation that he was a horse thief and swindling Lee? His going out on the town, with the girls, singing the song? The issue of wearing the gun in the town? Letting Dave go? The sheriff putting the assistant on his tail? Their discussions? The horse thief, riding through, and seeing the white horse, challenging him, shooting out of his hand, shooting him? In the bar by himself, the barman’s fear, the men not coming in? Confrontation by the sheriff, going to get his shotgun, Lee taking Ed’s gun? His defiance? In jail, pretending to hang himself, shooting the assistant in cold blood, the escape, his father finding him, the frank talk, the effect on Lee? Lee wanting to be better, drawing on his father, his death?

7. Dave, younger son, not wanting to wear the gun, his father testing him and is failing, the encounter with Cecily, the attraction? Ed and the white horse and the promise? Paul’s death, Lee giving him the money for Cecily, going to see her? In the court? Her throwing the money back? His going to see her, the Judge and his wife encouraging her? His wanting to stay with her, not go on the posse, not go with his father? Trying to break through bigotry.

8. The brothers, Sioux, the cattle drive, the death? Testimony in court, their being despised because of mixed breed? Cecily, her testimony, throwing the money back? Cecily and the attraction to Dave, not forgetting that it was Ed’s brother, the walk, her supporting Dave against his father?

9. The agent, the law, the case, the prosecution? The witness, his story about witnessing the accident? And talking to him, the promise of 10 horses, his taking the white horse, Lee knowing that he was a thief? His being shot? Recovery?

10. The judge, the handling of the situation, attempts at justice, yet the difficulties of racial prejudice?

11. The finale, Lee and his discoveries about himself, his failure as a father, the return to the town, with Dave and Cecily, his breaking down and
weeping? The audience left with this image?