SHOWDOWN

US, 1973, 99 minutes, Colour.
Rock Hudson, Dean Martin, Susan Clark.
Directed by George Seaton.

Showdown is an old-style western, even for 1973 when it was released. The stars, Rock Hudson and Dean Martin, were coming to the end of their screen careers and concentrating on television, Dean Martin with his own shows, Rock Hudson with Mc Millan and Wife. Susan Clark was a good standby at this stage of her career – in many films from Universal Studios.

The film was directed by George Seaton, his last film. A prominent writer and director for several decades, Seaton stood out with his Miracle on 34th Street, the Oscar-winning The Country Girl and his second-last film, Airport.

1. How enjoyable a western was this? How typical in its story and characters? Its use of robberies, the small town, sheriff, chase? How different was it from other westerns? Was it better than other westerns? Why?

2. Were the characters stock figures? Or were they enhanced by the script and the acting? Audience response to Rock Hudson and Dean Martin?

3. How much irony did the film use? The changing relationships of friends, the involvement of justice in friendship?

4. What did the film have to say about justice? Your initial response to Billy and his robbing the people on the train, Billy as a criminal, his shooting of his pursuer, his going to jail, his fear of death and his escape? How did your attitudes towards Billy and his guilt change? Identifying with Chuck and seeing justice through his eyes? How did Kate see justice as regards Billy?

5. How successful were the pursuits in the film? As typical western ingredients? Billy pursued by the other criminals? Chuck's pursuit of Billy? Billy's returning to Kate? The final chase? The comment on the west, that it was a life of such pursuits?

6. How important was the township for the atmosphere of the film? Its vindictive nature? The leading citizens and their hatred?

7. Comment on the violence in the film. Was it exaggerated, or did it fit into the atmosphere of the west? Billy shooting his pursuer? The final gunfight and Billy's death? What comment on the gun and violence did the film make?

8. Why did Billy return to Chuck and Kate? Why did he rely on them so much? Why had he left? How was his life a disillusionment?

9. The importance of the prison sequences and the building of the gallows? Its effect on Billy? Were they justified in so terrorising him?

10. How was Billy's fear contrasted with the self-righteousness of the town and of P.J. Wilson? The contrast then with the more humane attitude of Chuck and Kate?

11. How exciting was the escape? Did Chuck have any other option but to chase him?

12. The dramatics of the finale? Were they convincing? Inevitable that Billy should die? Chuck’s behaviour towards Billy in his death?

13. How well did the film use the flashback technique? In establishing the main characters in the past, their way of life, their dreams, their work, the falling in love and its changing them? How did the flashbacks humanise the film? Showed Chuck and Billy as real people? Made Kate a genuine heroine?

14. What was your overall impression of the west? It showed what the west might have been? Why couldn’t it succeed in its dreams? To this extent, the film is a pro-western? Do you agree? Why?