The Gunfighter | | Cast : | Gregory Peck, Helen Westcott | | Director : | Henry King | | Studio : | | | Format : | | | Released Date : | , 1950 | | DVD Released Date : | September 01, 2003 | | Language : | | | Audience Rating : | Unrated | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | February 27, 2005 | | Summary | Suspenseful Story of a Gunfighter Trying to Escape His Past | Content
 | Gregory Peck is excellent as a former gang member with a legendary fast draw who tries desperately to escape his past and start life anew. This film is an interesting paralell to the modern "Unforgiven", in both films legends take a life of their own becoming bigger than the man. The total inability to rest in a town or to make a friend is the curse of the man that is feared by reputation alone as Peck now older and more mature seeks a simple life that seems to constantly elude him. Ringo is constantly challenged by young gunfighters wanting to make a reputation while also being pursued by unknown common individuals who are seeking revenge of a relative who may or may not have been killed by Ringo. Ringo now tries to return to his wife and son and dream of the normal mundane but happy life of a homesteader. It's a battle against time as everything comes to a point with Ringo finally reuniting with his family in a town where everyone knows his identity but his pursuers are closing in. The most piognant part of the film is when a simple ranch owner comes into the saloon for a drink and shares one with Johnny Ringo alone in the bar speaking to him as a regular guy as he talke about his modest ranch and family. The ranch owner is oblivious to the excitment in town and he is the only one unaware that he just shared a drink with the feared Johnny Ringo. Ringo appreciates the conversation and he inhales the man's story of a modest ranch and life and sets his own goal to relocate and reunite his family. The ending is both abrupt and surprising as this is one western that does not fit the mold as someone riding off into the sunset. This is an adult western full of drama with a fitting ending demonstrating the curse of misbegotten fame. Excellent stars, aside from Peck, Karl Malden also appears. |
| Rating | | | Date | October 02, 2004 | | Summary | Great!! | Content
| Though this movie has been around for years, I just saw it recently. I was impressed, as can be seen in my five star rating. This movie had much of the suspense that "High Noon" generated, and I enjoyed seeing some familiar faces, like Karl Maldin, Millard Mitchell, Richard Jaeckel, and Alan Hale Jr.,all, of course, in their younger days. I was a bit surprised to see Gregory Peck as the "gunfighter", (he just doesn't seem the type). To imagine him as a gunfighter just seemed miscast. When I realized he was playing an older, reformed version of the killer he used to be, it became obvious he was the man for the job. Peck did a superb job and after watching for awhile, I couldn't imagine anyone doing it better. The role was certainly in keeping with his expert and entertaining performances in "Twelve O'Clock High", and "MacArthur".
The plot has been summarized by other reviewers, so suffice it to say, it was exciting and suspenseful. The continued reference to the clock, and the expected arrival of the three who wanted to kill him, gave it the "High Noon" effect. The ending was expected, at least to me, but I won't give it away.
I sincerely hope this will be released on DVD shortly, as I am sure it will be. I won't hesitate to add it to my collection, even though I am not a real western movie fan. This, along with "High Noon" and "Winchester '73", among a few others,are the exceptions, and I look forward to watching this again. DVD, please!
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| Rating | | | Date | May 07, 2004 | | Summary | Great Peck Highlight | Content
| For a Western "The Gunfighter" is a little claustrophobic; it looks like a filmed stage play. But the performances and script are so great this drawback is turned into a virtue. Having just gunned another man in a barroom dispute, Gregory Peck is marooned in his friend marshall Millard Mitchell's village where Peck's estranged wife and son also live, perhaps under Mitchell's protection. The relatives of Peck's latest kill are also after him. It's a fascinating study of how reputation, good or bad, can trap a person in a life he may grow to detest. The climax is a little pat but the whole package is a great movie. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 24, 2003 | | Summary | 'BIG TOUGH GUNNEY' | Content
| THIS IS THE FILM THAT 'HIGH NOON' ASPIRED TO BE BUT FAILED.
AS MUCH AS I LOVE WESTERNS AND AS HIGHLY AS I REGARD GARY COOPER, 'NOON' JUST DIDNT CUT THE MUSTARD, BUT PECKS 'GUNFIGHTER' DID.NO, BY TODAYS STANDARDS THIS CLASSIC PROBABLY IS PERCIEVED BY SOME AS SLOW, INDOORSY AND TRITE. BUT THIS IS ONE YOU HAVE TO WATCH WITH YOUR HEART. PECK IS AN AGING GUNMAN WHO REGRETS HIS PAST AND IS PUSHING TOWARD A FUTURE THAT HE HOPES WILL INCLUDE HIS WIFE AND SON. HIS WIFE IS A SCHOOL MARM WHO GOES BY AN ALIAS FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. AND THE BOY DOESNT KNOW THAT THE CELEBRATED OUTLAW IS DEAR OL, DAD. BUT AS PECKS CHARACTER ATTEMPTS TO ARRANGE A FAMILY REUNION, THE FAMILY OF A MAN PECK WAS FORCED TO KILL IS HOT ON HIS TRAIL. THEREIN LIES THE KIND OF SIMPLISTIC PLOT THAT GREAT WESTERNS ARE KNOWN FOR. AUDIENCES IN 1950 DIDNT CARE FOR PECK'S MUSTASHE AND THE FILM WAS NOT OVER PATRONIZED. THIS MOVIE IS FOR THE INTELLIGENT, THINKING VIEWER WHO IS MORE INTO THE CHARACTERS THAN THE ACTION.
THE CHARACTER OF MARSHAL MARK STRETT IS EFFECTIVELY PORTRAYED AND THE DIALOGUE IS QUALITY AND GENUINE. THIS IS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE OF THE OFFERINGS BY GREG PECK, AND GIVEN THE OVERALL QUALITY OF HIS WORK I THINK THAT SAYS A LOT. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THIS WAS ALSO PECKS FAVORITE SELF WORK AS WELL. IN THE FINALLY PECK'S GUNMAN IS AMBUSHED BY A YOUNG PUNK LOOKING TO CASH IN ON THE VETERAN'S FAME. THE MARSHAL WANTS TO SEE THE BOY HANG BUT THE DYING GUNFIGHTERS LAST REQUEST IS TO LET THE KID GO ON BEING A "BIG TOUGH GUNNEY" SO THAT THE MISCREANT CAN LIVE A LIFE OF PAIN AND MISERY AWAITING HIS OWN UNTIMELY END. THIS LITTLE FILM ADEQUATELY TELLS THE STORY THAT SO MANY OTHERS ATTEMPT TO BUT DONT QUITE GET IT DONE. AT ANY RATE 'THE GUNFIGHTER' IS AN ENTERTAINING PLAY THAT UNFORTUANTELY WAS FAR AHEAD OF ITS TIME. |
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