''Gunman's Walk'' is a 1958 American

CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its creation in 1953 by ...

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by

Phil Karlson Phil Karlson (born Philip N. Karlstein; July 2, 1908 – December 12, 1982) was an American film director. Karlson directed ''99 River Street'', ''Kansas City Confidential'' and '' Hell's Island'', all with actor John Payne, in the early 1950s ...

and starring

Van Heflin Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin Jr. (December 13, 1908 – July 23, 1971) was an American theatre, radio and film actor. He played mostly character parts over the course of his film career, but during the 1940s had a string of roles as a leading man. H ...

and

Tab Hunter Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018) was an American actor, singer, film producer, and author. Known for his blond, clean-cut good looks, Hunter starred in more than forty films. He was a Hollywood heartthrob of t ...

Plot

Davy Hackett (

James Darren James William Ercolani (born June 8, 1936) known by his stage name James Darren, is an American television and film actor, television director, and singer. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had notable starring and supporting roles in fi ...

) and his hot-tempered, arrogant older brother Ed (

) are about to assist their rancher father Lee (

) on a horse roundup. The brothers meet Cecily "Clee" Chouard ( Kathryn Grant), a beautiful half-French, half-Sioux woman; when Ed makes unwanted advances toward her Davy, himself genuinely interested in her, apologizes for his brother's behavior. Clee's brother Paul (

Bert Convy Bernard Whalen "Bert" Convy (July 23, 1933 – July 15, 1991) was an American actor, singer, game show host and panelist known for hosting '' Tattletales'', ''Super Password'' and ''Win, Lose or Draw''. Early life Convy was born in St. Loui ...

) and two other Indians are invited to join the roundup. Ed particularly resents the hard-working, talented Paul. Ed is obsessed with capturing an elusive white mare, ostensibly for Davy, and cannot bear the fact that Paul decides to compete for the animal. During a wild chase after the horse, Ed rides the other man to his death off a cliff. This is witnessed by the two Indians and Ed is arrested. When the case comes to court, Ed is released when a man named Sieverts (

Ray Teal Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor.The book ''Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory'' gives Teal's birth date as January 12, 1908. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the televis ...

) lies that he saw what happened: the cliff gave way and the death was an accident. Lee learns that Davy is in love with Clee and disowns him. Sieverts claims he has lost a group of wild horses he had gathered; Lee allows him ten of his as a gesture of gratitude for his saving his son. When Sieverts selects the white mare Lee realizes that Sieverts is dishonest, but says nothing. Ed sees Sievert riding through town with the horses. When the man will not release the mare Ed shoots him. Jailed once again, he shoots a deputy and escapes. He is tracked down by Lee and their confrontation escalates to the point where Ed issues a challenge and prepares to draw on his father. Lee shoots and kills his son. Lee returns to town with the body and, having reflected on his own life, asks Davy and Clee to join him in taking Ed’s body back to the ranch.

Cast

as Lee Hackett *

as Ed Hackett * Kathryn Grant as Clee Chouard *

as Davy Hackett * Mickey Shaughnessy as Deputy Sheriff Will Motely *

Robert F. Simon Robert Frank Simon (December 2, 1908 – November 29, 1992) was an American character actor. Earlier years Simon began acting with Mansfield's Community Players organization when he worked as a clerk in a meat market. Following that experience ...

as Sheriff Harry Brill * Edward Platt as Purcell Avery *

as Jensen Sieverts * Paul Birch as Bob Selkirk, Lee's caretaker * Will Wright as Judge *

as Paul Chouard (uncredited) * Chief Blue Eagle as Black Horse, Indian (uncredited) * Paul Bryar as Saloon bartender (uncredited) * Harry Antrim as Doctor (uncredited) *

Everett Glass Everett Glass (July 23, 1891 – March 22, 1966) was an American character actor who appeared in more than eighty films and television shows from the 1940s through the 1960s, including '' Invasion of the Body Snatchers'' (1956) and episodes of ' ...

as Rev. Arthur Stotheby (uncredited) * Dorothy Adams as Martha Stotheby (uncredited)

Production notes

Ric Hardman wrote the original script and it was adapted by Frank Nugent. Van Heflin signed to star in August 1957. Rudolph Mate was originally meant to be the director but he dropped out (he would be replaced by Phil Karlson).

was borrowed from Warner Bros. Columbia contractee James Darren was assigned to a support role. Filming started in November 1957. Director Phil Karlson says the film reduced Columbia studio head

Harry Cohn Harry Cohn (July 23, 1891 – February 27, 1958) was a co-founder, president, and production director of Columbia Pictures Corporation. Life and career Cohn was born to a working-class Jewish family in New York City. His father, Joseph Cohn, w ...

to tears. "He had two sons and this was a story about a father and two sons. He identified completely."Todd McCarthy and Richard Thompson. “Phil Karlson: Interview, November 19, 1973” Kings of the Bs; Working Within the Hollywood System, eds. Todd McCarthy and Charles Flynn (New York: E.P. Dutton, 1975), pp. 327-345. Rpt. Cine Resort, Oct. 7 2014
/ref>

Reception

The ''Los Angeles Times'' said it was "moviemaking at its best".

Legacy

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...

later said the film was an inspiration for ''Tanner'' the fictitious movie starring Rick Dalton in ''

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ''Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'' is a 2019 comedy-drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is ...

''.

References

External links

* * * *
Review of film
at Cinema Retro {{Phil Karlson 1958 films 1958 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Columbia Pictures films Films scored by George Duning Films directed by Phil Karlson 1950s English-language films 1950s American films