The Gun Hawk

A heavy, self important western (i.e. Trying too hard to "say something" significant about the human yadda yadda). Most of the oppressiveness comes from Jo Heims' too talky, too expositional and definitely too philosophical screenplay but Jimmie Haskell's score is not far behind and director Edward Ludwig, in his last film, is only too happy to attach himself to Heims/Haskell. As is Rory Calhoun, a poor man's Robert Taylor, Ruta Lee, a poor woman's Stella Stevens, and Rod Laurin, a very poor boy's James Dean. About the only person who manages to rise above the dreck is Rod Cameron, doing a more than passable aging lawman. Not Joel McRae in "Ride The High Country", which this film wishes it was, but close. Give it a C.

Edward Ludwig was mainly known for his adventures yarns: CARIBBEAN, WAKE OF THE RED WITCH, JIVARO, SMUGGLER'S ISLAND, FLAME OF THE ISLANDS, though he also gave some other genres stuff, horror: BLACK SCORPION; crime. LAST GANGSTER; and war/ FIGHTING SEABEES; Also I admit a couple of westerns such as VANQUISHED and the one I am talking about now. This is a typical mid sixties western, not speaking of those starring the Duke, directed by the likes of Burt Kennedy or Andy McLaglen in the pure forties, fifties and Jack Ford tradition. No I speak of those westerns which were somewhere the transition between Ford and Peckinpah. Westerns with a bit of bittersweet taste and melancholy; for instance Dick Thorpe - also last stand, what a coincidence - THE LAST CHALLENGE - with of course nearly the same scheme as GUNHAWK, or those B westerns produced by Paramount pictures and AC Lyles, during also the early sixties, and starring old timers such as George Montgomery, Yvonne de Carlo, Richard Arlen. And don't forget last Spencer Gordon Bennet's film, - one of the most famous and prolific serial maker with Bill Witney, who, for his last feature, as like Thorpe and Ludwig, gave us two tremendous little films, BOUNTY KILLER, and REQUIEM FOR A GUNFIGHTER. In one of them, Dan Duryea gave one of his best performances ever as a pure anti hero, who announced the downbeat late sixties and early seventies. So GUNHAWK is for me a terrific piece of work, especially for the B genre. Which i have always loved.

A gunslinger, chased by lawmen for a killing, makes his way to an outlaw hideout called Sanctuary. Along the way he teams up with a young punk who has a yearning for "a good fight and a bad woman". The law tries to take the gunman out of the compound but things took another turn. Average western.

Reb Roan is released by Sheriff Ben Corey after a night in the drunk tank. Corey would like to reform him, but he's not willing. Gunslinger Blaine Madden (Rory Calhoun) returns to town after three years. The Sully brothers grab his drunken father and force him into an unfair gunfight. The brothers kill his father and he's looking for revenge. Ben insists that he should move on. Sanctuary is a hideaway settlement where all gunmen are honor-bound to not kill each other.

This starts with an interesting premise. In modern terms, this is Hotel Artemis. The movie seems to set up for some great action, but the story goes a different way. It wants to do something philosophical and the movie stalls out in the middle. I do appreciate where it goes. It's just not what I wanted.

Under a B western outward appearance this rare movie shows some interesting qualities. You would think of a B western if you consider the cast (Rory Calhoun, Rod Cameron, Ruta Lee) but that is not totally exact. This Gun Hawk ("El gavilán pistolero" in Spain) has got influence of many good genre works (the topic of a gunslinger who wants retire himself is a classical). The inexorable fate plays his cards never mind the human desire does. The movie es correctly made, the color photography with bright painted rooms, like in a theatrical decor, announcing the upcoming death, an the credit ballad music inspired at the cowboys song telling a story (Marcucci and Faith "A Searcher for Love") are excellent too. It has got some comedy notes, a bite out of the blue. I will said at last the village, Sanctuary, keeps similitude with a Spanish place, Guadalest, near Alicante at Mediterranean sea.