A marshal tries to bring the son of an old friend, an autocratic cattle baron, to justice for his role in the rape and murder of the marshal's Native American wife.A marshal tries to bring the son of an old friend, an autocratic cattle baron, to justice for his role in the rape and murder of the marshal's Native American wife.A marshal tries to bring the son of an old friend, an autocratic cattle baron, to justice for his role in the rape and murder of the marshal's Native American wife.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 1 nomination total
- Lee Smithers
- (as Brian Hutton)
- Craig's Man
- (uncredited)
- Salesman in Horseshoe
- (uncredited)
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
- Townsmen
- (uncredited)
- Cowboy
- (uncredited)
- Barfly
- (uncredited)
- Small Man in Horseshoe
- (uncredited)
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
The story tells about a sheriff (Kirk Douglas), whose Indian wife and a mother to his child is raped and murdered. He goes on to find the men who did it to the town of Gun Hill and finds out that the other of the men is the son of his old friend (Anthony Quinn). He has in time become the most powerful man of Gun Hill and won't let his son to be taken to the court for his actions.
This is a quite daring one for a fifties western. There's some blood and nudity here. And most of all, the sides aren't black and white, but rather shades of gray. The movie's most potent message is that you can't take a life, even a criminal, because there will be people who were close to him and his death will hurt them worse. Every life is valuable.
Kirk Douglas is good in the lead role. He bottles most of his emotions in, as probably anyone in his situation would. Better is Anthony Quinn, who essentially has to decide between his son and his best friend. He portrays anger, fear, anxiety and hopelessness great.
This became my favorite classic western. it's not Once Upon a Time in the West, but I loved to see so mature themes in such an old movie. It looks great too, they had wonderful set builders then.
***** The Best Part: The showdown at the Gun Hill railway station
Two cowboys, Rick Beldon (Earl Holliman) and Lee Smithers (Brian G. Hutton) are on their way home from a few days of fun and games when a buckboard carrying an attractive young Indian squaw (Zora Rodann) and her young son Petey (Lars Henderson). The men taunt the young woman until she horse whips Rick, laying open a deep cut on his face. The men become angered and chase the woman until they catch her and rape her, accidentally killing her in the process. Her son escapes, steals Rick's horse and rides to town to tell his father, who happens to be town marshal Matt Morgan (Douglas).
Morgan distraught over his wife's horrible death, recognizes the saddle on Rick's horse as that of an old friend Craig Beldon (Quinn). Beldon is now a wealthy rancher who controls most of the town of Gun Hill. Morgan takes the train to Gun Hill where he meets Beldon's mistress Linda (Carolyn Jones). He then goes to Beldon's ranch in search of his wife's killers. At first Beldon offers his help until he realizes that the guilty party is his son Rick.
Morgan vows that he will take Rick and Lee back for trial on, you guessed it, the last train from Gun Hill. Beldon swears that Morgan will never take his son and makes plans to stop Morgan. Morgan manages to capture Rick and......
As in other Sturges westerns there is plenty of action, excellent photography and solid direction all leading up to a climatic gunfight.
Also in the cast are Brad Dexter and Bing Russell as Beldon's top henchmen and Walter Sande as the town sheriff. Sharp eyed western fans will also spot veterans Glenn Strange, Dabbs Greer, Charlie Stevens, Billy Benedict, John Anderson and Ty Hardin in small featured roles.
A great western.
Kirk Douglas is outstanding as the uncompromising sheriff on a mission of revenge when his Native American wife is killed by the spoiled son of a lifelong friend. Anthony Quinn is excellent as the hardbitten rancher who respects Douglas' character more than anybody (and whose life he saved in their youth), but who behaves one as a protective father, and two as a man who is rich and powerful, and used to getting what he wants. Carolyn Jones is also great as a woman caught in the middle of the two men.
No cop-outs, no easily resolutions. Just a great movie with a great cast.
Did you know
- TriviaDuring the final shootout, Morgan was supposed to beat Smithers to the draw. However, the actor playing Smithers, Brian G. Hutton kept beating Douglas to the draw. Finally it was decided that Kirk Douglas should be holding a shotgun thereby ending that argument. Afterwards Douglas remarked "Can you imagine that upstart beating me to the draw?" Anthony Quinn said, "Don't worry about it, Kirk. We'll get him in the editing room."
- GoofsOn its way to Gun Hill, the train has four cars. By the time it reaches the station, there are only two, and the baggage car is a different one than before.
- Quotes
Rick Belden, Craig's Son: Don't take no guts to kill a man when he's cuffed!
Marshal Matt Morgan: Takes guts not to. Be too easy on ya. You'd die too quick. I know an old man who'd like to kill you, Belden - the Indian way: slow. That's how I'm gonna do it: slow - but the white man's way. First you stand trial. That takes a fair amount of time, and you'll do a lot of sweating! Then they'll sentence ya. I never seen a man who didn't get sick to his stomach when he heard the kind of sentence you'll draw. After that you'll sit in a cell and wait, maybe for months, thinking how that rope will feel around your neck. Then they'll come around, some cold morning, just before sun-up. They'll tie your arms behind you. You'll start blubbering, kicking, yelling for help. But it won't do you any good. They'll drag you out in the yard, heave you up on that platform, fix that rope around your neck and leave you out there all alone with a big black hood over your eyes. You know the last sound you hear? Kind of a thump when they kick the trapdoor catch - and down you go. You'll hit the end of that rope like a sack of potatoes, all dead weight. It'll be white hot around your neck and your Adam's Apple will turn to mush. You'll fight for your breath, but you haven't got any breath. Your brain will begin to boil. You'll scream and holler! But nobody'll hear you. You'll hear it. But nobody else. Finally you're just swingin' there - all alone and dead.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Image Book (2018)
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,500,000
- Runtime
- 1h 35m(95 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1