The Gun Hawk

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.

THE GUN HAWK was advertised in theaters as a typical action packed shoot em up western, which must have disappointed the drive-in fans who were expecting that. What they saw instead was a thoughtful, superbly acted character study written by Jo Heims, who would later write PLAY MISTY FOR ME for Clint Eastwood. Rory Calhoun and Rod Cameron both prove they are excellent actors, bring nuanced performances to roles similar to those they had both played in countless B westerns. Rod Lauren, Ruta Lee, and Morgan Woodward provide excellent support. I think this movie got lost in the era between the 50's B westerns and the 60's spaghetti westerns, neither of which does it fit comfortably in, which is a shame. Highly recommended!

Gunslinger Blaine Madden (Rory Calhoun) dispenses his own brand of justice when he attempts to defend his drunk father against two villains. Later on, Madden is seriously injured by the tough sheriff Ben Corey (Rod Cameron), but he gets away to an outlaw haven and he prepares what can be his last stand along with his pupil ( Rod Lauren). He was as feared as Jack Slade and Wyatt Earp !

An uneven but agreeable enough Western with noisy action, go riding, shootouts and human drama. Stars Rory Calhoun as a wounded bandit who escapes and seeks shelter at a peculiar village where he's loved. Rory Calhoun, not the sort one usually associates with nice performance, but here he gives a fine acting of almost Brando-like as the outlaw. While Ruta Lee is her distressed girl in love, Rod Lauren is the young man whom he is determined to steer clear of the outlaw trail. The veteran and Western expert Rod Cameron is an elderly sheriff who really doesn't want to confront Calhoun, but due to his justice badge has to do it. Other secondaries worthwhile to mention are the following: Robert J Wilke, John Litel, Rodolfo Hoyos, Gregg Barton and Morgan Woodward. The highlight of the movie is its final in which the dialogue and tense situation rises to greatness by Western standards in the closing stages.

The motion picture was professionally though unevenly directed by Edward Ludwig in his final movie. The film is acceptable and passable, and even at times quite splendid. Rusian-born Edward Ludwig came to the USA as a child and was educated in Canada and entered the film business as an actor in silent movies , then became a scenarist and screenwriter and in the early 1930s turned to directing. Although most films were routine second features, he showed a flair for adventure and action pictures , a good example of which is a John Wayne war epic he made for Republic Production, "The Fighting seabees" (1944), one of Wayne' s better and most successful films he made for Republic. Filmmaker Ludwig had a long career about 50 years and spanned over 100 shorts, TV episodes from notorious series as "Bonanza", "The restless gun", "Cheyenne" and directing John Wayne in various movies as "Fighting Seabees", "Wake the Red Witch" and " Big Jim McLain". "Gun Hawk" rating: 6/10 . Better than average Western.

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.