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Excellent but underrated film

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Producer: Leonard Goldstein. Copyright 12 June 1952 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. New York opening at the Palace: 1 August 1952. U.S. release: August 1952. U.K. release on the lower half of a double bill: September 1952. Australian release: 6 February 1953. 77 minutes.SYNOPSIS: The marshal of Silver City (sic) joins up with Luke Crowell, alias the Silver Kid, to apprehend claim jumpers.COMMENT: Curious in that this movie is one of Audie Murphy's best films - even though he isn't the real star! That honor belongs to Stephen McNally as the town marshal, though Murphy is equally ingratiating - perhaps even more so - as his sidekick. In fact this unlikely partners routine gets a very appealing workout here - and like the best of these, it's not without its fair share of humor.Also curious is the fact that Miss Domergue effectively plays a thoroughly evil femme fatale, - one who doesn't have a single redeeming quality! Miss Cabot does okay by the obligatory tomboyish "other gal". Despite his position way down in the cast list, Lee Marvin can be easily spotted. In fact he has a few nice bits as a saloon loafer. We also like the guy who plays the oldtime deputy, Dan Music. Acting honors on the other side of the law belong firmly to Eugene Iglesias who makes his Johnny Sombrero a wonderfully greasy ne'er-do-well. Gerald Mohr is more conventional, though still effective, as a smiling villain. Director Siegel himself can be spotted as one of the bushwackers who waylay Murph. Drayson and Hoffman have concocted an unusually rich script with lots of interlocking incidents and characters. This appealing script has been given an unusually lavish production by producer Goldstein, with lots of extras milling around, excellent locations, and polished technical credits. Director Siegel takes ample advantage of all this budget largesse. The running inserts are marvellously effective in the action scenes.All told, highly engrossing.OTHER VIEWS: Vigorous direction, lusty playing and an unusually interesting scenario make this one of the top westerns of the year. Despite its "B" rating, technical credits and production values are more than creditable enough for an "A".

This might not be a very long film but it packs plenty of action into its seventy seven minutes! The story opens with an introduction about how a group of claim jumpers are forcing miners to sign over their claims before murdering them. Their latest attack leaves one man dead but his son Luke survives and manages to shoot three of them before his horse is shot from under him. We don't see him again for a little while as the action moves to Silver City where Marshal 'Lightning' Tyrone is setting off with a posse to arrest the claim jumpers; unfortunately he gets shot and wounded. He is taken to the nearest army camp to recuperate and while he is there a survivor of a jumper raid is brought in; this could be their best lead yet but he is murdered by a woman who claimed to have nursing skills. Lightning might be quick on the draw but he doesn't spot that Opal Lacy is a killer; in fact he falls for her almost straight away. When he gets back to Silver City he finds that his elderly deputy has been murdered. He suspects one Johnny Sombrero but Opal's brother gives him an alibi and points the finger out a newcomer called 'The Silver Kid'; The Kid is none other than Luke and the marshal trusts him enough to make him his deputy. The two of them work together to catch the jumpers but their relationship is strained to breaking point when Luke questions the marshal's unquestioning support for Opal.I was surprised just how much I enjoyed this early Don Siegel film; it shows he knew how to direct action well before his more famous later films even though here he had to work with in the strict rules of the Hayes Code. Audie Murphy was pretty good as Luke 'The Silver Kid' Cromwell as was Stephen McNally who played Marshal 'Lightning' Tyrone; a part at least as important as Murphy's; I can only assume he got lower billing because he was less well known at the time. It wasn't just an actor's film; Actresses Faith Domergue and Susan Cabot did good jobs as the devious Opal Lacy, who is cahoots with the man running the claim jumpers, and the feisty 'Dusty' Fargo respectively. While this isn't a classic it passed an hour and a half (including adverts) when it was on television and even though it is full of action and shooting there is little to make it unsuitable for younger viewers too.

The Duel at Silver Creek is directed by Don Siegel and co-written by Gerald Drayson Adams and Joseph Hoffman. It stars Audie Murphy, Stephen McNally, Faith Domergue, Susan Cabot and Gerald Mohr. It's a Technicolor production with Irving Glassberg the cinematographer. The music is scored by Hans J. Salter (director Joseph Gershenson) and location for the shoot was spread over four California locations; Ranches Ray Corrigan, Janss Conejo, Iverson and at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park.A gang of crooks are murdering miners for their gold claims. Luke Cromwell (Murphy) loses his father to the gang and quickly reinvents himself as a gambling gunslinger known as The Silver Kid. Down in Silver City, Marshal Lightning Tyrone (McNally) is determined to bring to justice the claim jumping murderers. But he has a problem, his trigger finger is inoperative after he was shot, thus he can't let the bad guys know he is no longer "Lightning" on the trigger. After witnessing some of The Silver Kid's handy work, Tyrone hires him as a deputy to watch his back as he sets about weeding out the bad in Silver City. Luke is only too happy to help, he wants vengeance for his father's murder. But two ladies in town are to have a big impact on both of their lives, the question is if both men can finally achieve their goals without further loss of life.Brisk,colourful and highly entertaining Western fare for the undemanding matinée crowd. Forget all hopes of depth and intricate characterisations and expect an action packed shoot em' up instead. Siegel would go on to much bigger things and leave a lasting mark in cinema, here he makes a standard screenplay ping with excitement whilst getting spirited performances out of the cast. One look at the character names gives you a clue to what sort of Western this is: The Silver Kid, Lightning Tyrone, Opal Lacy, Johnny Sombrero, Rat face Blake, Pop Muzik, Tinhorn Burgess (Lee Marvin in his first credited big screen outing) & Jane Dusty Fargo. Wonderful. Throw in some lovely scenery, Domergue's explosive costumes and the nice pairing of McNally & Murphy, and it's a film that's hard to dislike. Hey! It even comes with a film noir like narration as well.Don't dwell too long on the dialogue and simplicity of it all, just enjoy it for what it is. Good fun. 6.5/10

This western is full of excellent action scenes from beginning to end. The color and cinematography are outstanding. Murphy is "The Silver Kid" , a man always ready to draw his guns. Stephen McNally is the sheriff, who cannot be fast on the draw because his hand is hurt, so Audie is helping him. The brawl at the poker table between Murphy and Lee Marvin is one of the best moments. Faith Domergue as the bad girl talks exactly like Marilyn Monroe. Susan Cabot is the good girl, Gerald Mohr is the real bad guy, and Eugene Iglesias is Johnny Sombrero, a bad guy who is not so bad. Don Siegel did quite a good job here, making a very enjoyable film, which together with "The Cimarron Kid" and "Ride Clear of Diablo" are Murphy's best westerns.