Watch Gunfighters For Free
Gunfighters
Gunfighter "Brazos" Kane lays aside his guns "forever" when he is forced to shoot his best friend, and decides to join another friend, Bob Tyrell, as a cowhand on the Inskip ranch. Upon arriving there he finds the bullet-riddled body of his friend. He carries the body to the Banner ranch, the largest in the territory, and is accused by Banner of murdering Tyrell; Banner orders Deputy Sheriff Bill Yount, who is in Banner's pay, to arrest Kane. But Kane has the sympathy of Banner's daughter, Jane, who notifies Inskip of Kane's plight, and Inskip arrives in time to prevent a lynching. Sheriff Kiscade dismisses the murder charge for lack of evidence. Brazos then sets out to find the killer of his friend. Bess Bannister, Jane's sister, is in love with the Banner ranch foreman, Bard Macky, and knowing that Bard killed Tyrell and that Kane will track him down, then hampers Kane's mission somewhat by pretending to be in love with him.
Release : | 1947 |
Rating : | 6.3 |
Studio : | Columbia Pictures, Producers-Actors Corporation, |
Crew : | Art Direction, Set Decoration, |
Cast : | Randolph Scott Barbara Britton Dorothy Hart Bruce Cabot Charley Grapewin |
Genre : | Western |
Watch Trailer
Cast List
Related Movies
Reviews
Pretty Good
Instant Favorite.
A Masterpiece!
It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.
Gunfighters (AKA: The Assassin) is directed by George Waggner and adapted to screenplay by Alan Le May from the novel "Twin Sombreros" written by Zane Grey. It stars Randolph Scott, Barbara Britton, Bruce Cabot, Dorothy Hart, Griff Barnett and Forest Tucker. Music is by Rudy Schrager and Gerard Carbonara and cinematography by Fred Jackman Jr.A gunman who has laid down his guns finds that circumstances test him to the limit...It's a familiar formula that any Western film fan can acknowledge as being over used, that's not to say that the right production isn't worth visiting as such, but expectation of something fresh can often lead to disappointment.Built on solid foundations due to scorching location photography and Randolph Scott prepping himself for greater things in the next decade (see also The Walking Hills 1949), it's a pleasurable piece. It also - via the narrative - isn't afraid to be bold as regards the ultimate decisions made by Scott's Brazos character, giving the pic a darker edge and being all the better for it. Elsewhere, the villains are standard stuff but entertaining regardless, the twin beauties of Britton and Hart have interesting parts to play, and the action scenes are well put together - with the pursuit sequences exciting. Filmed in Cinecolor, it's nice to report this is one of the better photographed Westerns in that format, which is just as well because the Sedona locations are to die for.Not what you would term a keeper, but for Western fans of the era and Scott fans in general, it's worth its salt. 6.5/10
Gunfighters, adapted from a Zane Grey's novel, starring Randolph Scott, featuring two beautiful actresses, Barbara Britton and Dorothy Hart, a solid cast, including Bruce Cabot, Forrest Tucker, Grant Withers and Grant Withers, some spectacular stunts, a good screenplay, filmed in Cinecolor photography, and you have an above average 1940s western, that does the job just fine. The opening of Gunfighters is superbly done, as the camera films the sequence through a saloon window, looking at the back of a piano player. While the credits role, Randolph Scott with his back to the piano, drinking a beer, turns towards the piano player, sets the beer down and walks out of the scene, quite clever. There are many good film synopsis already submitted, so I will suggest to the reader to view this film and enjoy some good western entertainment and some of the best on location scenery throughout the entire story. Those who love Randolph Scott and westerns from the 1940s, will not be disappointed.
Based on Zane Gray's novel "Twin Sombreros", the plot revolves around a killing, apparently related(none too clearly) to a cattle war(rustling? land rights?), with Mr. Banner(Griff Barnett) being the local cattle baron. Old Mr. Inskip(Charlie Grapewin) is his neighbor, for whom Bob Tyrell works. When noted gunfighter Brazos Kane(Randolph Scott) shows up, looking for a job, he hears a couple of shots and sees two men on horses leave in a hurry. He finds Tyrell dead of bullet wounds. Who shot Tyrell and why?Very strangely, Brazos brings Tyrell's body to Banner's neighboring ranch, where he is greeted with suspicion, and formally charged by the deputy sheriff present with the murder, even though he's not carrying a firearm. Somehow, Brazos did find a bullet in the body, and secretly gives it to Banner's daughter, Jane, for safe keeping. Unfortunately, this bullet eventually is lost or thrown away, thus plays no role in solving the case.Banner actually has 2 marriageable daughters, who occasionally play a subsidiary role in the proceedings. Jane(Dorothy Hart)is characterized as a 'good' girl, who develops a crush on Brazos, while Bess(Barbara Britton) is characterized as a 'bad' girl, who is in love with ranch foreman Bard Mackey(Bruce Cabot), whom she knows shot Tyrell. She also flirts with Brazos. As others have commented, these girls look too much alike, leading to frequent confusion by the viewer which one is present. Even Brazos sometimes is unsure which one he is talking to. Not all sisters look much alike. Thus, the casting director should have found two actresses who were distinctive looking. Some of Banner's wranglers decide the flimsy evidence against Brazos is strong enough to justify a lynching. The Banner bunch seem overeager to close the case, thus raising the suspicion in Brazos's mind that some of them were responsible. Inskip saves Brazos from a lynching by last second trickery. Later, he again attempts to save Brazos from an ambush , but is shot dead himself. Young Johnny O'Neil jumps on Brazos's horse and gallops out of town. As hoped, Banner's bunch follow him, thinking he is Brazos. It works, but Johnny pays with his life.Brazos figures it's time to put his pistols back on. Eventually, he intimidates Deputy Yount(working for Banner)into providing some info about the murder. The sheriff later gets more info from him. The climax occurs when Brazos engages in a "High Noon" contest with Orcutt(Forrest Tucker), immediately followed by a similar contest with Bard. Guess who wins. Then, Brazos is nearly executed by Banner, standing behind him. But, a quick thinking friend shoots the gun out of Banner's hand. Seems like all of Brazos's local friends are dead. All but one. Can you guess who?Of course, Charlie Grapewin was a charismatic presence as Inskip. He played memorable characters in such films as "The Good Earth", "The Wizard of Oz", "The Grapes of Wrath" and, his opus magnum: "Tobacco Road".
I like westerns and I like Randolph Scot, but this movie really went astray in following the original novel's plot. No wonder writers hated (and still do) the Hollywood studios and the management of those enterprises.Although this movie was well done, the name change to the Gunfighters, was the first in a series of disappointments of this film. The plot line wanders well away from the novel; even the heavy drawl of Brazos Keene, is toned way down from the original to the "cleaned up" Randolph Scot version.I have generally preferred the original story in Zane Grey's novels to the movies' Hollywood versions.