Last Train from Gun Hill (1959)

Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn do well in this rather over looked Western from acclaimed director John Sturges. While it doesn't really aspire to greatness, it's an appealing, compelling, nicely acted story of two old friends reunited under unfortunate circumstances. Kirk is Marshal Matt Morgan, whose Indian wife Catherine (Israeli actress Ziva Rodann) is raped and murdered by two men. One of them is Rick Belden (Earl Holliman), weakling son of Quinns' small town boss Craig Belden. When Matt figures out whodunit, he becomes determined to bring Rick to justice, no matter if it means going up against a former comrade.Even though suspense is limited (there was never any doubt in this viewers' mind as to how things would develop), it's a pleasure to watch Kirk and Quinn square off. Appreciably, Quinn isn't portrayed as a purely one dimensional villain. At times he is likable, and he does appear to genuinely care for his son, even if he does think he is foolish. The supporting cast is equally strong, with Carolyn Jones of 'The Addams Family' fame in one of her better big screen roles, as the local gal who sympathizes with Matt. Holliman is fun as the weaselly Rick. Also appearing are Brad Dexter and Val Avery, whom Sturges directed in "The Magnificent Seven" '60, future director Brian G. Hutton ("Kelly's Heroes") as the sleazy Lee Smithers, Bing Russell (the deputy on 'Bonanza' and the father of Kurt R.) as Skag, and Walter Sande ("Bad Day at Black Rock") as an ineffectual sheriff. Among those in uncredited bits are William 'Billy' Benedict, Dabbs Greer, John Anderson, Ty Hardin, and Glenn Strange.In addition to having an antagonist rather than a true villain as Matts' opponent, we get a hero whose dedication and sense of purpose are admirable, although he could also be seen as being just plain stubborn.Pleasing VistaVision photography and a rousing Dimitri Tiomkin score make this entertaining to watch, and there's a mildly exciting set piece involving a burning building.Seven out of 10.

Although I grew up in the 1950s loving Westerns...but at that time, who didn't...it's a rare Western nowadays that can hold my attention. However, this Western is clearly a cut above the average, and despite a few clichés, it's very watchable.Kirk Douglas is the sheriff who has an Indian wife and young son. The wife is raped and murdered by Earl Holliman, the son of a land owner (Anthony Quinn) who controls a huge ranch a couple of towns over. Douglas sets off to bring the rapist/murderer in, which won't be easy since Quinn controls everything in his town. The twist is that Douglas and Quinn were once closest of friends. We know, of course, that Douglas will be successful in his attempt to bring about justice (with a little revenge mixed in), but how will he do it. Well, it's pretty interesting.Kirk Douglas had an on-screen personality which was often too big for the movie screen. But he was best with he controlled himself and slightly under-played his roles...and that's what he did here. It's a very good performance.Although Anthony Quinn had been making movies for over 20 years, when he made this film he was yet to hit his stride as a confident leading actor. He does nicely here, although I would not consider his acting here particularly noteworthy.Carolyn Jones plays an odd character -- one who can't quite leave Quinn's character, even though he abuses her. I'm rarely impressed with Jones, but she's good here as the key to Douglas succeeding in his quest.Earl Holliman is another actor I've never been overly impressed with. I would say he usually did his job...as he does here. Definitely a supporting actor, and not a star.This is a Western worth watching, although it is certainly not in the realm of say a John Ford Western. Solid entertainment, though.

Last Train From Gun Hill announces its intentions early on as our hero Marshal Matt Morgan (Kirk Douglas) retells an embroidered tale about a showdown with trail criminals. His audience is a small group of young boys who have all heard the story before and know the story but enjoy the performance of the storyteller.Conversely we know the tale in the film well as one of Old West justice and we are certain that regardless of the obstacles presented to our hero he will triumph in bringing the bad guys to pay for what they have done.Director John Sturges may have been painting by the numbers in many of the films places. The casting is good, but with could have been better with another actor in as Greg Beldon- not that Anthony Quinn is not a powerful figure, but I'm not sure he fits as the father of the spineless Earl Holliman.John Sturges had made Gunfight at the O.K. Corral 2 years earlier, and that film had carved into stone the legacy of Western justice against the outlaws of the land. Perhaps Sturges was warming up his palette for The Magnificent Seven that would come just a year after Last Train from Gun Hill, although for my money Magnificent Seven covers over the gunslinger myth with such Teflon veneer that it almost feels like cowpoke porn.Last Train from Gun Hill automatically mythologizes its action with the initial set piece which includes children as ready participants and audience for the lore of the West, and this child-like way of viewing the narrative colors the entire story.Women characters in the film fall into easily classified categories. The good woman, the Indian wife of Matt dies at the outset and sets into motion the chain of events that force the Matt to confront the racial bias in the western community, forcing him to eventually choose between revenge for good, or allowing the bad elements to remain. The rest of the female characters from the start are broken into two kinds of one type. The saloon woman who services the men is played by Carolyn Jones, a character who formally worked in the saloon and now was pure at heart. Her back-story as the love of the morally conflicted Greg Belden diverts our attentions, but when it becomes clear that Belden has not the depth of character to sustain a healthy relationship, it is distinguished.The film ultimately is one of revenge for the betterment of the community, and that the mythic West still stands tall as a place where one regards the legacy over the truth. Still, it delivers a satisfying finale to the Douglas-driven angst of his character and reaffirms the poetic justice of the Old West.

Beautiful scenery, beautiful color, a somewhat stellar cast, appropriately tense music score by Dimitri Tiomkin, very good directing by John Sturges, excellent producing by Hal Wallis, and an a la "High Noon" storyline all combine to make this an exciting Hal Wallis western,a favorite of mine. Again, it is so very much like "High Noon" and "3:10 to Yuma" as well. The two outstanding veteran actors are very much alike in their character portrayals: Anthony Quinn, who plays Craig Belden, the rich owner of the town of Gun Hill, is a good friend to Sheriff Matt Morgan(Kirk Douglas) from Pawnee, OK, and has been his friend for years, until Morgan must take Craig's son Rick back to Pawnee because he has raped Belden's Indian wife, and lets Belden know that he must take Rick back. Similarly, Morgan has been a good friend to Craig, until the moment that the sheriff delivers the bad news; they both become convincing enemies to each other. Earl Holliman does well in the stigmatic role as Craig's spoiled brat son Rick, Walter Sande adapts well to his role as the owned coward of a sheriff in Gun Hill, and Carolyn Jones portrays well a tough-skinned lady whom no sensible person wants to tangle with; she plays the lover of the widowed Craig Belden who becomes caring toward the sheriff. The superb music director Dimitri Tiomkin was his outstanding self as his music conveys, and the Old West movie site Old Tucson was the perfect place to film this cinematic piece. Again, I like the color, the acting, the action, and the tense plot. Yes, I personally thought it was outstanding.