Gun the Man Down (1956)

Three outlaw buddies rob a bank, but one of them is wounded. His two partners and his girlfriend take his share of the loot and run off, leaving him to be captured by the sheriff. Years later, after he gets out of prison, he goes in search of his double-crossing partners and his faithless girlfriend.Although not widely known today, this is a great western and the precursor to "Gunsmoke" in many ways. But what really got me was how much it walks the line between a western and a gangster movie. While it is completely a western, there is a certain element that makes me think gangster: rather than ratting out his friends, a criminal is going to take care of them himself. That is very gangster.Interestingly, the producer was John Wayne's brother. Wayne's involvement in westerns is widely known, but how many people know his brother was also involved in his own way?

There's not to much to say.Not a lot happens in Gun The Man Down & at times, it was boring.I mainly watched it because James Arness was in it but even with James Arness in it or not, I would've watched it anyway because the description sounded interesting.Maybe I'm just so use to him as Marshall Matt Dillon but I didn't buy James Arness as a bank robber looking to seek revenge on his partners who left him behind.I just didn't buy it at all.Before I watched the movie I read on IMDb that John Wayne's company Batjac Productions produced this movie so I was expecting something better or to at least like the movie but there was really nothing special about.It just felt like your normal, average, everyday Western.The main thing that stuck out about it for me was the shoot-out at the end.Not because it was good but because it was so dark out, you couldn't see a thing.I'd skip this Western if I were you.There's better Westerns out there you could be watching.If you're a James Arness fan then you might want to watch it but only then because you're a fan

"Gun the Man Down" is a rarely seen little 76 minute western starring James Arness, in his only starring theatrical western role. Produced by John Wayne's Batjac company and directed by Andrew V. McLaglan (his first), the film is a low budget black and white oater with good production values and a strong supporting cast.Three bank robbers Rem Anderson (Arness), Matt Rankin (Robert J. Wilke) and Farley (Don Megowin) return from a bank robbery where a teller was shot by Rankin and Rem wounded. With a posse in hot pursuit, Rankin and Farley decide to leave the wounded Anderson behind and flee taking with them Anderson's girl Janice (Angie Dickenson in her first film).Anderson is arrested and sent to prison. Fast forward one year and Anderson vows to track his former partners and girl down. He finds them in a dusty little one horse town where Rankin is running a saloon and has also taken up with Janice. He is met by town sheriff Morton (Emile Meyer) and his deputy Lee (Harry Carey Jr.).Anderson confronts Farley on the street and the two have knock down drag out fight. Morton meanwhile, becomes concerned and sends for gunfighter Billy Deal (Michael Emmet). Janice goes to Rem to try to explain but to no avail. Rem takes care of Deal. Morton and Farley decide to run for it and Janice reluctantly joins them. Rem sees them leave and..................................James Arness had been groomed by John Wayne having appeared in several of his films. When the opportunity came up for a TV series called "Gunsmoke", it was first offered to Wayne who recommended Arness for the role. Wayne even introduced Arness is the first episode and the rest as they say is history.Angie Dickenson shines in her first film as the good/bad saloon girl. This role is not unlike the one she played opposite Wayne in "Rio Bravo" (1959). Emile Meyer, always a dependable character actor, is probably best remembered for his role as "Ryker" the chief baddie in "Shane" (1953). Harry Carey Jr. appeared in several Wayne westerns and was the son of Harry Carey on whom I believe the role of sheriff Morton was based.Now was there ever a meaner looking bad guy than Bob Wilke. He appeared in dozens of westerns but is best remembered for the knife throwing scene in "The Magnificent Seven" (1960) with James Coburn.For big Jim, it was on to twenty years of the Long Branch Saloon and Miss Kitty.

I caught this movie on TV because of the stars - James Arness & Angie Dickenson. I was pretty surprised. Expecting another western shoot-'em-up with sexy gun-moll, I saw, instead a very thoughtful story. Arness shows the acting chops that made him so successful for many years on Gunsmoke. Dickenson displayed the vague talents that pointed her to the career she enjoyed once she discovered bleach. Robert Wilke was his bad-guy best but not the truly evil character he normally plays. There's a certain "victim of circumstances" air about his character. I included a spoiler alert because I really need to talk about "plot holes". After a botched bank robbery, where a teller is shot and left for dead, one of the gang - Arness - is left behind, bleeding, for the posse to collect. But I can't understand why they never told him his cut would be waiting for him whenever he caught up with them down the road. After all, had they stayed, all would have been lost. This way, the money is saved if he (Arness) survives. I would think that would be a good deal. He couldn't ride and likely would have died if he tried. But then, there goes the whole story, I suppose. And I can't understand why Dickenson's character "takes up" with Wilke's. As "Rem Anderson's gal", Janice should have had access to a third of the loot in her own right and wouldn't need the kindness of the two remaining gang members. But then there would go THAT tension angle too. Finally, the other two gang members - Rankin & Farley - buy a saloon, but there's never anybody in it. How are they paying their rent? In fact, there's a dearth of townsfolk all around. Population appears to be about 4. Having said all that, I thought it was a great little movie. Very intriguing and excellent camera shots. Finally, one of my favorite characters may have been Emile Meyer's sheriff. Displaying all the sagacity of the old sheriff who's seen it all, and knows how best to position himself for events most likely to come. I might quarrel with his strapping on a six- shooter instead of grabbing the old sheriff's best buddy - a short-barrel shotgun, but I won't. This is one I'd watch at least a couple more times.