Death of a Gunfighter (1969)

Today, "Death of a Gunfighter" has all but been forgotten, with the little memory of it being that it was the first movie to be given the "Alan Smithee" directorial credit. With that in mind, one may understandably expect a pretty bad movie, but surprisingly, the movie is actually fairly decent for the most part. Despite two directors working on the movie behind the Smithee pseudonym, the movie does have a consistent feel to it throughout. The action sequences are also pretty well done, though it should be noted that the movie is more of a character study than an action western. It's interesting that Widmark's character is not totally sympathetic, this contributing to the ability to see both sides equally of the big issue confronting the townspeople in the movie. You also see both sides of the attitude those townspeople have. The script is, I admit, a bit murky on a few details. And the movie often looks and feels that it was shot on the Universal Studio's backlot. But in the end, the movie is a decent western for those in the mood for an unconventional western drama (which includes the cynical ending of the movie.)

In continuing to review African-Americans on film and television in chronological order for Black History Month, we're now at 1969 with Death of a Gunfighter with Lena Horne in her only straight role though you do hear her recording of the song, "Sweet Apple Wine" in the beginning and end credits. Though she's billed above the title with Richard Widmark, her role of Claire Quintana is very much a supporting one that's mainly there as one of the few people who stands by Marshal Frank Patch (Widmark) as the townspeople are fed up with his violent ways of dealing with justice. Also among the supporting cast are Michael McGreevey as Dan-a young man who also likes the marshal, Darleen Carr-sister of The Sound of Music's Charmian Carr-as his girlfriend Hilda, Jacqueline Scott-probably best known as Richard Kimble's sister Donna on "The Fugitive-as the widow, Laurie Mills, of the first man killed by Patch at the beginning of the movie, Harry Carey, Jr. as Rev. Rork, John Saxon as county Sheriff Lou Trinidad who tries to get Patch to get out of town peacefully, and, in a nice surprise from his later role as Archie Bunker, Carroll O'Connor as the bar owner, Lester Locke, who bides his time in letting other people get Frank before he himself tries. Many of the cast I just mentioned and lots of others I haven't contribute great tension as the film chronicles the last days of the Marshal. Horne acquits herself nicely with her few scenes and it's nice seeing her and Widmark kiss at their wedding especially when one knows that Widmark played a racist opposite Sidney Poitier in his movie debut, No Way Out (1950). Love the music score, by Oliver Nelson, and direction especially many of the close-ups. That direction, by the way, was credited to one "Allen Smithee" which is the name used when the real director doesn't want his own name used. In this case, they're Robert Totten-who had "creative differences" with Widmark, and Don Siegel-who had filmed the actor previously in Madigan. This marked "Smithee's" feature film debut. All in all, Death of a Gunfighter was another pleasant surprise for me.

A Western that shows how the "West growed itself up and got itself civilized".Richard Widmark gives what is probably his last great performance as a Sheriff whose way a doing things don't sit right with the "powers-that-be" personified by town merchant Carrol O Conner.This movie ,like Invitaion to a Gunfighter made some years before it reveals just how gutless and desperate the power-brokers are when there's no one to do their bidding.The film still holds up (even with the much mentioned two directors)though it has that "back-lot"look to most of it.John Saxon has a brief but memorable piece of work in this must see film for western fans or good movie fans.

Many times western movies are concerned with battles against Indians, duels between gunfighter or just pure adventure centered in heroes like Zorro or Durango Kid.That's not the case with 'Death of a Gunfighter'. This little and forgotten movie tell a story based on the life - or, to be exact, the last days of a life - of a Marshall called Frank (Widmark) in a little town at the end of Nineteen century, a town where the 'new times' are coming faster and faster and the way of life of a man like Frank is not anymore well accepted.Like some other western like 'The Shootist' (the last movie of John Wayne) and the more recent TV movie 'Monte Walsh', this one is a movie about loneliness, full of sadness and at the same time with violence, a harsh cruelty that falls upon the men and the women that are not prepared to live in another time and another way of life.Richard Widmark gives a strong performance, all the time blending sadness, disappointment and angriness with a compassionate composition of the Marshall Frank Persh. Lena Horne is a bit dislocated but the support cast is very good, especially Carrol O'Connor and John Saxon.'Death of a Gunfighter' is a movie that made all of us think about our lives and how we deal with the challenges put in front of us every day, especially in a world always changing. It's not a movie about heroes and courage - like almost other western movies are - but a movie about fragility.7 out of 10