Gunsmoke (1953)

Superior Audie Murphy oater, although it incorporates one of the most widely used plots in westerns, in that a grasping cattle baron is trying to grab the last significant competing ranch in his area, by foul means. Additionally, two young women are featured. Susan Cabot, as Rita, is the daughter of ranch owner Dan Saxon(Paul Kelly). She is the girlfriend of ranch foreman Curly(Jack Kelly), until Audie shows up. Although her initial reaction to him is chilly, she eventually warms up. Mary Castle, as Cora, is a saloon entertainer, who sings a song every now and then, along with being the owner's moll. Her ex-boyfriend, Johnny Lake(Charles Drake), shows up eventually, and by the end of the film will repeat as her current boyfriend. Mary has quite a dynamic personality, and was often compared to Rita Hayworth in looks....Filming mostly took place in Big Bear Valley, CA.I'd like to summarize several key relationships: Reb(Audie) and Dan Saxon:Dan owns the biggest spread in the region, after Telford's. Reb originally came to this area at the invitation of Telford, to act as his gunslinger, especially in regard to Dan. However, Telford refused to pay Reb's initial price. Meanwhile, Dan was playing cards downstairs in the saloon. He offered Reb a gamble, high card winning. If Reb won, Dan would sign his ranch over to him. If Reb lost, he would work for Dan for an undetermined time period. Dan, a card sharp, fixes things so that Reb won. Why did he do this? He wanted to make sure that Telford and Reb wouldn't agree to a deal to spearhead an effort to delay getting Dan's cattle to market, so that he wouldn't meet the deadline for repaying a loan from Telford. Also, Dan had the impression that his daughter might eventually become Reb's wife. To show his gratitude, Reb hired Dan and daughter Rita.Reb and Johnny Lake: The film begins with Reb and Johnny hiding behind some bushes from a cavalry patrol. Seems they last were hired guns in the Johnson County WY cattle war. Now, they part ways. But they will meet again when cattle baron Telford wants a gunslinger comparable to Reb, who had rejected his offer. After rancher Dan signs over the deed to his ranch to Reb, Johnny takes the main responsibility in seeing that his cattle don't get to market in time to pay off the loan from Telford. First, he leads a nocturnal stampede of Reb's cattle. This sets Reb back a few days, but is insufficient by itself. Next, Johnny sets fire to the grass in a valley Reb's cattle have to go through. Turns out this is insufficient also, as Reb decides to try herding the cattle over a mountain. With great difficulty, he makes it. Johnny tried to stop him, but Reb came up with a plan to ambush Telford's men, and most were shot dead. They finally meet in Telford's saloon, where Johnny challenges Reb to a gun duel, which Reb rejects. However, Johnny shoots Telford when he tries to shoot Reb in the back. Johnny explains that Telford was trying to cheat him out of $2500. for killing Reb. After that, they are friends, again.

While certainly in the mold of a "B" western, Gunsmoke manages to raise itself above its peer group. Good production values, an above average supporting cast that appeared to enjoy themselves, an OK plot bolstered by some spirited dialog, and a young Murphy showing he was incorrect in his self-assessment of "no talent." The plot is pretty much by the numbers: Gambler Telford (Donald Randolph) wants Dan Saxon's (Paul Kelly) ranch and sends for gunslinger Reb Kittridge (Murphy) to arrange an early departure for Saxon from this earth. Due to the luck of the draw, or more probably Saxon's card skills, Kittridge ends up owning said ranch but has to get the cattle to market to maintain possession. Taking to the trail with Saxon, now a cowhand, Saxon's daughter Rita (Susan Cabot), her possessive boyfriend / ranch foreman Curly (Jack Kelly), and the rest of Saxon's old crew, Kittridge must beat both the elements and Telford who doesn't give up just because he's had a setback.This could have been a B caliber movie but it's better than that. The plot is predictable but pretty much everything else is a step up. Veteran screenwriter D.D. Beauchamp's script has more life than usually found in this type of movie. Saxon – "He ain't no killer, Doc." Doc –"Well, if he isn't , he's been taking money under false pretenses all the way from Texas to the Canadian line." Later, when Saxon says he's willing to work for Kittridge in the cattle drive, his daughter pounces on him in an epic fail. Rita – "You mean you're going to work for him?" Saxon – "Well, we gotta eat don't we?" Rita – "I'd rather go hungry." Saxon – "I've tried that too. I wouldn't recommend it."Paul Kelly adds immeasurably in his role as a rancher who sees parallels in Kittridge with his own early life and wants to provide a bit of course correction into the gunfighter's life. His timing is great and his easy going drawl a great counterpoint for Murphy. His scenes with Chubby Johnson are also great fun. While certainly a lot is filmed on sets, there are some good outdoor scenes and some nifty wagon riding down a hillside. The only quibble I have is with Susan Cabot. Somehow she doesn't have quite the presence of some other not-quite-A- list actresses of that era such as, say, a young Piper Laurie, but I guess that's a personal taste.All in all, this is a better oater than most B pictures and shows an inexperienced Murphy could perform quite well when given good direction and surrounded with a good cast to play off of. Give it a try, you won't regret it.

GUNSMOKE 1953 This is another Universal International production with up and coming western star, Audie Murphy. Murphy was a highly decorated World War Two soldier who became a Hollywood star of western and action films. This one has, Paul Kelly, Susan Cabot, Charlie Drake and Jack Kelly in support.Gunman for sale, Audie Murphy heads for Billings, Montana, to check out a job offer. Someone though does not want the man to accept the job. Murphy is ambushed outside town and his horse is killed. He hitches a ride on a passing stagecoach. Onboard he meets the gorgeous Susan Cabot. Cabot is the daughter of local rancher, Paul Kelly.Kelly is in a dispute with Donald Randolph, a shady businessman who is trying to buy up all the local ranches. Randolph holds the mortgage on Kelly's ranch which comes due in 30 days. Randolph wants to make sure Kelly does not get his cattle to the railhead in time. Then he can foreclose and grab the ranch. Randolph is the man who wants to hire Murphy.There is a minor dust up between Murphy and Kelly. Kelly assumes that Murphy is here to kill him. Murphy tells Kelly he has not decided who he is working for. Murphy takes a dislike to Randolph and rejects the man's offer. A drink in the bar and a cut of a deck of cards soon has Murphy winning Kelly's ranch. Murphy always wanted to own a spread.Needless to say the day to day running of said ranch is beyond his limited experience. He lets Kelly continue in charge of the ranch. Murphy now finds out that the ranch is broke, and that Randolph is out to grab it up. It also turns out that the ranch foreman, Jack Kelly is the man who took the pot shots at him outside town. Kelly had heard that a gunman was coming to town.The ranch hands are quickly put to work rounding up the cattle from the surrounding hills. Murphy intends to make sure they get to the buyer in time. He promises the hands double pay if they can get the deed done. Randolph is not happy to hear this, and hires a friend of Murphy's, Charles Drake. Drake's job is to delay Murphy and his crew from meeting their delivery time. Drake and Randolph's hired guns stage a midnight raid scattering the just gathered cattle.When this does not work, Drake and company start a massive grass fire. Murphy and his crew just barely save the herd by driving them over a river. Now the only way to get the herd to the railhead, is to drive them through a mountain pass.Complicating matters is that the cook, Jesse White, has run out of supplies. The town store refuses to give them credit on orders from Randolph. Murphy and Cabot pay a late night visit to the store and grab up the needed supplies. He tells the store owner that he will pay him back. Drake and his men get the drop on Murphy and give him a beating, busting up his gun hand. Drake though does not kill Murphy as they were pals at one time.Though somewhat worse for wear, Murphy continues the drive over the mountains. Jack Kelly has changed teams and is now working for Randolph. He has told Randolph that Murphy is pushing the herd night and day. Randolph is now getting real nervous that Murphy just might meet the delivery deadline. Randolph sends Drake and the other gunmen to make sure of the opposite result.Murphy and the ranch hands learn of the coming raid and set up an ambush. There is a brisk swapping of lead between the hired guns and the ranch hands. The gunmen are the losers in the exchange with only Drake escaping back to town.Needless to say our hero makes the deadline for the delivery of the beef. Once the paperwork is done, Murphy heads to Billings to settle Randolph's hash. When Randolph tries to back shoot Murphy, Drake steps up and drills the swine. Friends are friends again. Murphy and Miss Cabot are of course now an item.This is a lightweight duster that gets the job done in a quick 78 minutes.The director, Nathan Juran, was a two time nominated (The Razor's Edge, How Green My Valley) and one time Oscar winner for art direction. He made the jump to helmsman in 1952. He scored with a nice series of well-made b films such as, THE GOLDEN BLADE, HIGHWAY DRAGNET, DRUMS ACROSS THE RIVER, THE CROOKED WEB, GOOD DAY FOR A HANGING as well as the sci-fi films, 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH and THE DEADLY MANTIS. His most famous film is 1958's THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD.

Gunsmoke is directed by Nathan Juran and adapted to screenplay by D.D. Beauchamp from the novel Roughshod written by Norman A. Fox. It stars Audie Murphy, Susan Cabot and Paul Kelly. Music is supervised by Joseph Gershenson and cinematography by Charles P. Boyle.A safe recommendation to Western fans who just want to be entertained by an Audie Murphy picture of no pretensions. Nicely filmed out of Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, it's an unassuming film that follows familiar B Western plotting. Bad guy has reform in him and finds it when he ends up fighting for the underdog and falling in love with the daughter of said underdog. Characters are well defined, pace is brisk and the action is well constructed by Juran (latterly 7th Voyage of Sinbad/Jack the Giant Killer). Enjoy the shoot-outs, the cattle drive, the wagon down the hill sequence (those stunt workers rock!), and get on board with the devilishly handsome Murphy and the heart achingly sexy Cabot (check out how she carries off a red number during one scene as she gets the boys all hot and bothered).It's not original and it doesn't bring any psychological smarts to the narrative, but it plays the clichés well and all involved deliver a professional and good looking picture. 6.5/10