El salario de la violencia

"Gunman's Walk" is not only outstanding on the entertainment level, it also presents what could be clichéd material in a superbly directed and written comment on many issues.

The story is an action Western first. Van Heflin, easily one of the greatest of all Western actors, plays a rugged Western hero of the old pioneer days, who participated in many wars against the Native American. Unlike the more sugar coated stories of many Westerns, he is not forgiving of his enemy, and his character is still much the same man when he enters a new era. Heflin's character is now a big man in his territory, respected and feared by all.

Heflin gives this character an incredible likability, which in retrospect, makes him even scarier. It is easy to compare this man with Anthony Quinn in "Last Train to Gun Hill", another impressive performance by another great actor. Except this man is much friendlier and less menacing, yet he commands the respect for his abilities with guns, fists, and bravery.

Heflin now has a big ranch and two sons. The older one, Tab Hunter, wants to be the big hero his father was, but lives in an era when the Native American is not at war with them. In fact, Ed Platt plays an Indian agent who tries to protect the native population from Hunter's outbursts, to no avail. The younger son, James Darren, is perfectly cast as the dove of the family, who abhors violence. To make matters worse, he is attracted to a beautiful Native American girl, which puts him as the one bearing the brunt of suffering in the middle from both sides. Heflin is going along with the times, but not by conventional means. He hangs on to his valor by recalling his feats in the past. Hunter constantly hears the exploits with other older men in the saloon, speaking as if they were in Floyd's Mayberry RFD barber shop.

This film does an excellent job on hitting this theatrical drama of life. Like Opie in the barber shop, the oldest son is fascinated by the stories and the world that existed before he was born. The younger brother played by Darren, envisions the Indians as a necessary part of this existence.

Exploits against the native Americans that aren't allowed any more, but Hunter wants to have such stories told about him some day. Heflin's character hasn't moved with the times. He simply laughs at them. He raises his sons to be fighters and the end result is that the oldest son steps way over any civilized line. The climax is not exactly hidden. We know that Heflin must confront himself, and he does this by confronting his sons. One he admires, and the other he disowns midway through the movie. By the end, he realizes his mistake. But all through the movie, characters remind us that Hunter isn't the one who caused it all. It is actually Heflin. Yet Heflin's performance is so great that instead of seeing him for the evil man he is, we pity him, and don't blame him. Much like the crafty Fred March in "Hombre", one of the evilest men in Westerns, yet able to snake oil his way through it. Heflin's attitude and character is in the oldest son, and he was responsible. In the end, Heflin admits this, and we forgive him at first, when we see him break down.

However, this movie requires much thought. It gives a very frightening picture of the truth about prejudice, and about the evil that is allowed to pass on through cultures and generations, and the way it is done. It is a movie we should watch and learn from, and it is done in a very sneaky way. A must see movie.

I give this movie a 9 out of 10 for its earnest (yet not overdone) acting, sympathetic (yet not sappy) treatment of Indians, and exuberant (yet not overwhelming) energy level throughout. The relatively unknown actors and filmmakers really tried hard here. Aside from the family conflict, there is an intriguing treatment of the theme of historical change and how the Old West relates to the New - also seen in movies such as Bus Stop, The Misfits, and Lonely are the Brave.

Gunman's Walk is not perfect - things get 'explained' a bit too neatly at the Freudian conclusion, for example - but there is scarcely a dull or uninteresting moment. Don't miss the unique details in this film, such as the instant mood swings that the characters, especially the Father, go through, and the astonishing bar scene where the Big Brother cavorts with hookers and sings "I'm a Runaway."

This is a very unusual western and it comes highly recommended.

Naughty blond Tab Hunter (as Ed Hackett) and nice brother James Darren (as Davy) clash with not only each other, but also their rancher father Van Heflin (as Lee). This interesting western focuses mainly on Mr. Hunter's character. The dependable Frank Nugent adapted it from a story by new writer Ric Hardman. The thesis appears to show how the philosophy, which built the "old west", does not survive through the next generation; it must adapt, or die. Hunter is disarming at first - which turns out to be exactly the point. He and Mr. Heflin, an asset in most every film, are very good. Their performances "tell" the story.

Unfortunately, Mr. Darren hasn't much to do but stand around. His important character might have been better developed by having father Heflin reveal he sired Darren with what he refers to as a "squaw" - then decided the baby could pass as white. This would fit in nicely with the subplot involving attractive Kathryn Grant (as Clee Chouard), passing herself off here as what they are calling a "half breed". She has less to do than Darren does. "Gunman's Walk" misses some opportunities, but what's here is good. Director Phil Karlson and photographer Charles Lawton Jr. create a beautiful landscape for the characters.

****** Gunman's Walk (7/15/58) Phil Karlson ~ Tab Hunter, Van Heflin, James Darren, Kathryn Grant

Rancher and old school westerner Lee Hackett is determined to mould his two sons in his own tough gun-fighting image. Something that backfires when his eldest boy, Ed, becomes a murderer.

Gunman's Walk on plot synopsis and summaries sounds like your standard B Western fare, and certainly the theme of parental influence is nothing new. But Phil Karlson's film, adapted from Ric Hardman's story, has many things going for it to keep it from being mundane and used solely as a time filler. It fuses together multiple issues, parenting, prejudice and ignorance during a time of change in the old Wild West, it's central character, Lee Hackett (Van Heflin), is seen as the link between old and new.

He has primarily lived his life as a shooter and killer of Indians, something that he is not totally committed to shaking off, but here he is now, a most respected and feared member of the community, faced with his two sons both taking different paths. One, Ed (Tab Hunter), is full of bile and gun slinging machismo, represents the old West. The other, Davy (James Darren), doesn't need a gun to feel like a man, his affection for half Indian Clee Chouard (Kathryn Grant) clearly gives a point of reference to the new West. It gives us two sides of the coin with one Lee Hackett perched firmly on the fence, to which Van Heflin gives an emotionally driven standout performance.

I wouldn't say that Gunman's Walk is undervalued as such (its director most definitely is though), it's possibly more like it's been tarred with that old saying brush called "B Western", a saying that unfortunately some use as being derogatory. Whilst if the truth be told the support to Heflin is rather flat (both Hunter & Darren are average at best). But some average support acting can't stop Gunman's Walk from being an intelligent and potent genre piece. I mean if only for Heflin and the catchy central song, "I'm A Runaway", then you should see this, but as it is, if you give it your undivided attention you hopefully will find it's really rather good and clever. 7/10

Van Heflin played second lead in a score of pictures over 3 decades. In this excellent western he gets to play the lead, and his performance is one of the greatest of his long career. He displays a completely believable fatherly range of emotion and makes the audience identify with his 'how the west was won' mentality. Phil Karlson's deft direction keeps the pacing of this picture very crisp and poignant. The settings and western scenes are also quite excellent. All of this has been said without mentioning Tab Hunter's taught performance, which is really the defining touch that makes this movie great. Surprisingly, Hunter was a teen idol especially developed by the movie studio to be just another screen image. He defied the studios by delivering this amazing performance as a wild and reckless young man growing up in the shadow of his father's hard nosed old western legacy, determined to leave his own stamp on the developing times in the west. Gunman's Walk may be the most underrated western in screen history. It almost feels like a real metaphor for the western motif, and the changing civilization that beckons just over the horizon.