A sangre y fuego

A couple of saddle pals, Audie Murphy and Charles Drake, go their separate ways after a job in the Johnson County War in Wyoming. Murphy heads for a job offer from cattle baron Donald Randolph. But like John Wayne who refuses a job from Ed Asner in El Dorado, Murphy decides to throw in with small rancher Paul Kelly. Of course that Paul has an attractive daughter in Susan Cabot has a great deal to do with it.

El Dorado is only one of the other westerns that you can see plot elements from. I can count The Man from Laramie, Coroner Creek, and Destry Rides Again in which parts of those films are plainly visible in Gunsmoke.

Audie Murphy was always one of the success stories of Hollywood and then unfortunately a tragedy. Our most decorated combat veteran could have had a choice of any number of careers after World War II. He had what only could be described as an instinct in that he chose a movie career. He turned out to be a natural for westerns.

His product was always good. Too bad his career never took the path of a successful long running television series or going into A budget projects like John Wayne. Either of those paths might have led him to a longer career and life.

In fact both leads in this film met tragic ends, Audie in a plane crash and Susan Cabot, a notorious Hollywood homicide at the hands of her son. Cabot, but for a decision to leave Universal to free lance, might also have gone a television route. Though she became a cult favorite with The Wasp Woman, cult parts are hard to come by and usually really type cast people.

By the way, though it is not the only element of Desty Rides Again in this film, saloon girl Mary Castle gets to sing the Marlene Dietrich classic See What the Boys in the Backroom will Have in Gunsmoke. And why not? Since Universal produced Destry Rides Again and they own the song why not use it here as it costs them not a cent.

I think western fans will not be disappointed in Gunsmoke.

This exciting Western packs thrills , noisy action , breathtaking struggles and lots of gutsy adventure . Brawling , sprawling , almost primitive action in which our protagonist is forced to guide cattle across dangerous landscapes , teeming across the screen by means of cattle driving , attacks , gun-fire and ambushes . The picture contains whirlwinds of manic action , fights , sustained energy and often commendable results . It deals with a gunslinger , Reb Kittridge (Audie Murphy) , who rides into town expecting to take a job , he gets it by supporting malicious land baron Matt Telford (Donald Randolph) as hired gun to get rid of upright owner Dan Saxon . At the beginning he is hired by the villains ; after a while , Reb wins Saxon's ranch with a cut of the cards . Later on , Kittridge turns to defend the rancher Saxon after learning the true situation . Then , Reb helps his buyer Saxon and while he fights off badman Telford and his hoodlums . He also has to find time in falling love with Saxon's gorgeous but independent daughter (Susan Cabot) . After that , Reb's best friend Johnny Lake (Charles Drake) arrives in town and he is contracted by malignant Telford to kill Kittridge . Finally , Telford and Johnny Lake attempt everything from wildfire , bushwhacking to setting up a stampede to stop Reb Kittridge . This gun was for hire and a woman was ready to pay his price '¡ . Hired Gunslinger In A Lawless Land!

Nice-looking but run-of-the-mill International Universal Picture Western , including some novelties , but also with usual elements , such as franctic action, thrills , stampedes , crossfire , drama , romance and some spectacular action scenes . Along with a love triangle in which implicates Audie Murphy/Reb Kittredge who falls with Susan Cabot/Rita Saxon who is also in love for Jack Kelly/Curly Mather . The plot is plain and simple, an evil, wealthy land owner wants to avoid the cattle arrives in Yellowstone , as Murphy tries to help a rancher and his daughter save their land and cattle but they result to be chased and ambushed by the nasty band . A blending of functional main actors with great character players of whom Audie Murphy holds the best role as a brave gunslinger . A warm and thrilling storyline and thanks to a personable and overwhelming action scenes makes an enjoyable movie , a real pleasure to listen to as well as watch . The hothouse plot drives mercilessly forward with frenetic action , breathtaking shooting , thrills , impressive attacks , treason , rivalry , twists and turns . The tale is strong one and the yarn is wonderfully located against a colorful background from Big Bear San Bernardino National Park , California . Well directed by Nathan Juran who made a lot of low-budget movies , though he followed to work for a big-budget cinema and was capable of making large-scale movies as ¨Tumbleweed¨ and this one ¨Gunsmoke¨in medium-budget and revolving around the first great drive to Yellowstone . Finely performed by Audie Murphy as a gunfighter who gets redemption guiding cattle to their destination and here director takes a fine penned script by D.D. Beauchamp based on the novel "Roughshod" by Norman A. Fox , creating an attractive tale that is far from ordinary , exploring the anguish and desperation of the valiant participants in a cattle drive and of the pursuers . Audie Murphy delivers a fine acting as a gunfighter who lands up with the job of getting a cattle herd . Murphy won more than 20 medals , being the most decorated American soldier , including the Congressional Medal of Honor and he was also awarded with five decorations conceded by France and Belgium country . He starred a rendition based on his own self-biography titled ¨To Hell and back¨ that was an acceptable picture based on actual events about Audie Murphy who played himself following his Army career in WWII , being professionally directed by Jesse Hibbs and it was a box-office hit for Universal Pictures and its record was apparently not broken until Jaws (1975 ). Murphy starred a great number of Westerns , such as : ¨The kid from Texas¨, ¨Cimarron Kid¨, ¨Gunpoint¨, ¨Night Passage¨, ¨The Gunrunners¨, ¨Posse from Hell¨, ¨Gunfight at Comanche¨, ¨Rifles Apaches¨, ¨The Unforgiven¨, ¨Red badge of courage¨, ¨Legend of Sam Ward¨, ¨Whispering Smith¨, ¨40 Guns at Apache pass¨ , ¨Texas kid¨ , among others . Being usually directed by Jesse Hibbs who made various Audie Murphy vehicles , such as : ¨To hell and Back¨ (1955) , ¨World in My Corner¨ (1956) , ¨Ride a Crooked Trail¨ (1958) , ¨Medal of Honor¨ and ¨To Hell and Back¨. Support cast is frankly nice , providing splendid interpretations , such as : Paul Kelly who manages that Murphy become owner of his ranch , but the has other reasons for deliberately losing the gamble , Charles Drake as his best friend and subsequent enemy , Jack Kelly , the beatiful Mary Castle , Donald Randolph , Jesse White , Chubby Johnson , William Fawcett and brief acting by Denver Pyle.

It contains shining and glittering cinematography in gleaming Technicolor by director of photography by Charles F. Boyle . And thrilling and atmospheric musical score by Universal regular : Herman Stein . Marvellously filmed on location in Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California , and Universal Studios , Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California . This classic as well as traditional movie was produced by Aaron Rosenberg from Universal Pictures and compellingly directed by Nathan Juran , containing some vigorous scenes . Juran was a good craftsman who made a lot of movies of all kinds of genres . Nathan Juran, who sometimes used pseudonym "Nathan Hertz" collaborated with Charles H. Schener in several films . Here Nathan directed it all in stylish Technicolor . Before entering the film industry as an art director in 1937 Nathan ¨Jerry¨Juran won an Academy Award for art direction on How Green Was My Valley (1941). World War II interrupted his film career, and he spent his war years with the OSS . Returning to Hollywood, he turned to directing films in the 1950s. He handled mostly low-budget westerns and sci-fi opuses, as ¨First man in the moon¨, ¨The brain from planet Arous¨, ¨The deadly Mantis¨ , ¨20 million miles to Earth¨ , ¨Jack the Giant Killer¨ , his most famous being ¨The attack of the 50 foot woman¨(1958) . He was also responsible for the superb fantasy adventure ¨The 7th voyage of Sinbad¨ (1958). Juran directed some Westerns starred by Audie Murphy such as ¨Drums Across the River¨, ¨Tumbleweed¨ , ¨Gunsmoke¨ and ¨Law and Order¨ with Ronald Reagan . In the early 1960s, he journeyed to Europe, where he spent several years piloting adventure epics and spaghetti westerns such as ¨Land raiders¨. Juran made sensational Sci-fi and fantastic movies , his main legacy , such us : ¨First men oh the moon¨, ¨The 7th voyage of Simbad¨ , ¨20 million miles to earth¨, ¨Jack the Giant Killer¨ and several others . Rating : 6.5/10, decent Western that will appeal to Audie Murphy fans .

Today was the Celebration of the Débarquement de Provence (in France ...), and I saw an excellent five minutes report on Audie Murphy and his act of war in Ramatuelle. So I decided to watch Gunsmoke I just bought a few days ago, thinking I was going to see a classic Murphy western. But from the first minutes, I discovered a very impertinent Murphy and not looking as fresh as in his other westerns, almost dirty and moving very fast. And permanent twisty action and hit dialogues, even though the subject is well known in westerns, it turns to be very original in its construction with permanent moves sometimes every twenty seconds. The whole casting is good, Susan Cabot, Paul Kelly, Charles Drake, Mary Castle, ... Produced by Aaron Rosenberg (Gunsmoke is not far from Anthony Mann's westerns produced by Rosenberg) and directed by Nathan Juran (who directed two other fine Murphy westerns, Tumbleweed and Drums Across The River), a very tense and unforgettable western.

Hired gun Audie Murphy hits town to help bad guy Matt Telford (Donald Randolph) take over Dan Saxon's (Paul Kelly) spread. After winning Saxon's ranch and cattle in a game of chance, Audie declines Telford's offer and keeps the ranch for himself. Murphy then decides to drive his newly won cattle herd to the railhead to meet the note payment on the ranch, with the help of Saxon, his daughter (Susan Cabot), and their former wranglers. Forced to get a new rent-a-gun, Telford hires Murphy's old cohort Johnny Lake (Charles Drake) to stop Murphy from reaching the rail line.

Although "Gunsmoke" is pretty much 1950's drive-in fare, this one has Audie Murphy in top form. Directed by Nathan Juran in just his second film, this movie moves along at a nice clip. A strong script that avoids a lot of clichés, makes the dialog far better than average for this type movie. Murphy and and the familiar face veteran cast all deliver good performances and turn a what might have been a pretty standard medium budget horse opera into one of Audie's best films. Watch for Jack Kelly in his pre-Maverick television series days as malcontent foreman Curly Mather.

Entertaining Western. Definitely worth a watch.

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.