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John Wayne's Batjac Productions produced this tight B western starring James Arness as a young outlaw seeking revenge on his running buddies who left him to die. I'm betting this was probably filmed before Arness started Gunsmoke in 1955. He was certainly riding the same horse in this film as he did as Marshal Matt Dillon.

Worse than just leaving Arness to die with a bullet in him as the posse was on his trail, Robert Wilke and Don Megowan also took Arness's woman Angie Dickinson with them. The posse gets to Arness and he's patched up, but he won't rat out his friends. He has his own plans for them even if he has to serve a year for the robbery to do it.

Arness cuts a fine figure as a young outlaw who won't stand for a double cross. Wilke and Megowan are both western veterans and Wilke is a long time favorite villain in westerns. Angie Dickinson was 'introduced' in Gun The Man Down as a girl who'd like to be good, but has long forgotten how.

Emile Meyer has a nice role here as a sheriff with Harry Carey,Jr. as his somewhat inpatient deputy. Meyer is a firm believer in what Noel Coward said about only mad dogs and Englishmen going out in the noon day sun. He's also a believer in letting the bad guys shoot it out so he has that many less to deal with. His philosophy seems to work.

Gun The Man Down is a no frills western which is good on plot and characters. Andrew McLaglen made his directorial debut here and this is a harbinger of more good work by him on the big and small screen.

Great little low budget western that propelled Arness to the role of Matt Dillon. Just enough action, romance and good v evil. Like most 50s westerns, well worth the watch.

Gun the Man Down is directed by Andrew McLaglen and adapted to screenplay by Burt Kennedy from a story written by Sam Freedle. It stars James Arness, Angie Dickinson, Emile Meyer, Robert J. Wilke, Harry Carey Jr, Don Megowan and Michael Emmet. Music is by Henry Vars and cinematography by William H. Clothier.

Three outlaws rob a bank and during the escape one of them, Rem Anderson (Arness), is badly wounded. His two partners kidnap his girlfriend, take his share of the loot and leave him to be captured by the closing in posse. After serving a year in jail, Rem gets out and has only one thing on his mind, to locate his double-crossing partners in crime and enact sweet revenge on them...

It's a notable Western for a number of reasons, it was Angie Dickinson's first credited starring role, it was the first film directed by Andrew McLaglen (son of Victor), and it was to be Arness' last credited feature film before embarking on a 27 year TV career.

In plot terms we are very much in familiar "B" Western territory, it's the story of a bad man who has good at his core but is driven on by a need for revenge. After the initial robbery and desertion of cohorts, we then follow Rem out of prison and onto a small tin-pot town where he knows those who done him wrong are situated. Pic then focuses on what Rem will do? Will he get revenge and end up back in jail? Will he make up with his one time love, Janice (Dickinson), who we find out is now the lover of his nemesis, Matt Rankin (Wilke)?

Into the mix comes a couple of strands that sees Rem having to justify his being in town to the local law enforcers (Meyer the sheriff - Carey Jr. the deputy) - so promptly not giving the law reason to lock him up, and of course to stay alive since some factions want him dead ASAP! These factors bring out a rich characterisation for Anderson, he has to use his wits as much as he does his pistol. The sheriff and deputy relationship is very warm, very father and son like, and their sensing of Rem being a good man behind his motives gives the simple story some sure footed foundations to work from.

Running a short 76 minutes, pic is very traditional Western fare, and it doesn't quite have enough good material to actually be this long in length - McLaglen working with tight budget pads out some scenes to reach the time slotted target. In fact, the budget restrictions are never more evident than in the town itself, which is strangely devoid of people, this even though the sheriff keeps telling us that Rankin's saloon has been a hive of undesirables! So, an allowance and understanding of the "B" Western drawbacks will definitely aid the likeminded adults viewing experience.

Though not high on action quotas, pic gets by on tense scenarios and character interactions, notably when Janice is involved. It's a nicely written character, with twin confliction of head and heart and suitors of varying degrees. She is also the centre piece for a dramatic turn of events that lifts this still further away from being a "run of the mill" cheapo Oater. There's some nice location photography on show (Woodland Hills - Calif), a couple of niftily shot scenes involving shadow play and one with Rem and a full length mirror, and the finale - like the cast performing for us - is very agreeable.

Not a must see movie of course, but for fans of the genre it holds enough about it to keep you entertained. 6/10

Okay in my book for a B western. One of my favorite actors. Later starring in Gunsmoke.

Simple and plain Western with usual ingredients . This oater has a good cast and enough action , but in low budget. It deals with a gang of crooks planning a robbing at the Palace City Bank that goes wrong. The tough thieves : Robert J. Wilke , Don Megowan , James Arness and his faithless girlfriend : Angie Dickinson , take his share of the cash and ride to their cabin . They escape but James Arness is injured and left by his colleagues who run away with the loot . Then a posse arrives and they take him prisoner. Later on , being sentenced , condemned and once completed sentence he is released . Like an avenging angel he terrorized the west in search of the killers who had stolen his name , money and his woman. After that , James Arness seeks vengeance , and finally locates them in Gunther Wells where rules a brave sheriff , Emile Meyer, and his deputy , Harry Carey Jr. At the end rivals contend for each other in their opposing characters .

Entertaining Western including action , thrills , go riding , shot'em up and a peculiar love story between James Arness and Angie Dickinson . An agreeable and slight tale , almost rudimentary , though full of cliches , as the script lines too often settle for crude routine ; however , packing some surprises . It contains an atmospheric and evocative cinematography in black and white by William H Clothier who photographed several John Wayne films , as well as evocative score by Henry Vars . This oater is an acceptable and passable western that relies heavily on ordinary situations : treason, fights , shootouts , pursuits and final confrontation . Thrilling and enjoyable flick deals with a wounded robber who betrayed by his double-crossing partners , serving long time in prison and being released , subsequently seeking "vendetta", this issue to be a common plot in the subgenre Spaghetti Western of the sixties . Here stands out a pretty good main cast and support cast formed by notorious actors . James Arness plays efficiently as Remington, a gunslinger of formidable physical and the regular baddie Robert J. Wilke who is awesome as Matt Rankin . Angie Dickinson plays a saloon girl , as usual ,receiving introducing credit , being her first credited movie . Other important secondaries appearing are the followings : Emile Meyer ,Frank Fenton, Don Megowan , Pedro González Gonzalez and Harry Carey Jr , John Ford's regular actor .

The motion picture was professionally directed by Andrew V McLagen , though shot in very short budget and in nine days .This was the first Western movie of many directed by Andrew and his film debut . He directed John Wayne in several films, including the successful Undefeated , Hellfighters and Chisum . He was expert on all kinds of genres , as Westerns as Chisum , Shenandoah , McLintock , The Blue and Gray , The way west , Bandolero, undefeated , Cahill Marshall , Rare breed . And he directed 96 episodes of Gunsmoke reuníting again James Arness. He also made Wartime movies as Dirty Dozen next mission , Sea wolves , Wild Geese, The Devil Brigade , Breakthrough , among others. Rating 6/10. The movie will appeal to Western buffs .