Gun Duel in Durango

Ex-outlaw Will Sabre wants an honest life under the alias Dan Tomlinson but his old gang, under new leader Dunsten, wants him back for a new string of armed robberies.

Standard western about an outlaw trying to reform is a competent heartwarming little programmer that features a fine performance from George Montgomery, who expresses desperation as an ex-outlaw trying to bury his past; his interactions with the boy comes across natural and a reason for him to reform. Apart from the emotional content, there's some lively gunplay and a really callous main villain. Just wished that it was in colour, though.

Gun Duel in Durango is directed by Sidney Salkow and written by Louis Stevens. It stars George Montgomery, Ann Robinson, Steve Brodie, Bobby Clark, Frank Ferguson, Don Barry, Henry Rowland and Denver Pyle. Music is by Paul Sawtell and Berts Shefter and cinematography by Maury Gertsman.

Standard 50s Oater as per formulaic story, but it's spiritedly played and it's not without emotional hefts. Story has Montgomery as Will Sabre, who has had enough of the outlaw life and quits the gang that are titled in his name. Only the gang wont let him quit and he has 30 days to change his mind or else! Not good since under an alias he's landed a nice job in Durango, become a surrogate father to an orphan, and if he can stay straight he'll get the hand of his honey, Judy (Robinson).

It starts with a callous murder and from there we are in no doubt that the one time Sabre Gang, now the Dunsten (Brodie) Gang, are bad dudes and Will Sabre (alias Dan) has his hands full from a number of angles. It's the various active threads that keep the pic from falling into mediocre hell, with Montgomery finding believable chemistry with both Robinson and young Clark. Action scenes are well staged, the Simi Valley and Chatsworth locales are nicely present and Gertsman's crisp black and white photography is most pleasant.

No surprises in store but this is above average and better than the plot would suggest. 6.5/10

Never heard of Director Salkow but he does a decent job with this B pic, and cleverly allows child actor Bobby Clark to steal the spectator's heartstrings.

Montgomery is not a great actor but he is effective as a gun hand trying to reform and stop killing. Ann Robinson is a dish, so they make a great couple. Steve Brodie is a convincing villain, and the action is somewhat slow and frustrating because initially Sabre wants to take on the identity of Bobbly Clark's father and allow killer Sabre to be reported dead but then he dithers and goes back on his plan, when all he had to do was to shoot all the members of the Sabre gang dead and the sheriff would not be able to identify him.

At one point he tells lovely Robinson that he has switched names because he does not want to kill anymore but, after much hesitation, he goes ahead and kills three or four gang members for good measure.

So go figure that contradiction. Apart from that, it's a touching and entertaining B pic.

Sad to say that a cheap production characterizes this George Montgomery B western. With some color and a few more touches Gun Duel In Durango might have rated a bit higher. It also would have been nice had the hero who of course is Montgomery and chief villain Steve Brodie actually had a classic gun duel in the middle of street as per the title.

Even so Montgomery turns in a fine performance as an outlaw who wants to quit his gang and go straight, straight to Ann Robinson an old girl friend and marry her. But the gang won't leave him alone and the current leader Steve Brodie has a notion he can take Montgomery.

In addition to Robinson, Montgomery also picks up orphan Bobby Clark and the three do become a family after a few rough patches. George must have felt like Michael Corleone the way his old crew wants to drag him back in.

Western fans should be pleased with this one.

An infamous criminal's attempts to live an honest life are complicated by his love interest, his concern for a young orphaned boy, and former gang members who don't want to see him going straight. An ordinary B-Western held together by a workmanlike performance from George Montgomery and competent direction from Sidney Salkow. Loses points for an unaccountably rushed ending, though.