The Quiet Gun

To tell you the truth, I really wasn't expecting much out of this picture. William F. Claxton was an undistinguished director. Regal Films was 20th Century-Fox's low-rent "B" unit, and I didn't know anything about writer Eric Norden's work. The main reason I watched it was because it had three of my favorite western actors--Forrest Tucker, Jim Davis and Lee Van Cleef.

Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a well-written, tightly directed, extremely well acted, solid little "B" western with a lot to recommend it. Norden's script is thoughtful and thought-provoking, showing the consequences of mob rule and how "morality" can be manipulated by those who neither have it nor care anything about it. Tucker, who had a tendency to be blustery, gives a very controlled, sympathetic performance as a sheriff whose love for his friend's wife conflicts with his duty as a lawman. and has to go up against a town which is basically one big lynch mob. Davis actually doesn't have all that much screen time, but as always makes the most of what he has. Claxton's direction is tight and controlled, and there are several plot twists that are nicely handled.

A surprising, intelligent, well-made little "B" western, it's not full of gun-blazing action--although there is some--but is a good story told well. Highly recommended.

This commentary is made in December 2006 and I see all the others so far were made in 2004. Having just watched this movie on cable's Western Channel, I guess it hasn't had much viewing since then. It is definitely a step above many Westerns of the era. We can credit not only good acting, but good writing as well. This story is from a novel by Lauran Paine who also wrote the novel used in 2003's Open Range with Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner. Norden and Lyon writes Quiet Gun (Law Man) to the screen. Since other commentaries provide the details of Quiet Gun, I'll just touch upon it lightly to say it is the story of a Sheriff (Tucker) who is friendly to a rancher (Jim Davis) whose wife (Kathleen Crowley) he has a "hankerin'for." However, the sheriff is an honorable man and tried to help Davis when he is accused of murder as he attempts to escape along with his half-breed Indian girlfriend, played by the ever lovely Mara Corday. I won't give away the rest, but it is an engaging story with all actresses and actors putting in fine performances. Both Kathleen Crowley and Mara Corday were there for more than their good looks. Hank Worden was always a favorite character actor for me since I saw him as Mose Harper in The Searchers. In fact he was in 14 movies with John Wayne. Although he often played an empty-headed part, he actually studied engineering at Stanford and Univ of Nevada before moving into entertainment. His presence added something special as he did in other films. The acting is a big part of the quality of this Western when you consider Corday, Crowley and "old Mose" Worden along with three top actors like Tucker, Davis and Lee Van Cleef. The rest of the cast filled out their parts as well. I'm not sure why this movie didn't become better known. If you like Westerns - see this one when you get the chance.

Twentieth Century Fox created a subsidiary in the mid 1950s to release films it deemed not good to enough to release under its banner. Regal Pictures, like Fox, released most of its films in wide screen, using "Regalscope," which appears technically indistinguishable from Cinemascope. Ironically, most of Regal's output was as good or better than the B movies from Fox. "The Quiet Gun" is no exception, with fine performances from Forrest Tucker and Jim Davis and some surprising plot twists which lift this movie from the humdrum. Tucker plays a sheriff who must reluctantly pursue his friend (Davis), after Davis kills a busybody "district attorney" in self defense. Mara Corday and Kathleen Crowley provide the eye candy and Hand Worden plays the comic relief in a role similar to that of Walter Brennan in "Rio Bravo".

ENCORE's WESTERN CHANNEL shows the movie in full screen, which is a shame. Several effective scenes are undercut by the aspect ratio conversion. Still, "The Quiet Gun" is worth watching, if only to see Lee Van Cleef with a full set of hair. I rate it a "6".

The Quiet Gun was an understated and underrated little western from the B picture unit at 20th Century Fox. This film would have been a classic, but for parameters from the omnipresent Code that held its themes in check. An unclear script keeps it in B standards as well.

The villains are saloon owner Tom Brown and henchman gunfighter Lee Van Cleef who want to get Jim Davis off his ranch so they can have use of it to graze some rustled cattle. Davis is estranged from his wife Kathleen Crowley and now living with a young Indian woman Mara Corday. Apparently there are some laws on the books regarding miscegenation and these two get town attorney Lewis Martin all filled with self righteous wrath as well as the rest of the town. When Martin goes out to serve papers on Davis he gets shot for his trouble and only after Martin goes for a rifle.

Through all this town sheriff Forrest Tucker who is a friend of Davis smells more than self righteous wrath working here. It all gets resolved, but a lot of people die before it does.

The Quiet Gun is representative of the adult westerns that were becoming more and more common on the big and small screen. Films like this with a B picture cast though would more likely be on the small screen. This could easily have been the plot of a Gunsmoke episode. It also hints at certain things that ten years later could have been frankly discussed.

The film is a bit ahead of its time, but held in place by the Code to make it not as good as it could have been.

Sheriff Carl Brandon must uphold the law and prevent a lynching when his best friend is accused of murder and immorality by the townsfolk.

It's amazing how the western ingredients featuring a stalwart sheriff, the corrupt clique in the town, the alternative good citizens, gunfights, posses, vigilantes, a lynching can be framed efficiently into an75 minutes film. In addition to this, there is a strong undertone of racism. It's a thoughtful western with strong themes and great acting -Forrest Tucker takes lead with his calm, nonplussed tough style. Jim Davis plays a rancher and Tucker's friend and is dependable as ever. Lee Van Cleef, none surprisingly plays a villain and a fierce one at that, and Hank Worden, always fun to watch, lightens the edgy and serious tone as the deputy of the sheriff. Mara Corday and Kathleen Crowley don't have much screen time but they are just fine. An above average western.