The Fastest Gun Alive

Directed with poise and aplomb by Russell Rouse (an illustrious unknown to me), with very good B&W photography, and terrific performances by Glenn Ford, Broderick Crawford and John Dehner, what I particularly like about this movie is its script (apart from a dancing number featuring Russ Tamblyn that has no connection whatsoever with anything else in the film).

THE FASTEST GUN ALIVE is built upon an unusual premise: Crawford wants at all costs to be the fastest gun alive, but Ford knows he is it - even though he has not killed a man yet.

The sequence in the church where people initially do not want Ford to go out and meet Crawford because they value his life, then want him to do it because Crawford orders the town's shops doused with kerosene, comes across as remarkably human and true.

There are sound moral values to this film, excellent cinematography, and believable characters. 8/10

To his friends and neighbors George Temple (Glenn Ford) is a mild-mannered store keeper. But, unknown to all but his wife, George is obsessed with guns because in his youth he lacked the courage to go up against his lawman father's killer. Through years of secret practice George has become the fastest draw in the west, but he is still afraid of drawing against a man. When a ruthless gunman (Broderick Crawford) comes to town and threatens to burn it down Temple is forced to overcome his fears and try to stop him. This finely-crafted western deserves more recognition than it has received. If you like westerns, try to catch this one.

Glenn Ford plays a storekeeper whose friends and neighbors think of him as a wimp. Finally he has enough and decides to show them how good he is with a gun, which doesn't make wife Jeanne Crain too happy. Then gunslinger Broderick Crawford comes to town. He's obsessed with being the fastest gun alive. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking nobody says anything to Crawford about Ford's ability with a gun, he leaves town without incident, and the movie ends abruptly. Well, you're wrong.

This is a very good western that has what I feel to be Glenn Ford's finest acting work. His agitated and conflicted performance is unlike anything he had done up to that point. Crawford is a mixed bag here. His acting is spot-on but he seems physically wrong for the part. An overweight 45 year-old is hardly the image that springs to mind when one thinks of a headstrong gunslinger that needs badly to prove he's the best. Perhaps someone younger and leaner would have been better. John Dehner, who played one of Crawford's cohorts, would have probably been a better fit. Still, despite my problems with his casting, Crawford gives his all and does well. Jeanne Crain does fine also. Russ Tamblyn has a somewhat out of place dance number but it's still enjoyable to watch. Overall, it's a solid western. Not at the top of my list of favorites but a good one nonetheless. Ford's bravura performance alone would be worth recommending it.

"The Fastest Gun Alive" is not one of those that come easily to your mind when you think about westerns. No one could say this a classic or even a great movie in the genre.

However, if you analyze this film you can't find major flaws or weaknesses in it. In fact, "The Fast Gun Alive" has an original plot with more than one real good moments, an acceptable direction and development, interesting characters, a very good casting and a tense surprising and much original ending.

Glenn Ford is most convincing as the man of the title that has to face a dangerous situation that his own search for respect and insecurity brings against him. Broderick Crawford renders a real good performance as the gunfighter who has to constantly prove to himself that he is the best and second to no one. Jeanne Crain plays Ford's wife, the woman that suffers because of his husband's insatisfactions with his life. Noah Beery, Jr. and John Dennher credit the supporting cast as Crawford's sidekicks.

I have to say I found this film interesting and enjoyable; most recommendable for western fans.

Enjoyed this film mainly because I like Broderick Crawford, (Vinnie Harold) who was too old and too fat to be the fastest gun in this film and a great young star Glenn Ford, (George Temple) who had dark deep secrets to hid in the small town of Cross Creek. George Temple was married to Dora Temple, (Jeanne Crain) who had to suffer with her husband's past and they finally decided to locate in a new town to live in and they were store owners. However, George had a real bad habit of loving guns and also being an expert sharp shooter. Vinnie Harold went from town to town looking for the fastest gun and killed everyone that he came across who thought he could out draw him in a good old Western duel in the street of some town. Jeanne Crain gave a great supporting role and looked very young and pretty along with a very handsome looking Glenn Ford. This is a good classic 1956 black and white film, but is very entertaining.