The Gun Hawk

Edward Ludwig was mainly known for his adventures yarns: CARIBBEAN, WAKE OF THE RED WITCH, JIVARO, SMUGGLER'S ISLAND, FLAME OF THE ISLANDS, though he also gave some other genres stuff, horror: BLACK SCORPION; crime. LAST GANGSTER; and war/ FIGHTING SEABEES; Also I admit a couple of westerns such as VANQUISHED and the one I am talking about now. This is a typical mid sixties western, not speaking of those starring the Duke, directed by the likes of Burt Kennedy or Andy McLaglen in the pure forties, fifties and Jack Ford tradition. No I speak of those westerns which were somewhere the transition between Ford and Peckinpah. Westerns with a bit of bittersweet taste and melancholy; for instance Dick Thorpe - also last stand, what a coincidence - THE LAST CHALLENGE - with of course nearly the same scheme as GUNHAWK, or those B westerns produced by Paramount pictures and AC Lyles, during also the early sixties, and starring old timers such as George Montgomery, Yvonne de Carlo, Richard Arlen. And don't forget last Spencer Gordon Bennet's film, - one of the most famous and prolific serial maker with Bill Witney, who, for his last feature, as like Thorpe and Ludwig, gave us two tremendous little films, BOUNTY KILLER, and REQUIEM FOR A GUNFIGHTER. In one of them, Dan Duryea gave one of his best performances ever as a pure anti hero, who announced the downbeat late sixties and early seventies. So GUNHAWK is for me a terrific piece of work, especially for the B genre. Which i have always loved.

A heavy, self important western (i.e. Trying too hard to "say something" significant about the human yadda yadda). Most of the oppressiveness comes from Jo Heims' too talky, too expositional and definitely too philosophical screenplay but Jimmie Haskell's score is not far behind and director Edward Ludwig, in his last film, is only too happy to attach himself to Heims/Haskell. As is Rory Calhoun, a poor man's Robert Taylor, Ruta Lee, a poor woman's Stella Stevens, and Rod Laurin, a very poor boy's James Dean. About the only person who manages to rise above the dreck is Rod Cameron, doing a more than passable aging lawman. Not Joel McRae in "Ride The High Country", which this film wishes it was, but close. Give it a C.

Two veterans of the B western movie genre Rory Calhoun and Rod Cameron team up for The Gun Hawk. Cameron plays an upright sheriff who saw some promise in Rory Calhoun and wanted to make him his deputy. But Calhoun preferred the dark side and became a notorious gunfighter.

Calhoun is back in Cameron's town for some personal business. But a gunfight that resulted in the accidental killing of his father sends Calhoun on a vengeance quest rather than let the sheriff handle it. He kills the two shooters and now has Cameron and his deputy Morgan Woodward after him. Cameron wounds him in the right arm, Calhoun's shooting arm.

But Calhoun has another scheme in mind. He's the kingpin in a town called Sanctuary, an outlaw town. Calhoun's also got his girl friend Ruta Lee there as well. He'll need her presence as his gun hand is out of commission.

Both Cameron and Calhoun are shown to good advantage, Calhoun having the more complex part in The Gun Hawk. Also look for a nice performance by Rod Lauren as a young kid who both Calhoun and Cameron are courting. Yet another young man of promise.

Definitely a must for fans of the B western.

Under a B western outward appearance this rare movie shows some interesting qualities. You would think of a B western if you consider the cast (Rory Calhoun, Rod Cameron, Ruta Lee) but that is not totally exact. This Gun Hawk ("El gavilán pistolero" in Spain) has got influence of many good genre works (the topic of a gunslinger who wants retire himself is a classical). The inexorable fate plays his cards never mind the human desire does. The movie es correctly made, the color photography with bright painted rooms, like in a theatrical decor, announcing the upcoming death, an the credit ballad music inspired at the cowboys song telling a story (Marcucci and Faith "A Searcher for Love") are excellent too. It has got some comedy notes, a bite out of the blue. I will said at last the village, Sanctuary, keeps similitude with a Spanish place, Guadalest, near Alicante at Mediterranean sea.

This B Western is surprisingly not too bad. Some half way decent acting, a few laughs, a fair story plot, some action and of course the very beautiful Ruta Lee. This movie develops the characters pretty well and there is definitely some interest in how they interact and how things will work out in the end. Rory Calhoun is always likeable despite his only ordinary acting ability. He somewhat sleep walks through most scenes and is mostly devoid of emotion, yet somehow he manages to make his role interesting. . Rod Lauren steals the movie as a young, upstart with a good heart. In a somewhat weird scene, Lauren jokes about jumping out a window or shooting himself. Some 20 years later, he committed suicide after being a suspect in his wife's brutal murder. Not the greatest movie, but good for a stormy, rainy night or a boring Sunday afternoon.