Fury at Showdown

Fury at Showdown is directed by Gerd Oswald and adapted to screenplay by Jason James from the novel Showdown Creek written by Lucas Todd. It stars John Derek, John Smith, Carolyn Craig, Nick Adams, Gage Clarke and Robert Griffin. Music is by Harry Sukman and cinematography by Joseph LaShelle.

After killing a man in self defence, reformed gunfighter Brock Mitchell (Derek) finds that the brother of the man he killed is intent on evening the score.

It's a tried and tested formula here, that of a one time gunman trying to reform but finds others simply will not let him. There's a love interest tantalisingly in the balance, some brotherly love playing a key part in the story, a bit of angst, fisticuffs (including a superb saloon brawl) and machismo, and a well constructed finale. Oswald has skills with the camera, nice shots and an ability to ensure each frame has something to offer, his work really belying the quickfire turnaround for release he was tasked with.

Elsewhere, Lashelle's monochrome photography is lush, seen at its best with the TCM-HD print doing the rounds on cable networks. Also appealing is Sukman's musical score, very subtle and stripped back to be a nice tonal accompaniment. Acting is in the main decent, with Derek a likeable presence in the lead, to leave us with a good sturdy Oater where Fury at Showdown manages to overcome its small budget and isolated location setting to hold its head up high. 7/10

Looks like I stand alone in my review of this western. Whatever great cinematography or acting the movie might have was --for me-- not noticed or drowned out by the boring, trite story. I can't believe this movie got a 6.8 user rating. One of the most boring, talkative (and repetitive) westerns I have ever seen. Little action, and the most ridiculous, abrupt, meaningless fade-out to a movie I have ever seen. I had to strain myself to see it to the end. Even the title is trite. The only thing going for it was John Derek's handsome countenance.

To make ten lines for an acceptable review here, let me add this silly scene which typifies the movie for me. Derek rides out of town to talk to his estranged girlfriend, who he hasn't seen while in prison for a year, and immediately encounters her taking a nude swim. So they talk -- he on his horse and she completely covered by the dark water (save her head and shoulder tops). That's it; no comment by the characters on this awkward scene. ... ... ... Another situation that irked me is that time is running out, and three partners expect a businessman to arrive by stage to complete their crucial deal, but he doesn't show, and two of the partners won't let the third one ride to the town where the businessman is to learn the reason for the delay. It was so important that you'd think they would have thought of the obvious: send a neutral trusted person to make the trip to find out.

Looks like much of the movie was turned over to a John Derek uplift, his once promising career then in decline. He may get the screentime, but an unusually meek and mild Nick Adams almost steals the flick with his sympathetic portrayal as Derek's loving brother. I gather (Trivia) the western was shot in just five days, and frankly, the congested narrative and crowded cast show a hurry-up schedule. The various storyline threads are hard to figure out, while the number of supporting cast members drift in and out in hard-to-follow fashion.

Nonetheless, the rivalry thread between Derek and gunslinger Adams is well-done, especially Adams' unusual verbal abuse of the oddly silent Derek. How this will resolve amounts to the flick's main suspense. There're also good touches from director Ulmer, such as realistically keeping the brawlers' bruises for the narrative's remainder, or dragging the brawlers away beneath a galloping stagecoach, et al.

All in all, I get the feeling that a much better Western could emerge from the clotted ingredients if more time were afforded to preparation, especially in better organizing the screenplay''s unusual elements - for example, heightening the critical business papers suspense, or what will happen to Adams's vulnerable character. What survives is a promising flick that needs a more accommodating remake. So anyway, here's hoping.

This western has a very small budget.

But the story and the actors are as powerful and motivated as it were a blockbuster.

John Derek delivers a convincing portrait of a young man full of goodwill and also full of wrath. He is perfect for the leading part. His supporting cast - although not so well known - is a good one. Especially Nick Adams and the actor who plays the sheriff.

Gerd Oswald directed a couple of movies with stories of high morality. This one is his best.

The story is about a man who was in prison for manslaughter. He tries to come back to society and to his profession as a farmer but there is a man who wants revenge for the death of his brother...Village people are not very happy too...

This Western had one particular thing going for it that really stood out. Every time there was a wide shot of the town, there were not large numbers of people walking around the streets. Perfect! In most Westerns, there are way too many people all over town. At this time in history, when 95% of the population worked on farms, it is just totally unrealistic the way directors put so many people in town. This movie was right on the mark. Well done. Some reviews say it was too slow. Well, it wasn't a time of the internet and instant everything. Things moved slower as did the pace of the movie, which seemed appropriate. As I have mentioned in my reviews of other Westerns, I still have a problem the way actors are dressed. Costumes seem to be "cowboy" attire taken from the 1930's and put in stories from late 1800s. This includes saddles and bridles. Having it in black and white gave it a nice "old time" feel.