Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore and Death

This was the second of three "home movies" included in the bonus features on the special edition DVD release of "The Missing" (2003). Each of the short films is western-themed, to tie-in with director Ron Howard's "first" western feature. They are certainly not the only home-movies Mr. Howard made, although currently presented as such. The year of production is given as 1969. At that time, Howard had finished "The Andy Griffith Show" a teenager and accepted stints on westerns like "Gunsmoke", while younger brother Clint Howard was the new TV kid in the family in the shorter-lived "Gentle Ben" co-starring their dad, Rance Howard.

"Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore, and Death…" finds Clint and some unidentified (presently) friends decked out in whatever western-styled gear was lying around the house. They are playing poker and Clint is drinking (pretending to drink) beer, according to the look of a brown bottle, and a set-decorating sign. When it looks like Clint's sweaty pal has won, a rival in sunglasses unveils a better hand. Clint makes it exciting by starting a shoot-out. It comes to a bloody end... This film shows the Howard brothers, as directed by Ronny, are able to simulate "fake blood" scenes like they've probably seen during their television work. It's not much of a story.

*** Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore, and Death… (1969) Ron Howard ~ Clint Howard