Le tueur du Montana

While certainly in the mold of a "B" western, Gunsmoke manages to raise itself above its peer group. Good production values, an above average supporting cast that appeared to enjoy themselves, an OK plot bolstered by some spirited dialog, and a young Murphy showing he was incorrect in his self-assessment of "no talent."

The plot is pretty much by the numbers: Gambler Telford (Donald Randolph) wants Dan Saxon's (Paul Kelly) ranch and sends for gunslinger Reb Kittridge (Murphy) to arrange an early departure for Saxon from this earth. Due to the luck of the draw, or more probably Saxon's card skills, Kittridge ends up owning said ranch but has to get the cattle to market to maintain possession. Taking to the trail with Saxon, now a cowhand, Saxon's daughter Rita (Susan Cabot), her possessive boyfriend / ranch foreman Curly (Jack Kelly), and the rest of Saxon's old crew, Kittridge must beat both the elements and Telford who doesn't give up just because he's had a setback.

This could have been a B caliber movie but it's better than that. The plot is predictable but pretty much everything else is a step up. Veteran screenwriter D.D. Beauchamp's script has more life than usually found in this type of movie. Saxon – "He ain't no killer, Doc." Doc –"Well, if he isn't , he's been taking money under false pretenses all the way from Texas to the Canadian line." Later, when Saxon says he's willing to work for Kittridge in the cattle drive, his daughter pounces on him in an epic fail. Rita – "You mean you're going to work for him?" Saxon – "Well, we gotta eat don't we?" Rita – "I'd rather go hungry." Saxon – "I've tried that too. I wouldn't recommend it."

Paul Kelly adds immeasurably in his role as a rancher who sees parallels in Kittridge with his own early life and wants to provide a bit of course correction into the gunfighter's life. His timing is great and his easy going drawl a great counterpoint for Murphy. His scenes with Chubby Johnson are also great fun. While certainly a lot is filmed on sets, there are some good outdoor scenes and some nifty wagon riding down a hillside. The only quibble I have is with Susan Cabot. Somehow she doesn't have quite the presence of some other not-quite-A- list actresses of that era such as, say, a young Piper Laurie, but I guess that's a personal taste.

All in all, this is a better oater than most B pictures and shows an inexperienced Murphy could perform quite well when given good direction and surrounded with a good cast to play off of. Give it a try, you won't regret it.

Good shoot-em-up with Murphy as Reb Kittredge, a gunhand in between jobs. He is offered a job to run a cattleman out of the country so the evil Matt Telford can control the entire valley. In an odd turn of events Kittredge comes into ownership of the disputed acreage and begins a hazardous journey to get the bovine to market before the mortgage to Telford comes due. Of course, Telford does everything in his power to ensure the drive is unsuccessful. A side plot along the way involves Kittredge as one corner of a love triangle, pitting him against a hot headed, back shooting polecat for the love of a beautiful woman: gotta have that thrown in, eh? Pretty standard stuff, but I enjoyed the production.

Today was the Celebration of the Débarquement de Provence (in France ...), and I saw an excellent five minutes report on Audie Murphy and his act of war in Ramatuelle. So I decided to watch Gunsmoke I just bought a few days ago, thinking I was going to see a classic Murphy western. But from the first minutes, I discovered a very impertinent Murphy and not looking as fresh as in his other westerns, almost dirty and moving very fast. And permanent twisty action and hit dialogues, even though the subject is well known in westerns, it turns to be very original in its construction with permanent moves sometimes every twenty seconds. The whole casting is good, Susan Cabot, Paul Kelly, Charles Drake, Mary Castle, ... Produced by Aaron Rosenberg (Gunsmoke is not far from Anthony Mann's westerns produced by Rosenberg) and directed by Nathan Juran (who directed two other fine Murphy westerns, Tumbleweed and Drums Across The River), a very tense and unforgettable western.

A couple of saddle pals, Audie Murphy and Charles Drake, go their separate ways after a job in the Johnson County War in Wyoming. Murphy heads for a job offer from cattle baron Donald Randolph. But like John Wayne who refuses a job from Ed Asner in El Dorado, Murphy decides to throw in with small rancher Paul Kelly. Of course that Paul has an attractive daughter in Susan Cabot has a great deal to do with it.

El Dorado is only one of the other westerns that you can see plot elements from. I can count The Man from Laramie, Coroner Creek, and Destry Rides Again in which parts of those films are plainly visible in Gunsmoke.

Audie Murphy was always one of the success stories of Hollywood and then unfortunately a tragedy. Our most decorated combat veteran could have had a choice of any number of careers after World War II. He had what only could be described as an instinct in that he chose a movie career. He turned out to be a natural for westerns.

His product was always good. Too bad his career never took the path of a successful long running television series or going into A budget projects like John Wayne. Either of those paths might have led him to a longer career and life.

In fact both leads in this film met tragic ends, Audie in a plane crash and Susan Cabot, a notorious Hollywood homicide at the hands of her son. Cabot, but for a decision to leave Universal to free lance, might also have gone a television route. Though she became a cult favorite with The Wasp Woman, cult parts are hard to come by and usually really type cast people.

By the way, though it is not the only element of Desty Rides Again in this film, saloon girl Mary Castle gets to sing the Marlene Dietrich classic See What the Boys in the Backroom will Have in Gunsmoke. And why not? Since Universal produced Destry Rides Again and they own the song why not use it here as it costs them not a cent.

I think western fans will not be disappointed in Gunsmoke.

No, not the long running TV show but an Audie Murphy Western from 1953. A land baron wants to take over the homestead of a man, along w/his dutiful daughter, so he hires Murphy to come in & do his thing to rid the baron of his problem but when he doesn't meet Murphy's money requirement, Murphy decides to work the cattle himself (he has won the property from the owner in a gentleman's cut of a card deck) & bring them in for sale. The baron decides to bring in another hired hand to deal w/Murphy (who turns out to be an old friend of his) & the race to bring the steers in begins. W/crackling dialogue & a short, terse running time, this oater only falters in its presentation (a blu-ray or remastered print would be a key asset to this classic) which in the version I saw had its colors look a bit washed out & faded but being a superior Murphy outing makes up for the faulty showing.