Ameriatch One of the best films i have seen

HottWwjdIam There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

Usamah Harvey The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Spikeopath Gunfighters (AKA: The Assassin) is directed by George Waggner and adapted to screenplay by Alan Le May from the novel "Twin Sombreros" written by Zane Grey. It stars Randolph Scott, Barbara Britton, Bruce Cabot, Dorothy Hart, Griff Barnett and Forest Tucker. Music is by Rudy Schrager and Gerard Carbonara and cinematography by Fred Jackman Jr.A gunman who has laid down his guns finds that circumstances test him to the limit...It's a familiar formula that any Western film fan can acknowledge as being over used, that's not to say that the right production isn't worth visiting as such, but expectation of something fresh can often lead to disappointment.Built on solid foundations due to scorching location photography and Randolph Scott prepping himself for greater things in the next decade (see also The Walking Hills 1949), it's a pleasurable piece. It also - via the narrative - isn't afraid to be bold as regards the ultimate decisions made by Scott's Brazos character, giving the pic a darker edge and being all the better for it. Elsewhere, the villains are standard stuff but entertaining regardless, the twin beauties of Britton and Hart have interesting parts to play, and the action scenes are well put together - with the pursuit sequences exciting. Filmed in Cinecolor, it's nice to report this is one of the better photographed Westerns in that format, which is just as well because the Sedona locations are to die for.Not what you would term a keeper, but for Western fans of the era and Scott fans in general, it's worth its salt. 6.5/10

weezeralfalfa Based on Zane Gray's novel "Twin Sombreros", the plot revolves around a killing, apparently related(none too clearly) to a cattle war(rustling? land rights?), with Mr. Banner(Griff Barnett) being the local cattle baron. Old Mr. Inskip(Charlie Grapewin) is his neighbor, for whom Bob Tyrell works. When noted gunfighter Brazos Kane(Randolph Scott) shows up, looking for a job, he hears a couple of shots and sees two men on horses leave in a hurry. He finds Tyrell dead of bullet wounds. Who shot Tyrell and why?Very strangely, Brazos brings Tyrell's body to Banner's neighboring ranch, where he is greeted with suspicion, and formally charged by the deputy sheriff present with the murder, even though he's not carrying a firearm. Somehow, Brazos did find a bullet in the body, and secretly gives it to Banner's daughter, Jane, for safe keeping. Unfortunately, this bullet eventually is lost or thrown away, thus plays no role in solving the case.Banner actually has 2 marriageable daughters, who occasionally play a subsidiary role in the proceedings. Jane(Dorothy Hart)is characterized as a 'good' girl, who develops a crush on Brazos, while Bess(Barbara Britton) is characterized as a 'bad' girl, who is in love with ranch foreman Bard Mackey(Bruce Cabot), whom she knows shot Tyrell. She also flirts with Brazos. As others have commented, these girls look too much alike, leading to frequent confusion by the viewer which one is present. Even Brazos sometimes is unsure which one he is talking to. Not all sisters look much alike. Thus, the casting director should have found two actresses who were distinctive looking. Some of Banner's wranglers decide the flimsy evidence against Brazos is strong enough to justify a lynching. The Banner bunch seem overeager to close the case, thus raising the suspicion in Brazos's mind that some of them were responsible. Inskip saves Brazos from a lynching by last second trickery. Later, he again attempts to save Brazos from an ambush , but is shot dead himself. Young Johnny O'Neil jumps on Brazos's horse and gallops out of town. As hoped, Banner's bunch follow him, thinking he is Brazos. It works, but Johnny pays with his life.Brazos figures it's time to put his pistols back on. Eventually, he intimidates Deputy Yount(working for Banner)into providing some info about the murder. The sheriff later gets more info from him. The climax occurs when Brazos engages in a "High Noon" contest with Orcutt(Forrest Tucker), immediately followed by a similar contest with Bard. Guess who wins. Then, Brazos is nearly executed by Banner, standing behind him. But, a quick thinking friend shoots the gun out of Banner's hand. Seems like all of Brazos's local friends are dead. All but one. Can you guess who?Of course, Charlie Grapewin was a charismatic presence as Inskip. He played memorable characters in such films as "The Good Earth", "The Wizard of Oz", "The Grapes of Wrath" and, his opus magnum: "Tobacco Road".

classicsoncall For a fairly standard Forties Western, this one had a few interesting elements beginning with the opening showdown between Brazos Kane (Randolph Scott) and an unknown assailant who calls him out. We learn immediately after that it was Kane's best friend who wanted to see how fast he really was with a gun. I'm not certain that would be the best way to test one's quick draw reflexes, a guy could get seriously hurt that way.And then there was that scene in Bannertown when Bard Macky (Bruce Cabot) ran his horse into Kane's, and actually knocked Kane's horse down! I had to wonder if that was scripted or just happened and the crew just kept on filming. The rest of the scene played out curiously as well, with Kane dodging Macky's horse as he tried to bring his opponent to ground level.But you know, as I sit here and think about the story, it seems to make less and less sense. Kane's attempt to investigate his friend's murder eventually leads him to Banner henchman Macky and daughter Bess (Barbara Britton), who's boot-print turns up at the murder scene. So in the tradition of all your cowboy hero good guys, you'd expect Kane to bring both of them to justice by the end of the picture. Especially since Banner himself (Griff Barnett) ordered the murder of Bob Tyrell.So with the picture setting us up for a Kane romance with Bess's sister Jane (Dorothy Hart), was it Bess who got to ride off into the sunset with Kane? The sisters did look an awful lot alike. Actually, I do know which one hooked up with Brzaos at Monument Rock; the tease here is just to see if you were paying attention.

bkoganbing Back in his early days Randolph Scott did a whole flock of westerns for his original studio, Paramount, based on Zane Grey novels. In a sense Gunfighters is a return to those roots, but not terribly successful.After he nearly kills a friend who just had to see if Scott's prowess with six shooters is for real, Scott determines to hang up the weaponry and look for an obscure place to settle down.It's all been done before, the gunfighter with his skills are needed to right some local wrongs and Gunfighters is no exception. Before he knows it Randolph Scott is involved in the local range war and has to deal with such baddies as Forrest Tucker and Bruce Cabot and a pair of sisters who've got their eyes on him in Barbara Britton and Dorothy Hart.Nothing terribly exceptional in Gunfighters, but Randolph Scott fans will like it.