No Name on the Bullet (1959)

What makes it different from others?

A Brilliant Conflict

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

This film shows a different side of Audie Murphy's acting talent. Instead of the easy-going style that was evident in most of his films, here he is really rather psychopathic.And he does it well.The story is that he is a professional gun-man, who has come to town presumably to kill.....someone. But who? His presence creates chaos for the town, as all of the people who have every done anyone any harm are convinced he is after them. A fascinating, and substantive plot---much more than what one usually sees in what is essentially a B-western (the film is only about 90 minutes, clearly intended for a double feature).It is well acted up and down the line, with a large number of 1950s western character actors in supporting roles.Anybody who is a westerns fan will enjoy it. And anybody who is an Audie Murphy fan (and everybody should be!) will enjoy it.

No Name On The Bullet is a very good psychological western.It stars Audie Murphy in one of his many westerns,here he plays a hired assassin by the name of John Gant,who has been payed to go into a town and kill somebody,but who has he come for?this is the question all the local towns folk are asking and so do you the viewer. Naturally all the locals are on edge and are paranoid as they all have their secrets and they all have their enemies,before long they all start turning against each other and making accusations. The biggest problem is that although Gant is a known hired killer he always gets his victims to draw first so that it looks as if he has killed in self defence,therefor he can not be arrested,he is cold and calculating and has all his plans worked out.So how can he be stopped?The real intended victim comes to light towards the last fifteen minutes of the film but you may have already guessed before then.The tension in this film is almost claustrophobic as you feel the over bearing pressure on the towns people.Its brilliantly directed and although Murphys performance is good the supporting cast is excellent. No Name On The Bullet is a good tense thriller,which instead of being a Whodunnit is more of an Whos gone a get it?

Audie Murphy is at his best in this western as the quiet gunslinger John Gant. The drama and personal emotions that this character brings to the screen only adds to the build up of John Gant. The friend ship that Gant and the Doctor (Charles Drake) develops is admirable in that they both have different values. When Gant compares himself to the Doctor the comparison is truly magnificent. Some of the lines will live forever. Thats my prescription physician you better have it filled, I might even have one for you store keeper. Thats sets the stage for who wants to die. Reminds me of the scene in Warlock. When Henry Fonds says "Well who's to do it".

Audie Murphy (as John Gant) plays it real smooth here. He manipulates the whole town 'leading citizens' into thinking which one is the one he's after (that he's been hired to kill), and leaves them all feeling quite guilty over their past misdeeds. So guilty that the town banker commits suicide, and a couple of others start shooting one another without Gant ever having to lift a finger. This is one of the few times you'll see Murphy play a bad guy, although quite different from the unhinged character you'd later see him play in John Huston's THE UNFORGIVEN (1960). Nothing he did acting-wise, ever topped that one.Universal has released the widescreen Technicolor DVD of this and it's the best way to see it. No speckling and only a couple of brief frame blemishes. Sound is excellent, although the only extra is a trailer.Now if Universal will only see fit to release the following excellent Audiepix westerns on DVD, I'd be a happy man:SEVEN WAYS FROM SUNDOWN (1960) w. Barry Sullivan; RIDE CLEAR OF DIABLO (1954) w. Dan Duryea; HELL BENT FOR LEATHER (1960) w. Steven McNally; and RIDE A CROOKED TRAIL (1958) w. Walter MatthauSo if you all liked NO NAME ON THE BULLET, then I bet you'll probably like the four I listed up above. They're all solid oaters. 7 out of 10