Gunfighters (1947)

Best movie ever!

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Very polished,as one might expect from such an experienced director as Mr F.Waggner,who,along with cinemaphotographer Mr F.Jackman jr had a long career in films and tv - always relied upon to bring his stuff home on time and professionally produced. There are some elegantly posed interiors that would not disgrace Ford here. Not unlike "The Big sleep" this is a story of a father and his two daughters and the Philip Marlowe figure who becomes involved in their lives. Enter the straightforward,honest gunfighter Brazos Kane (Mr R.Scott) wrongly accused of murder his partner and railroaded by The girls' father and a crooked sherriff who scarcely escapes a lynching before setting out on a revenge mission. One sister is good and the other not quite so good and frankly they run rings round the bemused Brazos. Appearances by Mr B.Cabot,Mr F.Tucker and other familiar Western characters add a pleasing sense of deja vu as Mr Scott unravels the mystery of his partner's death. Films like "Gunfighters" filled our screens in the years immediately after the second world war as the British movie industry struggled to re - invent itself, and supplied a much - needed reassurance that good would triumph over evil to a nation that had endured a very close - run thing for six years. Mr Scott represented the old values of decency and courage that had threatened to be overcome and we loved him for it. Right up until "Ride the High Country" in 1962 his righteous bloody - mindedness represented the best of the American Spirit for us Limeys who were grateful to his countrymen for saving our arses in two world wars..

Gunfighters, adapted from a Zane Grey's novel, starring Randolph Scott, featuring two beautiful actresses, Barbara Britton and Dorothy Hart, a solid cast, including Bruce Cabot, Forrest Tucker, Grant Withers and Grant Withers, some spectacular stunts, a good screenplay, filmed in Cinecolor photography, and you have an above average 1940s western, that does the job just fine. The opening of Gunfighters is superbly done, as the camera films the sequence through a saloon window, looking at the back of a piano player. While the credits role, Randolph Scott with his back to the piano, drinking a beer, turns towards the piano player, sets the beer down and walks out of the scene, quite clever. There are many good film synopsis already submitted, so I will suggest to the reader to view this film and enjoy some good western entertainment and some of the best on location scenery throughout the entire story. Those who love Randolph Scott and westerns from the 1940s, will not be disappointed.

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".

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.