Customer Reviews

Gunmans Walk [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A rancher (Van Heflin) whose life spans the time of the wild west and the beginnings of civilization in the American West has two sons. One (Tab Hunter) embodies the wild ways of his youth, the other (James Darren) represents his more sensitive, civilized side. The father caters to his out-of-control wild son and dismisses the more level-headed one as weak. Eventually, the father is forced to confront the ruffian and re-evaluate his rejection of the kinder, gentler son.

I read a story about Phil Karlson screening the film for hard-nosed Columbia Pictures boss Harry Cohn. Cohn, who had two sons, wept at the end of the film and told Karlson he was going to make him the biggest director in Hollywood. But Cohn died shortly thereafter, and Karlson continued to languish in obscurity (despite the major hit "Walking Tall" and not helped by such cheesy assignments as Matt Helm movies), and with relatively little appreciation for such cheapo noir masterpieces as "Phenix City Story."

I'm aghast to see a review on this site calling this the worst movie ever. It's one of my all-time favorites. [Actually it seems that someone mistakenly posted a dis on "Simon Birch" as a rating of "Gunman's Walk," which is a shame since it's the only vote for GW on this site.]

Years ago I showed this one at a film society (a million years ago, people used to rent 16mm films and show them for a pittance for other film fans) and for reasons I can't figure out, we drew a packed house that somehow knew this was a special movie. The air conditioner blew out on a hot summer day, but everyone stayed and was totally rapt by this poignant little picture.

I loved this movie and I am waiting for it`s release on DVD.IT IS ONE OF Heflin`s best. He gave a great performance in SANTE FE TRAIL but this is his best. PLEASE RELEASE IT SOON ON DVD.

'Gunman's Walk' is one of those terrific films whose narrow focus actually serves to encompass huge themes, such as Family, Race, History, Nation. It is at this point that the provincial or local becomes properly mythic. Because although the story isn't really about much - a father, his kids, a murder - it is also based on the oldest story of them all, that of Oedipus the King, the story of a man who unwittingly killed his father, bringing plague upon the country he ruled.

Although the Oedipal story seems deeply tragic and anti-social, it has been used by Freud and his followers to explain the processes of socialisation through sexuality. The only way a society can ensure its continued survival is through a process that is adequately symolised in the Oedipus story - a child may resent his father's power over him, but one day he'll have to take his place in society, to 'kill' him. Here the Oedipus story becomes a positive thing for conservative societies that locate themselves in the family. Paradoxically, although it is the 'natural' order of things, it involves a great struggle, neither man willing to give up his position.

And this is the crux of 'Gunman's Walk' Lee Hackett is one of those legendary characters who tamed the West, who got there before the law did, who sees himself as a kind of privileged Founding Father. Except father is the wrong word - he is so afraid of growing old, of being surpassed, that he insists his sons call him 'Lee', while retaining the powers of a father - he has to beat them in everything, convince himself he's still young. as this is contrary to nature, a sort of plague ensues, leading to moral breakdown, where a man can murder another and get away with it, because good old dad, sorry Lee, will sort it out.

Lee's two sons have wildly divergent ways of dealing with their father's overwhelming pre-eminence. Danny is the sensible, sensitive one, who defeats his dad, plays the Oedipal game, by simply ignoring his values, his macho gun-play, his turning everyday activities into masculine rites and tests. He ignores his racism and his stifling brand of family loyalty.

Ed, on the other hand, takes Dad at his word, and tries to defeat him. Unlike Lee, though, he has not got a powerful social apparatus that he helped create to help him, and he goes speedily, violently, trigger-happy insane. The film's best sequences involve Ed's increasingly doomed and desperate attempts to prove his manhood, to surpass his dad.

The film, with its youthful, teen-market stars, seems to centre on the brothers, but it is really about Lee. He is a near-tragic figure, his two sons split versions of his self, his potential for good leading to family, and his history mired in violence taken to extremes. Van Heflin's brilliant performance, revealing the desperation behind the bluster, convinces us of this.

But, as his name suggests, Lee represents so much more - America, its history. the murdered boy is a Red Indian - Lee's stature derives from his own battles with the Indians which helped create the West. Times have changed: family, civilisation and reconciliation must replace violence, reputation and individualism. it sounds so easy, but director Karlson emphasises the fierce trauma and disruption of the process. His deftly buoyant camerawork during action sequences is among the most vivid and exciting I have ever seen.

Few westerns pack as much drama, family tragedy, character contrasts, prejudice, and western pioneer history as 'Gunman's Walk'. If Van Heflin could sing, this could have been a Hackett family sing-along...but then, maybe not! Both Tab Hunter and James Darren were tracking singing and acting careers - this happens to be Tab Hunter's best performance as the rogue malcontent, Ed Hackett. James Darren plays quite the opposite as the easy-going, fun-loving Davy Hackett. Then there's a veteran cast of characters that makes this motion picture a real stand-out for its time. Ray Teal, Ed Platt, Mickey Shaughnessy, Bert Convy, Robert Simon, and Paul Birch add class to this film - Simon is particularly effective as the Sheriff. Mrs. Bing Crosby (Kathryn Grant) plays the beautiful half-breed love interest that divides the brothers. And, of course, there's Van Heflin - the patriarch who lives past his prime and raises two sons on his own - fresh from another western classic,'3:10 to Yuma'. Heflin is gritty and masterful as the powerful Lee Hackett - certainly a template for Ben Cartwright in the soon-to-be 'Bonanza' TV series. This is what a western is supposed to be - entertaining to the very last. It would be very nice to see this memorialized on DVD.

I really wish is would come out on DVD. I just saw is on Cable this morning. It was great.

When is this coming out on DVD??? This is a great western and deserves to be on DVD. I have it prerecorded from tv and watch often. I would love to have on dvd for my collection.My husband loves this movie and enjoys watching over and over.

I'm glad to have this to add to my collection of movies James Darren had a role in. I wish the tape had had it wide screened and hope it will come out on DVD in that format. My sympathies were with James Darren's character throughout and where it would have been interesting to see what he could have done with the role of the bad son, he did fine with the role of the sensitive younger son.

...Today is Tab Hunter's 80th birthday. Most of the films that he was forced to make... well... like Elvis... his handlers put him in shlock... Either the films were no good or his role that of vanilla coated All American Boy.

...Damn Yankees fun... and They Came to Cordura gave a hint of his acting talent... But Gunman's Walk... well... his handlers must have been at the casino or something... This is definitely Hunter's top performance.

...Very much cast against type... His character is handsome and intelligent... fit and skilled... and largely a sociopath... His few fits and seizures of decency... such as addressing his brother's concern for his injury... are almost awkward... as if rusty...

...He has a massive chip on his shoulder... thinking that he needs to be better than his father (Van Heflin) a legend of the frontier... and he resents the fact that he will never do it... The film starts at a time when Hunter's character starting to act out in very dangerous ways... refusing to see the dangers... or accept the consequences...

A good plot...that deals with complex issues... Not your average "Blazing Guns West of the Pecos" film. Fine supporting cast. Van Heflin as the father who knows better but threatens a severely wounded man if he dares testify against his son... But unlike his son, Heflin knows where the final line is... (Heflin and Hunter had worked together in late '54 on Battle Cry)

Hunter must have relished his chance to utterly abandon the squeeky clean image for at least one film. Other actors in his shoes might have given an over the top performance... but Hunter knew that his character suffering from years of self-doubt and resentment coming to the surface all at once... Not an evil man... but a man doing bad things because his moral compass stuck in the wrong position.

It is said that in 1948... John Ford saw John Wayne in Red River and said... "I didn't know that big lug could really act..." and Wayne's career headed towards many better films. Elvis wanted to be the white racist in The Defiant Ones... might have opened a career in vastly better films... but "Colonel Parker" (his handler) flat out said no... Parker was good at making money... but nothing else...

Unlike Elvis... Tab Hunter had a chance to show what he could do... But for all of its quality... this was a relatively small Western... and Hunter already firmly typecast. This film at least shows that he was a real actor...

Way past time for a quality DVD...