18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
An Effective Repulic Western, February 5, 2000
This review is from: The Showdown (1950) [VHS] (VHS Tape)
A former Texas lawman (the stern William "Wild Bill" Elliott) searches for his brother's killer on a trail drive.
This Republic Pictures play on RED RIVER is effective due to strong performances by an excellent cast, including Walter Brennan, Marie Blanchard and Harry Morgan.
Elliott was a popular Republic star during the 1940s. Unlike other Republic players (whose vehicles were aimed squarely at an adolescent audience), his characterizations were unusually mature, with vengeance often their motivating factors. If you are familiar with Elliott, this will provide a fond reminder of this nearly forgotten star.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bill Elliot at his best, July 6, 2002
This review is from: The Showdown (1950) [VHS] (VHS Tape)
I believe "Showdown" is one of the ten best films ever made. This low budget masterpeice shows what can be accomplished when talent is substituted for money. The acting and the production values in this movie are superb. Out of the hundreds of movies I saw as a child this one has haunted my memory all of my life. It is one of a kind and totally unforgetable. This is a splendid film noir movie disquised as a cheap "B western that can be watched over and over again. The casting is the very best with Walter Brennen and Bill Elliot giving top performances. This film is very similar and in a class with "Casablanca" in many ways.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Wild Bill Elliott B-Western Series ... The Showdown (1950) ... Republic Pictures", December 10, 2006
This review is from: The Showdown (1950) [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Republic Pictures present "THE SHOWDOWN" (1950) (86 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- relive those thrilling days when Wild Bill Elliott took us down the dusty trails with hard riding and straight shooting hitting the bull's eye with excitement every time ... the Wild Bill Elliott series of B-Westerns were a staple of Saturday matinees in the 1930s and 1940s ... Wild Bill fans know one of his trademarks was wearing his pistols backwards butts front in his holsters, when he drew he would draw in the normal way flipping the guns around with a twist of his wrist, this was different from other B-Western heroes of that day ... don't miss any of the Wild Bill Elliott features loaded with action that will leave you wanting more of his B-Western adventures.
Under Dorrell McGowan (Director / Screenwriter), Stuart E. McGowan (Director / Screenwriter), William "Wild Bill" Elliott (Producer), William J. O'Sullivan (Producer), Dan Gordon (Short Story Author), Richard Wormser (Short Story Author), Reggie Lanning (Cinematographer), Stanley Wilson (Composer (Music Score), Harry Keller (Editor) ------ the cast includes Wild Bill Elliott (Shadrach Jones), Walter Brennan (Cap MacKellar), Marie Windsor (Adelaide), Harry Morgan (Rod Main), Rhys Williams (Chokecherry), Jim Davis (Cochran), William Ching (Mike Shattay), Nacho Galindo (Gonzales), Leif Erickson (Big Mart), Henry Rowland (Dutch), Charles Stevens (Indian Joe), Victor Kilian (Hemp), Yakima Canutt (Davis) ------ our story has Wild Bill Elliott a trail boss who has always been a loner seeking the killer of his kid brother ... is the killer hiding in a wagon train and trail drive which Elliott joins ... Walter Brennan always good in any western, plays his role with preaching sentiment to let the law handle this crime ... the heroine Marie Windsor who has appeared in many good Elliott films, is the owner of a hotel saloon keeps you guessing in the final scene who the culprits are ... this story has film noir written all over it, Elliott in his best role with a cast of supporting actors that give this film high marks ---- they just don't make 'em like this anymore and Republic Pictures was one of the leaders of exciting B-Westerns and Serials.
Special Footnote, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that Gordon Nance from Pattonsburg, Mo, later known at William "Wild Bill" Elliott (the Peaceable Man) was the best Red Ryder on the big screen ... also the latest Bobby J. Copeland's book on "Bill Elliott:The Peaceable Man" is chuck full of answers to all the questions his fans had from early on...plenty of thrills, adventure and loaded with action. My personal favorites were the "Red Ryder Series" or "The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok" an ongoing character that would appear in many films to come...as Hickok and Wild Bill Saunders. Elliott was a natural for the western, his riding abilities and fight scenes were the caliber of Buck Jones, Johnny Mack Brown and Bob Steele...good reading for all you wranglers out there...I found myself being transported back in time, Mr. Copeland's book has opened my eyes to what a wonderful unselfish person Bill Elliott was...only wish I could have met him. He was one of a kind...a peaceable man!...published by Empire Publising and available on Amazon and Empire Publications Inc ... it's no small wonder that William Elliott's name was at the top of the list, working with the top directors of the day Howard P. Bretherton, Spencer Gordon Bennett, Joseph Kane, Wallace A. Grissell, Leslie Selander and R.G. Springsteen all under Republic Pictures banner.
BIOS:
1. Bill Elliott (aka: Gordon Nance)
Date of birth: 16 October 1903 - Pattonsburg, Missouri
Date of death: 26 November 1965 - Las Vegas, Nevada
Great job releasing "The Showdown" (1950) - Wild Bill Elliott, the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out VCI Entertainment where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns and Serials ---Western Classics, all my heroes have been cowboys!
Total Time: 86 min on VHS ~ Republic Video ~ (1/01/1998)
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