Glenn Ford made some terrific Westerns in the Fifties. The Man From The Alamo. The Sheepman. The Violent Men. 3:10 To Yuma. Good stuff (especially that last one).
But my favorite might be The Fastest Gun Alive (1956). Based on a teleplay by Frank D. Gilroy, “The Last Notch,” an episode of The United States Steel Hour, it’s a cool variation on the gunfighter-wanting-to-hang-up-his-guns idea.
Director Russell Rouse manages the suspense very well, making for a lean, tight, intense 89 minutes. The cast is excellent — from Glenn Ford as the fast draw trying to live a quiet life (and brimming with all the usual 50s Western psychoses) to Jeanne Crain as his wife to Broderick Crawford as the gunman who can’t resist a chance to test his skill (I don’t like his hat, though) — with strong support from folks you’ve seen in a thousand of these things. And cinematographer George Folsey (who was nominated for two Oscars the year before Fastest Gun — one for color, one for black and white) makes sure Red Rock Canyon looks great. One complaint: André Previn’s score is a little overly dramatic for my taste, and Russ Tamblyn’s dance sequence seems to come outta nowhere.
It’s a small picture that aims high — and hits its target. Highly recommended.
1956 sure was a good year for cowboy movies.
The DVD-R from Warner Archive looks great — maybe the best I’ve seen. The contrast is just right, the detail is stunning, and the 1.85 framing is dead on. However, this is the first time my machine’s had trouble with one of these DVD-Rs. Luckily, Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings provides some pointers on how to handle their customer service. Thanks, Laura.
UPDATE: I contacted the Warner Archive folks by email about my problem with this disc, and another was on the way the next day — and I didn’t need to return the wonky one.
And for all you format/process/technology freaks out there, I noticed The Fastest Gun Alive was originally released in Perspecta Sound!
Excellent little movie indeed. Ford was very much at home in western roles in general and I like nearly all I’ve seen. Jubal is another that’s out of the top drawer.
Sorry to hear you had trouble with your disc, that’s one of the most off-putting aspects of the Archive for me. I have this movie on R2 disc from France; it’s open matte unfortunately but still a pretty good transfer.
Colin
Jubal is great.
Another one I’m fond of is The Americano, directed by William Castle.
I got to see that last summer and enjoyed it just fine; really liked the South American backdrop. It’s a pity there doesn’t seem to be any decent DVD available though.
I have this on Region 2 as well — not certain if it’s French in origin, but the interesting thing about it is that it’s presented in its letterbox version, which I wasn’t expecting.
I love John Dehner in this one — as a man who’s fed up with Crawford’s tyranny but smart enough to know he could never take him in a gunfight.
I’m becoming a big Dehner fan. He’s also great in Man Of The West — in a similar role as the frustrated second banana.
I also really like The Texas Rangers.
How you feeling these days?
Glenn Ford reckoned that Broderick Crawford was
just about the most professional actor that he ever
worked with.Another treat for Crawford fans is VCI
will release another Russell Rouse/Crawford picture
“New York Confidential” late June.
One of my favourite films of the 70s was Larry Cohens
“The Private Files Of J Edgar Hoover” with a towering
performance by Crawford.I love the scenes where
Bobby Kennedy (Michael Parks) really gets on Hoovers
case.The contrast between the two actors styles is
sensational;Crawford an old school pro and Parks an
edgey method actor.I understand Clint Eastwood is
developing his own Hoover project so hopefully Cohens
film will get a much deserved DVD release.
I note that New York Confidential was an Edward Small
production does that mean VCI has the rights to Smalls
back catalogue? If so we could see some of the fine
Westerns George Montgomery made for Small released
on DVD.Darn Good Westerns Volume 3 perhaps!
…… ” THEY THINK I JUST SELL DRESSES AND CANDY “……….. WHAT A LINE, ONE OF MY FAVOURITE WESTERNS OF ALL TIME, SOME BRILLIANT ACTING FROM GLEN FORD AND A VETERAN CAST, HELD TOGETHER BY FINE DIRECTING… LOVE IT
…
At 65 years of age, I am old enough to remember going to see “The Fastest Gun Alive” when it was a new film. In May, 1957, in fact, when I was ten and a bit years old. I was very impressed with the film, with Glenn Ford’s superb acting and with the music score, which described in musical terms the torment being felt by the hero. The film was a big hit and played to packed houses at cinemas everywhere. However, the inclusion of the Russ Tamblyn dance number was a mistake, as it spoiled the flow of the drama. This was, of course, as in so many Westerns of that period, a fictitious West invented by Hollywood and I doubt very much that anyone with a revolver, no matter how fast on the draw they were, could hit two silver dollars thrown into the air. Of course, we accepted these films as truthful back in those days, just as with another Hollywood trick, shooting a revolver out of a man’s hand. But there’s no doubt that “The Fastest Gun Alive” was a very entertaining film that certainly cleaned up at the box office.
I agree — as much as I like Russ Tamblyn, his dance sequence cuts the movie in half.
UPDATE: I just found out that hitting two silver dollars thrown into the air is possible after all. There’s an American guy named Bob Munden and I’ve just watched him doing it on YouTube. As well as that, he really is the fastest gun alive and can draw, cock and fire his revolver faster than the blink of an eye! Broderick Crawford wouldn’t have stood a chance against him!
That guy’s incredible.
There’s some interesting stuff out there on Herb Parsons, the sharpshooter who did the shooting for Winchester 73.
I rate FASTEST GUN ALIVE highly. And agree John Dehner always good. I liked him too as Randolph Scott’s lawyer in TALL MAN RIDING.
Russ Tamblyn’s dance definitely broke the skilfully created suspense.
And nice end twist.
My favorite Ford western along with 3.10 TO YUMA.
Another good supporting actor in Tall Man Riding is John Baragrey ( his character has the memorable name, “Cibo Pearlo” )
A great western…..why did Ford not get an Oscar nomination for best actor?