Gunsmoke (1953)

[Spikeopath]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045847/reference

I never did like to shoot my friends.

Gunsmoke is directed by Nathan Juran and adapted to screenplay by D.D. Beauchamp from the novel Roughshod written by Norman A. Fox. It stars Audie Murphy, Susan Cabot and Paul Kelly. Music is supervised by Joseph Gershenson and cinematography by Charles P. Boyle.

A safe recommendation to Western fans who just want to be entertained by an Audie Murphy picture of no pretensions. Nicely filmed out of Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, it's an unassuming film that follows familiar B Western plotting. Bad guy has reform in him and finds it when he ends up fighting for the underdog and falling in love with the daughter of said underdog. Characters are well defined, pace is brisk and the action is well constructed by Juran (latterly 7th Voyage of Sinbad/Jack the Giant Killer). Enjoy the shoot-outs, the cattle drive, the wagon down the hill sequence (those stunt workers rock!), and get on board with the devilishly handsome Murphy and the heart achingly sexy Cabot (check out how she carries off a red number during one scene as she gets the boys all hot and bothered).

It's not original and it doesn't bring any psychological smarts to the narrative, but it plays the clichés well and all involved deliver a professional and good looking picture. 6.5/10

Region Free DVD.

[Jessica Rabbit]

I'm a big Audie Murphy fan and Susan Cabot was his best leading lady. I love those two together. Gunsmoke is all around fun. It's sad how Cabot ended up.

[Spikeopath]

It's sad how Cabot ended up.

Indeed 

[T.H.]

I'm coming to the realization that I really enjoy Audie Murphy movies and need to see more of these. While this is competently directed in full frame, this lacks the visuals of the masters of the 50's western, but there's something very charming about these movies, and this script is pretty damn good for a B picture and a worthy entry in the Cattle vs Land subgenre. B-

[titoli]

Yeah to all the comments. For a 108' lenght it doesn't have any boring moments, the love angle is treated fast and the villains are never or rarely but effective seen faces (Drake and Randolph).  7/10

[Cusser]

I haven't seen many Audie Murphy films.  I know he was a great soldier and hero, just tough for me to visualize a 5' 5" tough guy in a western.  And he weighed 112 pounds when entering the army.

[titoli]

I haven't seen many Audie Murphy films.  I know he was a great soldier and hero, just tough for me to visualize a 5' 5" tough guy in a western.  And he weighed 112 pounds when entering the army.

You can say the same thing about Henry McCarty.