The Tin Star

The Tin Star is a classic western that does not appear on too many favorite lists,
but it is certainly on mine. This was a low budget movie filmed in 1957, it was shot
in black and white when most movies were being made in color. The Tin Star was
nominated for an Academy Award for best story and screenplay. The film stars
Henry Fonda as a bounty hunter and Anthony Perkins as a green sheriff. The bounty
hunter gives the sheriff a number of lessons about guns, shooting and learning men.
The town bully played by Neville Brand is gunning for the young sheriff and his tin star.
The sheriff makes good and keeps his badge. There is a nice side story about a widow,
played by Betsy Palmer, and a half Indian boy that are outcasts in town (which is not
given a name). The bounty hunter stays at their place when he couldn't get a room
elsewhere. Allen 'two gun' Gettel makes an appearance as 'Sloan'. Gettel was a major
league pitcher who worked bit parts in westerns during the off-season. However, he
only wore one gun in this picture.
  The Tin Star was directed by Anthony Mann, it was shot at Paramount Ranch and
he did a fine job as usual. The movie is well acted and has a great story.
One for the ages.