The Gunfighter (King/50)

"The Gunfighter", starring Gregory Peck as Jimmy Ringo (John Wayne originally wanted to play this part), who after shooting a guy, Eddie (Richard Jaeckel), in self-defence, leaves to go to a town near by to seek out his wife and son who he hasn't seen in years, while at the same time causing a sensation in the quiet little place. But Eddie's three brothers are after him, intent on killing Jimmy in revenge. This move belongs to the select breed of Westerns that I like to call "clock-watchers", like "High Noon" and "3.10 to Yuma", a great deal of attention is brought to what the time is as Ringo tries to see his wife before the brothers arrive in town. The suspense is expertly built, and with the aid of an intelligent script, Peck gives us one of his best performances.

This is another one I will have to watch.

One of my favourite films.
It's also one of those westerns you can watch with the wife: she'll love it too

Gregory Peck is of course a wonderful actor and he was never better than as the gunfighter

Howdy Scherp! Welcome to the forum (and a great avatar ).

Howdy scherpschutter; and I agree with you, it is one of Peck's best roles. In fact, I'd say it was better than his performance in "To Kill a Mockingbird". It's interesting to compare his mature, subtle acting in this, with his (near) camp performance in "Duel in the Sun) (1946), which is a fun film, and a guilty pleasure, but no way near as good as this.

Hello everybody. New guy in town.

"It's also one of those westerns you can watch with the wife: she'll love it too"

If only. The chances of my missus settling down to any Western are, to quote a good friend of mine, the square root of f**k all.

The Gunfighter is a terrific movie, however. Peck is the pick of its pleasures - he's a tragic figure, but tough throughout, with a complete absence of self-pity, true to his character's hard-bitten nature. He asks no favours and, ultimately, isn't granted any, least of all by fate. Some people may feel the conclusion sentimentalises the situation, but I think the tone is just right - didactic without being preachy.

In many ways, Peck set the bar for a string of complex, unsympathetic portrayals by Western leading men in the Fifties, along with James Stewart in Winchester 73, made the same year.

Hello Gorch, welcome to town!