Well I've seen more than my share of Western films, but I can't think of another one right now where a man throws down against his own father. One would think youth would prevail, child is father to the man as it were, but not in "Gunman's Walk", a title that doesn't quite fit the story but that's nothing new for the genre.
I caught this one on Turner Classics this evening, neatly timed to coincide with Tab Hunter's eightieth birthday. Cast against type, he portrays 'wild' brother Ed Hackett along side James Darren's more peaceable sibling Davy; they in turn the sons of veteran actor Van Heflin who seems more interesting as a hard case than the characters he portrayed in "Shane" and "3:10 to Yuma".
Hunter is actually pretty good here with a vicious streak that catches you off guard. He really hits stride by the time he confronts father Lee (Heflin) at the bar toward the end of the film. He seemed just slightly forced in that scene, but otherwise it suited the moment to set up the final showdown. I had to wince a bit though when Hunter took up with the pair of saloon gals and blared into 'I'm a Runaway'. I know Hunter had a briefly successful singing career, but you couldn't tell here. He certainly didn't have anything on Rick Nelson in "Rio Bravo".
If you liked Van Heflin's performance, you might want to look up another Western he starred in toward the end of his career - 1968's "The Ruthless Four". He plays a similar hard edged character and it might be a toss up as to which was the better role. Come to think of it, I'm having a little trouble deciding myself, so you'll have to make up your own mind.
Overall, a competent Western, though I didn't find it as compelling as most of the other reviewers on this board. Personally, I thought the Technicolor format worked against it, odd as that might sound. To me, it had the feel of a Fifties B Western and would have come off a bit grittier in good old black and white.
I caught this one on Turner Classics this evening, neatly timed to coincide with Tab Hunter's eightieth birthday. Cast against type, he portrays 'wild' brother Ed Hackett along side James Darren's more peaceable sibling Davy; they in turn the sons of veteran actor Van Heflin who seems more interesting as a hard case than the characters he portrayed in "Shane" and "3:10 to Yuma".
Hunter is actually pretty good here with a vicious streak that catches you off guard. He really hits stride by the time he confronts father Lee (Heflin) at the bar toward the end of the film. He seemed just slightly forced in that scene, but otherwise it suited the moment to set up the final showdown. I had to wince a bit though when Hunter took up with the pair of saloon gals and blared into 'I'm a Runaway'. I know Hunter had a briefly successful singing career, but you couldn't tell here. He certainly didn't have anything on Rick Nelson in "Rio Bravo".
If you liked Van Heflin's performance, you might want to look up another Western he starred in toward the end of his career - 1968's "The Ruthless Four". He plays a similar hard edged character and it might be a toss up as to which was the better role. Come to think of it, I'm having a little trouble deciding myself, so you'll have to make up your own mind.
Overall, a competent Western, though I didn't find it as compelling as most of the other reviewers on this board. Personally, I thought the Technicolor format worked against it, odd as that might sound. To me, it had the feel of a Fifties B Western and would have come off a bit grittier in good old black and white.