User Reviews

"Gun City" is Green City, where Johnny Yuma meets editor Ben Tully (Otto Kruger), an old friend of Mason City editor Elmer Dodson (twice played by John Carradine), who takes pride in making his town gun free, without the need for a sheriff. Johnny willingly turns over his gun to Ben but finds one missing from the storeroom, belonging to a townsman who was killed by a horse in a livery stable a few weeks back. The members of the town council decide to retain their own weapons with a mysterious gunslinger in their midst, the other citizens following suit to Ben's dismay. Johnny's hunch on the gunman's identity turns out to be accurate, though the reasons guiding his actions are more complicated than anyone could guess. The adventure concludes with all the guns back in Ben's storeroom, and Yuma's observation: "with a gun people shoot first and talk later." In one of his last roles, veteran Otto Kruger was a fine choice, supported by Dan Sheridan (second of five), Thomas Browne Henry, and George Becwar, Bela Lugosi's co-star in "Bride of the Monster," in the first of his seven appearances. On the matter of gun control, liberals want people to believe that abolishing our second amendment would put an end to gun violence, strictly a political issue without regard to personal safety; what they never mention is that they cannot possibly prevent criminals from obtaining guns, and that attacking the National Rifle Association is a phony straw dog, they are responsible for promoting gun safety.

SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN so many other Western episodes, which can honestly be categorized as being rather ordinary is this little curio. Bearing both a strong "message" (propoganda, brainwashing-take your pick)along with a truly rare appearance by a screen veteran, appearing against type, this episode of THE REBEL, "Gun City", deserves a high dose of close scrutiny.

FIRST OF ALL,we have a rare guest shot done by one Otto Kruger.* Versatile, stage trained and most competent, Mr.Kruger had long portrayed intelligent and competent men; be they of good will as the movie producer in VALENTINO (1950) or the 'Brains Heavy' like Jules Anthor in MURDER MY SWEET (RKO,1944).

IN WHAT MUST be described as a complete departure from the norm, we find the usual suave and debonair (swave & debonner for our friends) Mr. Kruger portraying an American rural rustic type. He has affected accent an mannerisms that we can only define as "Walter Brennan-esque"; and we took some time in being able to recognize this characterization as being his.

ALL OF THAT positive business being dealt with, let us now proceed to dispatch the rest of this with the most haste.

IN SHORT, WE find Johnny Yuma (Nick Adams) arriving in town and engaging in deeply solemn conversation with elderly clerk-newspaper editor (Otto Kruger) who explains that years ago he had started the practice of checking (on an apparently permanent basis)all of ones firearms. Participints just hang their gun belts on named and numbered hooks in Otto's back room.

AS OUR HERO, Johnny Yuma arranges to comply at least temporarily, they discover that one gun is missing.Someone has taken one out and thus has threatened the peace of the community. In a swift reaction to this "crisis", a group of town elders also check out their guns. After a series of shooting crises and the obligatory blaming the trouble on Johnny, peace is restored. Yuma rides out of town and on to his next confrontation in the following week's edition.

FROM THE OUTSET,it was obvious to us that whoever penned this story is a person of deep thought, high ideals and deep concern for their fellow man. He is also absolutely devoid of any of that God-given commodity known as "Common Sense".

WE HEAR LINES that echo the sentiments of the production team which are filled with words as "safer", "no need for guns" and a sort of "everlasting peace"; all coming in conversation concerning no need for weapons in a gun free society.

THAT WE CAN have a more peaceful society by removing all firearms from our people (save police & military) is is as absurd as thinking that we could promote swimming,boating and general water safety by confiscating all lifesavers,except those in possession of properly certified and professional Lifeguards.

THERE IS AN uncanny parallel between the ideas advocated by our "Guh Grabbers" (be it in the mid 20th Century or present) and all of those who had advocated and got passed into law what we call "PROHIBITION". Both ideas are Utopian in nature and, oddly enough, produce results that are in direst conflict with what they promise.

IN THE CASE OF the 19th Ammendmebt ad the Volsted Act, we had more irresponsible drunks and drinkers than ever before. As a by product, instead of "Temperence", we were presented with the phenomenon of Organized Crime. "Gun Control" delivers us not from threats and incidents of "gun violence"; but rather leaves the law abiding among us in the figurative position of being "Lambs to the Slaughter."

THIS PARTICULAR EPISODE of THE REBEL: "Gun City" could have examined both sides of what are the intended and unintended consequences of nullifying the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution. They chose only the touchy-feely, "Politically Correct" side of things.

NOTE:* It's not that we're saying that Otto Kruger didn't do any television, for we do remember him as being host of LUX Hollywood THEATRE (NBC); which was an extension of the Radio Show once hosted by Cecil B. DeMille.