source: Gun Glory

Trailer—Gun Glory

Gun Glory

I'm a big fan of the old westerns, and do not believe that Hollywood is capable of capturing its old glory. But not even Ronda Fleming and Stewart Granger can help this 1957 movie which carries nearly all the trite characteristics of westerns of the reformed gunfighter turned good guy. fallen but virtuous woman, bigoted townspeople who must turn to gunfighter for salvation, etc. I can't help but notice the last names of the writer and young "actor" who plays Granger's son. Any nepotism there? I've seen better acting in high school plays. Chill Wills plays a cartoon characterization of Chill Wills. Have I reached the 1000 words yet?

The only worthwhile part of this film were the scenes with rhonda fleming ... the rest of the film all i could hear was stewart grangers spurs clanking ...

The story of peace-loving farmers and townspeople fighting for land, water, law and order, and the respect and ultimate subjugation of the long entrenched cattle interests and their hired guns had been worked over better in earlier (Shane) and probably later films as well. There's some good action scenes and the general layout of the story, excluding a disappointing ending, is well executed. Law and order and religion have established roots in the town, but the old order of cattle drives, cowboys, and gunslingers is still around as well. The clash of the two occurs in a nicely staged ambush scene where the townsmen ride right into a trap. Granger, an ex-gunfighter, plays the guy who is shunned by the very townspeople who need his expertise with a gun.

Westerns were in fashion after the surprise smash of "Fastest Gun Alive", 1956. "Gun Glory" opens with a gunfighter (Stewart Granger), facing community rejection upon returning home to settle down... He finds his wife dead and his son resentful... Granger's personal magnetism is fair enough to carry a tedious story... He manages to be quiet fast in the gun... Strong, warm, sure and tender while remaining a father and a man in love... Rhonda Fleming comes out graceful but her character loses some of its translation to Western lead... She seems more comfortable with her lighthearted love interest... Despite a few pretentious action moments, "Gun Glory" - photographed in color and CinemaScope - is, on the whole, good only for its two stars...

Above Average 50's Western with a few Edgy Things that Elevate beyond the mundane. Stewart Granger and Rhonda Fleming are Attractive Stars and Competent Actors. The Film was Shot in Cinemascope that adds to the Wide Open Landscape. The Colorful Setting is used to advantage and the Simple Story is Spiced with some Atypical Shacking Up and Lustful Scenes. That alone is against the grain of most Fifties Fodder and Preaching. Although, it must be said there is a Heavy Amount of Preaching in the Screenplay. Chill Wills as a Bible Toting Preacher is a Major Character and the Dialog often reverts to Philosophy from the Pulpit. It almost becomes too much but not quite. The Tension and Action are Amped Up in the Second Half as things become Violent and Explosive. The Solid Direction from Old Pro Rowland keeps things from becoming Clichéd and/or Standard Stuff. Overall, a Well-Done Entry in the Abundance of 1950's Westerns and is, Unlike the Majority of Output in the Decade, well Worth a Watch.

Stewart Granger comes back to his native one-horse town to find his wife dead ,and his son,Tom,a resentful bitter young lad.The son is an idealist,who cannot understand why you've got to make your gun speak .But he will find out. This is a routine western,but one which retains a certain charm:it's too bad that some characters were not more developed:the disabled man who's burning with a desire for his protégée Fleming;the priest who welcomes the renegade in his not-yet-finished church and urges the whole congregation not to judge (if they do not want to be judged themselves).The action scenes are kept for the final third and the screenplay mainly focuses on the relationship Granger/Fleming/son .The female part sometimes recalls Rachel's in "Rachel and the stranger" ,the last line recalls that offbeat western too. Splendid colors,Granger's presence and Fleming's charm make up for the triteness of the plot.... and the dubious side of its moral.