John Chard
Remington Steel!
Gun the Man Down is directed by Andrew McLaglen and adapted to screenplay by Burt Kennedy from a story written by Sam Freedle. It stars James Arness, Angie Dickinson, Emile Meyer, Robert J. Wilke, Harry Carey Jr, Don Megowan and Michael Emmet. Music is by Henry Vars and cinematography by William H. Clothier.
Three outlaws rob a bank and during the escape one of them, Rem Anderson (Arness), is badly wounded. His two partners kidnap his girlfriend, take his share of the loot and leave him to be captured by the closing in posse. After serving a year in jail, Rem gets out and has only one thing on his mind, to locate his double-crossing partners in crime and enact sweet revenge on them...
It's a notable Western for a number of reasons, it was Angie Dickinson's first credited starring role, it was the first film directed by Andrew McLaglen (son of Victor), and it was to be Arness' last credited feature film before embarking on a 27 year TV career.
In plot terms we are very much in familiar "B" Western territory, it's the story of a bad man who has good at his core but is driven on by a need for revenge. After the initial robbery and desertion of cohorts, we then follow Rem out of prison and onto a small tin-pot town where he knows those who done him wrong are situated. Pic then focuses on what Rem will do? Will he get revenge and end up back in jail? Will he make up with his one time love, Janice (Dickinson), who we find out is now the lover of his nemesis, Matt Rankin (Wilke)?
Into the mix comes a couple of strands that sees Rem having to justify his being in town to the local law enforcers (Meyer the sheriff - Carey Jr. the deputy) - so promptly not giving the law reason to lock him up, and of course to stay alive since some factions want him dead ASAP! These factors bring out a rich characterisation for Anderson, he has to use his wits as much as he does his pistol. The sheriff and deputy relationship is very warm, very father and son like, and their sensing of Rem being a good man behind his motives gives the simple story some sure footed foundations to work from.
Running a short 76 minutes, pic is very traditional Western fare, and it doesn't quite have enough good material to actually be this long in length - McLaglen working with tight budget pads out some scenes to reach the time slotted target. In fact, the budget restrictions are never more evident than in the town itself, which is strangely devoid of people, this even though the sheriff keeps telling us that Rankin's saloon has been a hive of undesirables! So, an allowance and understanding of the "B" Western drawbacks will definitely aid the likeminded adults viewing experience.
Though not high on action quotas, pic gets by on tense scenarios and character interactions, notably when Janice is involved. It's a nicely written character, with twin confliction of head and heart and suitors of varying degrees. She is also the centre piece for a dramatic turn of events that lifts this still further away from being a "run of the mill" cheapo Oater. There's some nice location photography on show (Woodland Hills - Calif), a couple of niftily shot scenes involving shadow play and one with Rem and a full length mirror, and the finale - like the cast performing for us - is very agreeable.
Not a must see movie of course, but for fans of the genre it holds enough about it to keep you entertained. 6/10
