Man with the Gun **** (1955, Robert Mitchum, Jan Sterling, Karen Sharpe, Henry Hull, Emile Meyer, John Lupton, Angie Dickinson) – Classic Movie Review 5,060

The stalwart 1955 Western film Man with the Gun stars Robert Mitchum as a gunman who rides into town looking for his estranged wife (Jan Sterling) and is hired for as sheriff to take on the ruthless rancher terrorising the place.

Co-writer/ director Richard Wilson’s stalwart 1955 Western film Man with the Gun stars Robert Mitchum as Clint Tollinger, a gunman who rides into the town of Sheridan looking for his estranged wife Nelly (Jan Sterling). Soon he is being hired for $500 as sheriff to take on the ruthless rancher Dade Holman (Joe Barry) and his gang, who are terrorising the place.

This is a very good, very acceptable little formula Western, with excellent performances from Mitchum, Sterling and Henry Hull as the town’s scared lawman, Marshal Lee Sims.

The story and screenplay are neatly written by Wilson and N B Stone Jnr and the taut, compact film is suspensefully handled by Wilson, in his debut.

It boasts quality work on the black and white cinematography (Lee Garmes) and score (Alex North), helping to lift it out of the rut of so many Fifties Westerns.

Also in the cast are Karen Sharpe, Emile Meyer, John Lupton, Barbara Lawrence, Ted de Corsia, Leo Gordon, James Westerfield, Jay Adler, Claude Akins, Florenz Ames and Angie Dickinson.

The plot is similar to that of Lawman (1971), with Burt Lancaster.

The alternative British title is cute – The Trouble Shooter.

Man with the Gun is distributed by United Artists.

Release date:  November 5, 1955.

Running time: 84 minutes.

The cast are Robert Mitchum as Clint Tollinger, Jan Sterling as Nelly Bain, Karen Sharpe as Stella Atkins, Henry Hull as Marshal Lee Sims, Emile Meyer as Saul Atkins, John Lupton as Jeff Castle, Barbara Lawrence as Ann Wakefield, Ted de Corsia as Frenchy Lescaux, Leo Gordon as Ed Pinchot, James Westerfield as Mr Zender, Robert Osterloh as Virg Trotter, Angie Dickinson as Kitty, Pat Sheehan as Blonde, Claude Akins as Jim Reedy, Jay Adler, and Florenz Ames.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5,060

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