Five Guns West *** (1955, John Lund, Dorothy Malone, Mike Connors, Paul Birch) – Classic Movie Review 7730

‘Kiss for Kiss! Bullet for Bullet!’ Five Guns West (1955) is notable as Roger Corman’s debut film as director, and the first of his four Fifties Westerns. It stars John Lund, Dorothy Malone, Mike Connors (as Touch Connors) and Paul Birch. It is one of the films Corman made for the American Releasing Corporation, which later became American International Pictures.

Five Guns West is a commendable low-budget widescreen and colour American Civil War Western about a gang of five released Death Row convict Rebel soldiers, led by Govern Sturges (John Lund), who undertake a mission to ambush a stagecoach carrying a stash of Yankee gold and a Confederate spy traitor, which they have to bring back in return for their pardons. Dorothy Malone plays Shalee Jethro, who helps her father (Jack Ingram) to run the desert stagecoach station where the outlaws turn up to await the gold shipment.

Five Guns West is quite powerful and tautly handled within its obvious limitations. The solid acting of a useful ensemble cast and Corman’s energy and enthusiasm as director help considerably.

Also in the cast are James Stone, Bob Campbell, Jonathan Haze and Boyd ‘Red’ Morgan, as well as R Wright Campbell, who wrote the script. Campbell was paid $200 to write his first screenplay. Campbell and Corman later made the 1967 war thriller The Secret Invasion using a similar idea.

The main cast are John Lund as Govern Sturges, Dorothy Malone as Shalee Jethro, Mike Connors as Hale Clinton (billed as Touch Connors), R Wright Campbell as John Candy, Jonathan Haze as Billy Candy, Paul Birch as J C Haggard, James Stone as Uncle Mike, Jack Ingram as Stephan Jethro and Larry Thor as Confederate Captain.

Five Guns West is directed by Roger Corman, runs 73 minutes, is made by Palo Alto, is distributed by American Releasing Corporation (US) and Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (UK), is written by R Wright Campbell and Roger Corman, is shot in Pathécolor by Floyd Crosby, is produced by Roger Corman and is scored by Buddy Bregman.

It is the first time Corman worked with his long-time collaborator, cinematographer Floyd Crosby

It was made in just nine days for only $60,000, though even so Corman reportedly went over budget.

It is followed by Apache Woman (1955), The Oklahoma Woman (1956) and Gunslinger (1956).

Corman had already made three films as producer, but he directed this one too to save money.

Dorothy Malone (1924–2018) is advertised as ‘that Battle Cry girl’. She went on to win an Oscar for Written on the Wind (1956).

The movie was released on DVD in 2003 and is available free on line from sites including YouTube.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7730

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