Hour of the Gun (1967)

Guns don't stay in their holsters long when vigilantes Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday meet outlaws in the Wild West. James Garner (Maverick) and OscarÂ(r) winner* Jason Robards (All the President's Men) saddle up as the legendary gunslingers in this riveting, fact-based story that is "the closest filmmakers have ever come to the truth of the OK Corral gunfight" (LA Herald-Examiner). With the dust barely settling at the OK Corral, the notorious Clanton brothers unleash their revenge. One by one, they gun down Wyatt Earp's brothersbut they won't have the last shot. Using his US Marshal's badge as his authority, and Doc Holliday (Robards) as his deputizedright-hand man, Earp begins a zealous pursuit of vengeance that the west will never forget.

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HOUR OF THE GUN (1967) was the first movie to ostensibly tell the true story of Wyatt Earp and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Earlier, better known films, like John Ford's MY DARLING CLEMENTINE and John Sturges' GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL, had dealt with the subject but were more fiction than fact.

Sturges also directed this picture, which starred James Garner as Wyatt, Jason Robards as Doc Holliday, Frank Converse as Virgil Earp and Sam Melville as Morgan Earp.

The intriguing screenplay by Edward Anhalt opened with the O.K. Corral sequence, with the remainder of the action dealing with the bloody aftermath of the infamous gunfight in which Wyatt seeks revenge against the men who ambushed his brothers.

Robert Ryan co-stars as Ike Clanton in this well-made, action-filled western.

© Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (available December 2008) November 18, 2008

Underrated Sturges Film- Wild Bunch territory

Another example of Maltin getting it wildly wrong with a two star rating. Excellent maintenance of tone throughout with standout performance from Mr Garner beautifully offset by the amusing and cynical performance by Mr Robards. An excellent Western, up there with Missouri Breaks, Wild Bunch etc. Lucien Ballard photography is a standout. November 18, 2008

A Western Masterpiece With A Twist

"Bad Day at Black Rock" director John Sturges revisits the Wyatt Earp/Ike Clanton feud in "Hour of the Gun" with James Garner and Jason Robards that he began in 1957 with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas in the Hal B. Wallis production of "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral." Although Sturges' "Hour of the Gun" boasts greater visual and historic realism than "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," this sequel of sorts veers off course toward the end and two-time Oscar-winning scenarist Edward Anhalt of "Becket" contrives scenes that are not historically accurate principally for the sake of dramatic license to provide audiences with closure. Unlike the Paramount release that featured Rhonda Fleming as Wyatt Earp's love interest, Sturges dispenses with women altogether in this United Artists release and confines himself to the feud. The practically all male cast features lean, rugged Robert Ryan as Earp's chief real-life nemesis Ike Clanton and in his second motion picture lanky Jon Voight of "Midnight Cowboy" fame. Indeed, as much as possible Anhalt and Sturges have tried to stick with history. For example, the dialogue in the courtroom sequences came verbatim from the actual transcripts. Moreover, unlike previous Wyatt Earps, James Garner is allowed to play the legendary lawman without a halo. This Earp wants to kill out of brotherly vengeance than take the villains in to stand trial. After all, the tagline for the film reads: Wyatt Earp - hero with a badge or cold-blooded killer? Known for the affable screen characters that he played over the years, Garner makes a great change of pace as a vengeful Earp in a taut, grim-faced performance unlike anything that he had done before and not again until he starred in Vic Morrow's spaghetti western "A Man Called Sledge." The action opens on the main street of Tombstone as our black-clad in business suited heroes: Wyatt Earp (a mustached James Garner), Doc Holiday (two-time Oscar-winner Jason Robards of "Once Upon a Time in the West"), Morgan Earp (Sam Melville of "Big Wednesday"), and Virgil Earp (Frank Converse of the TV show "Movin' On") march down to the O.K. Corral after Ike Clanton's gunmen have assembled for the fateful showdown. The shoot-out is over in a mere matter of minutes. During the shooting, Ike Clanton ducks into a photography shop and sits out the gun battle. Morgan takes a slug in the shoulder while Virgil receives bullet in the leg. After the gunfight, County Sheriff Jimmy Ryan (Bill Fletcher of "5-Card Stud") and his deputy Frank Stilwell (Robert Phillips of "The Dirty Dozen") confront the Earps and Holiday. Ryan tries to arrest them. "Not today, tomorrow, or ever," growls Wyatt. "You don't have jurisdiction in the city of Tombstone. If you did, you couldn't make it stick if you did." Clanton parades the bodies of his dead through Tombstone and charges that the Earps murdered them. In court, however, Judge Herman Spicer (William Schallert of "Will Penny") concludes otherwise based on factual evidence, and the Earps and Holiday are exonerated. Clanton's gunmen, principally Curly Bill Brocius (Jon Voight), Andy Warshaw (Steve Inhat of "Madigan"), and Stilwell ambush Virgil Earp at night while he is checking doors. Virgil is crippled for life and cannot run for city marshal so Morgan replaces him. Morgan wins the election, but before he can serve, the same three Clanton gunmen blast him in the back with a shotgun while he is playing billiards. Wyatt accuses Clanton's men of homicide but he cannot furnish a witness and the killers go free. Meantime, the honest citizens of Tombstone get Wyatt an appointment as Deputy U.S. Marshal and warrants to serve on those Clanton men alleged to have participated in the shootings of Wyatt's brothers. Wyatt hires Tucson lawman Sherman McMasters (Monte Markham of "Guns of the Magnificent Seven") to help him out while Doc decides to observe the letter of the law and join Earp's posse. Doc recruits a couple of gunmen, Turkey Creek Johnson (Lonny Chapman of "Baby Doll") and Texas Jack Vermillion (William Windom of "Cattle King") and they pursue Clanton's killers.

The joy of watching any John Sturges western lies in the choreography. Sturges is one of the few directors who can make the simple act of men crossing a dusty frontier street look like very cool. Mind you, he knows how to block a scene so that everybody is shown moving around for a purpose. Sturges' movies are full of these cinematic maneuvers. Sturges stages all of the shoot-outs with his customary aplomb. "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" differs drastically from "Hour of the Gun." "Gunfight" qualified as a more bombastic western than the subdued "Hour of the Gun." Sturges has eliminated any love interest for Earp in "Hour of the Gun" so this biographical western is all about business. The photography, the settings, and the atmospheric help make this western outstanding. Sturges generates suspense with Wyatt Earp's moral decline; his willingness to let his personal feelings overwhelm his judgment. Jerry Goldsmith's evocative music seems inseparable from the gritty action. Jason Robards is both brilliant but ironic as the morally unscrupulous gambler who provides commentary on his friend's moral lapses.

Unfortunately, the MGM-UA DVD lacks anything in the way of a commentary track, but the print of the film looks very good and the sound quality is excellent. November 2, 2008

After the Gunfight at the OK Corral

John Sturges' memorable follow-up to THE GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL with James Garner as Wyatt Earp and Jason Robards as Doc Holliday, Robert Ryan as Ike Clanton. Interesting to compare this film with the much later TOMBSTONE. Both are very good, yet still play alittle fast and loose with history. In reality Earp -- in the aftermath of his brothers being crippled and killed -- only killed four guys: Frank Stillwell the train station in Tuscon, Indian Charlie, Pete Spence and Curly Bill Brocious. It's never been proven one way or another if Earp or Holliday killed Johnny Ringo. Garner's Earp is cold and grim. Robards is a change from Kirk Douglas' version though, personally, I don't think anyone -- even Dennis Quaid who looked sick & wizened for WYATT EARP -- top Val Kilmer in TOMBSTONE. Still a worthwhile movie and never a waste of time. Look for a very young Jon Voight as Brocious, also Frank Converse and the late Sam Melville as the Earp bros Morgan and Virgil. Some twenty years later Garner would again portray Earp in SUNSET with Bruce Willis as Tom Mix. June 2, 2008

Interesting look at Wyatt Earp post-OK Corral

Hour of the Gun is an excellent late 60s western that tries to take a more realistic look at two of the most famous western characters ever, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Following the gunfight at the OK Corral, the three Earp brothers and Holliday are acquitted for the murder of three Clanton gang members. But in the weeks to come, Wyatt's brother Morgan is murdered and Virgil is crippled by Clanton gunmen. Wyatt and Doc form a posse and go after the men. But during the hunt, Wyatt is the one who will stop at nothing for getting revenge for what happened to his brothers, and Doc becomes the voice of reason. Like a lot of late 1960s westerns, this is not your typical angelic good guys vs. evil bad guys. All the characters, especially Wyatt Earp, have a dark side that the movie tries to explore, and explores well. It's more of a character study than an action movie so don't expect a lot of gunfights, but those there are good. Director John Sturges also directed Gunfight at the OK Corral ten years earlier as well as Hour of the Gun. Give both a try if for nothing else than to see how different the two films are.

In a solid performance, James Garner stars as Wyatt Earp. Garner is cool and calm when he needs to be, but he's also capable of exploding with rage/anger as he tracks down his brother's assassins. Jason Robards is excellent as Doc Holliday, the dentist turned gunfighter dying of tuberculosis. But even as he becomes sicker, Holliday sticks by his friend Wyatt Earp. Garner and Robards work very well together and carry much of the movie. Robert Ryan plays Ike Clanton differently than you've probably seen in other movies, but Ryan was one of the best and doesn't disappoint here. His Ike Clanton is equally smooth as he is evil. Hour of the Gun has a very strong supporting cast overall. William Windom, Lonny Chapman, and Monte Markham play Texas Jack Vermillion, Turkey Creek Johnson and Sherm McMasters, the other members of Wyatt's posse. Some other notable names include Albert Salmi, Steve Ihnat, Michael Tolan, Bill Fletcher, Jon Voight, and Robert Phillips. All in all, an excellent cast led by Garner, Robards and Ryan.

The Hour of the Gun DVD is not a great one, but it's worth a purchase for fans of the story or the movie. It offers widescreen and fullscreen presentations and a theatrical trailer. Not a ton offered here, but it's a strong movie on its own. Give it a try if you haven't seen it. Hour of the Gun tries to take a deeper look at a western story that everyone seems to know something about. Great cast, very good score by Jerry Goldsmith, and beautiful photography from Lucien Ballard. Check out Hour of the Gun! September 11, 2007

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