Gunsmoke (1953)

Gunsmoke (1953)

Dir. Nathan Juran

Gun for hire Reb Kittredge (Audie Murphy) receives a mostly cold reception when he arrives in town; it's a reaction that turns out to be somewhat warranted when we find out why he's actually there.

But Reb is used to such responses. His no nonsense approach to life extends in all directions. Never faltering, he remains calm and ever-ready even in heated situations. The script gives him ample opportunity to prove it, using both bullets and loaded dialogues as ammunition.

A lot of 1950s westerns were formulaic, repeating what worked before because it was easy and accepted. Gunsmoke shares a lot of the same ingredients as that type, but it keeps pace with the pack leaders, not with the stragglers at the back.

The short running time (79 mins) means everything has to move at a hurried pace, including the characterisation, but it's well-played, with even the most overly-used stock types feeling purposeful during their sometimes brief appearances.

NOTE: it's not related to the long-running TV Series (1955–75) of the same name.