MovieChat Forums > Gun Fury (1953) Discussion > Same Old Western Formula....

Same Old Western Formula....

posted 17 years ago by stalzz64
8 replies | jump to latest

Ho Hum, yes the cast is great, but the story is oh-so familiar and burned out even by 1953 standards. Yes, it was indeed shot in what they thought was so great and revolutionary at the time, 3-D! 3-D was very expensive to use and never really took off after a short time as being the next big thing, and so it was basically abandoned.

This movie is only worth watching because of the great actors in it and the great locations. Rock Hudson as his usual great early 1950's studly understated self, and Donna Reed looking fabulous in that old-school Technicolor. Phil Carey is pretty darn evil as the villain, but like many predictable old western movie formula plots....guess how it turns out! ..... Ho Hum, worth seeing I suppose, but sort of a snoozer at times.

[–] tay-15 17 years ago

Great location shooting though.

[–] lorri789 17 years ago

All the comments are true so far! Same formula, same score same supporting cast.

[–] Jason_Radley 12 years ago

The first half of the film was quite compelling and the conflict between Frank and Jess was an interesting subplot, but it all became a little convoluted with the vengeful Indian and the Mexican girl, Stella, thrown in for the ride. The swap deal at the end didn't make much sense - was the Indian just expected to twiddle his thumbs?

Did anyone else raise an eyebrow when Rock and Leo Gordon joined each other in the saddle?

[–] Errington_92 12 years ago

The swap deal at the end didn't make much sense - was the Indian just expected to twiddle his thumbs?

The swap deal was a scene where it was oblivious that everything was not going to be fine. There are many scenes like this in Gun Fury when the narrative tries to mislead the audience into thinking something is about to happen when we know it won't like when Jennifer constantly tried to escape.

The only aspect of Gun Fury which intrigued me was the antagonist Frank wanting Jennifer not only for sexual desire but also as he saw her as an equal due to their southern roots. It made Frank quite a character due to his deep cynicalism of society due to the outcome of the Civil War. It's a shame this aspect was not built upon more rather than just making Frank the typical villian.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

[–] Jason_Radley 12 years ago

Oblivious?

[–] spookyrat1 11 years ago

"was the Indian just expected to twiddle his thumbs?"

Yes Jason I thought the same thing myself.

I thought they had an agreement they were ALL going to get Sladen for various reasons..the Indian because his sister had been killed/abandoned by Sladen.
The next minute Jess is exchanging himself for Jennifer, telling Ben to ride off to California with her and I'm thinking...the Indians have been stiffed again.

[–] Veltaine 11 years ago

I thought the film was poor and Hudson very weak. He rarely had a half-decent moment.

"My car is outside."
"Naturally."

[–] hafosdick 10 years ago

Quite correct
Formula movie
But I still enjoy it
The cast of course and the location