What films are very similar?
All the critics say that this is a remake of an old story that has been told many times. Now my question: where are all the originals?
shareI haven't seen this movie since it came out, when I was thirteen. I barely remember the plot, only that it was one of the most violent films I'd seen up to that time.
But I DO remember thinking to myself, this story is a lot like "Shane." I can't really remember why, except that Lancaster's character is a killer trying to give up violence, who is forced to resort to violence. And as I remember, at the end he says something similar to what Shane says at the end, something to the effect that a man can't change what he is, or once a killer always a killer.
There have been lots of westerns about killers who try to give up killing, but then have to kill again to protect the community. Maybe that's what people are talking about when they say it's an old story.
except that Lancaster's character is a killer trying to give up violence,Are you sure you have seen this film? Lancaster plays a merciless marshal(lawman) who is not involved in any kind of crime or corruption.
Naturally he rides into town and kills some people just like in many other Westerns. share
Well, like I said, it's been 34 years. But isn't there a scene near the end where he's talking to some character (love interest or whatever) who is trying to get him to avoid violence, where he says something like "you can't run away from who you are"? All I can say for sure is, I've always remembered it as a sort of vicious seventies-style revision of "Shane." I guess I should rent it and see if can still make sense of that interpretation.
BTW, I took a look at the reviews here, and one of them says "The film is a remake (unofficial) of "Man of the Gun" from 1955 with Robert Mitchum. Winner steals a lot from the Italian Western movies..."
"you can't run away from who you are"That's what he says. But it means that he will not get affected by anything or anyone's opinion. He does what he does and what he considers right.
Shane is a typical town-tamer who enters a conflict between two groups - the good homesteaders and the evil cowboys. He helps the good side winning and after the town is tamed he leaves again.
* SPOILER *
The Lawman however comes into a settled town where in fact nothing is wrong. Some guys from a farm have some old crimes in their record and he pursues them. Lancaster provokes them and kills them all.
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Next to Shane I'm also thinking of HIGH NOON. A Sheriff in a town and nobody want's to help him.
Another western I think of is LAST TRAIN TO GUNHILL (1959) with Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn. Kirk Douglas plays a Sheriff who hunts the two murderer of his wife. He follows them to another town. One of the murderer is the Son of a rich Cattle Baron. Nobody helps the Sheriff to hunt the murderer and also the sheriff of the town seems to have no interest to help him.
But I think there are several western of a sheriff( or a Stranger) who comes into a town and no one helps him.
"Well, nobody's perfect."
"Another western I think of is LAST TRAIN TO GUNHILL (1959) with Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn."
Nice comparison...I agree.
"I'm just a big, hairy American winning machine."
Well, a little clarity. Marshall Maddox from Bannock is pursuing the murder(ers) of a man in Bannock. He travels to Sabbath to find them and bring them back to Bannock for justice. The date of the crime was not that far in the past. Marshall Maddox doesn't provoke them, he is simply seeking to arrest them.
Can you fly this plane?
Surely you can't be serious.
I am serious,and don't call me Shirley
I can't really remember why, except that Lancaster's character is a killer trying to give up violence, who is forced to resort to violence.
I am positive you are confusing this movie with Lancaster's other western that was made around the same time this was made: Valdez is Coming. In Valdez, Lancaster plays a Mexican-American sheriff who is world weary and is ashamed of his violent past. In this movie, Lancaster is world weary, but he isn't trying to give up violence. share