I caught this movie on TV because of the stars - James Arness & Angie Dickenson. I was pretty surprised. Expecting another western shoot-'em-up with sexy gun-moll, I saw, instead a very thoughtful story. Arness shows the acting chops that made him so successful for many years on Gunsmoke. Dickenson displayed the vague talents that pointed her to the career she enjoyed once she discovered bleach. Robert Wilke was his bad-guy best but not the truly evil character he normally plays. There's a certain "victim of circumstances" air about his character. I included a spoiler alert because I really need to talk about "plot holes". After a botched bank robbery, where a teller is shot and left for dead, one of the gang - Arness - is left behind, bleeding, for the posse to collect. But I can't understand why they never told him his cut would be waiting for him whenever he caught up with them down the road. After all, had they stayed, all would have been lost. This way, the money is saved if he (Arness) survives. I would think that would be a good deal. He couldn't ride and likely would have died if he tried. But then, there goes the whole story, I suppose. And I can't understand why Dickenson's character "takes up" with Wilke's. As "Rem Anderson's gal", Janice should have had access to a third of the loot in her own right and wouldn't need the kindness of the two remaining gang members. But then there would go THAT tension angle too. Finally, the other two gang members - Rankin & Farley - buy a saloon, but there's never anybody in it. How are they paying their rent? In fact, there's a dearth of townsfolk all around. Population appears to be about 4. Having said all that, I thought it was a great little movie. Very intriguing and excellent camera shots. Finally, one of my favorite characters may have been Emile Meyer's sheriff. Displaying all the sagacity of the old sheriff who's seen it all, and knows how best to position himself for events most likely to come. I might quarrel with his strapping on a six- shooter instead of grabbing the old sheriff's best buddy - a short-barrel shotgun, but I won't. This is one I'd watch at least a couple more times.
Review of Gun the Man Down
