In this minor Western that plays like an oater from decades past, James Brown ("Targets") plays Wayne Santley, a man who's recently mustered out of military service. He hooks up with a *lovely* saloon singer named Nora Blaine (Joan Staley, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken"). His intention is to go to work as a rancher alongside his brother Brad (Gregg Palmer, "From Hell It Came"), not knowing that Brad has never changed his lawless ways. Wayne believes that blood runs thicker than water, and doesn't intend to turn his brother in, but friction begins between the siblings anyway.
"Gun Fight" is a fairly moralistic, routine B level example of its genre, that does show evidence of its low budget, but its story and performances are reasonably entertaining. Certainly they're entertaining enough to make up for the overall forgettable quality to the whole thing. It features themes of family ties and redemption, with Brad commendably not portrayed in a one-dimensional manner. Music, photography, and atmosphere are adequate, even if the cheap interior sets don't blend well with the beautiful stock shots utilized throughout. There's action, violence, some sex appeal (such as that saloon girl outfit worn by Ms. Staley), gunfire, and the kind of pacing that usually helped B level movies. As directed by Edward L. Cahn, a low budget movie director better known for sci-fi / horror pictures such as "It! The Terror from Beyond Space" and "Invisible Invaders", it goes through its paces with some efficiency.
Brown (a white character actor who is not to be confused with the Godfather of Soul) and Palmer are good as the brothers. (It's funny hearing Palmer address Brown as "kid" when in fact the latter was about seven years OLDER.) A decent supporting cast includes some fairly familiar faces: Ron Soble ("True Grit" '69, "The Beast Within") as an unhandsome villain, Charles Cooper ("Blind Fury") as a sleazy, self-serving gambler, Ken Mayer ('Space Patrol', "Little Big Man") as a jovial fur trapper, Walter Coy ("The Searchers", "Zombie") as the Sheriff, and matronly character actress Kate Murtagh ("Doctor Detroit", "Switchblade Sisters") as a cowboys' wife.
The movie does offer a decent amount of fun for 69 amiable minutes.
Six out of 10.
"Gun Fight" is a fairly moralistic, routine B level example of its genre, that does show evidence of its low budget, but its story and performances are reasonably entertaining. Certainly they're entertaining enough to make up for the overall forgettable quality to the whole thing. It features themes of family ties and redemption, with Brad commendably not portrayed in a one-dimensional manner. Music, photography, and atmosphere are adequate, even if the cheap interior sets don't blend well with the beautiful stock shots utilized throughout. There's action, violence, some sex appeal (such as that saloon girl outfit worn by Ms. Staley), gunfire, and the kind of pacing that usually helped B level movies. As directed by Edward L. Cahn, a low budget movie director better known for sci-fi / horror pictures such as "It! The Terror from Beyond Space" and "Invisible Invaders", it goes through its paces with some efficiency.
Brown (a white character actor who is not to be confused with the Godfather of Soul) and Palmer are good as the brothers. (It's funny hearing Palmer address Brown as "kid" when in fact the latter was about seven years OLDER.) A decent supporting cast includes some fairly familiar faces: Ron Soble ("True Grit" '69, "The Beast Within") as an unhandsome villain, Charles Cooper ("Blind Fury") as a sleazy, self-serving gambler, Ken Mayer ('Space Patrol', "Little Big Man") as a jovial fur trapper, Walter Coy ("The Searchers", "Zombie") as the Sheriff, and matronly character actress Kate Murtagh ("Doctor Detroit", "Switchblade Sisters") as a cowboys' wife.
The movie does offer a decent amount of fun for 69 amiable minutes.
Six out of 10.