THE RIFLEMAN – Hero – 1960
Local ranch hand Robert Culp is riding into North Fork one cold night. He sees a camp fire and stops to ask if he could warm up. Resting beside the fire, is Steve Marlo. Culp recognizes Marlo from some wanted posters at the post office. Marlo is a gunman named, "The Domino Kid". Culp tries to back off but Marlo reaches for his nearby gun holster. Culp gets off a round and drills Marlo before he can get to his pistol.
The next morning, Culp brings in the body to Sheriff Paul Fix's office. There is $1000 reward on the "Domino Kid". Culp sure could use the cash. He plans on marrying , Lynn Cartier, the daughter of his boss, Frank Ferguson.
A large crowd of townspeople gather as Culp explains what happened, and how he was lucky that Marlo could not reach his gun in time. Some of the townspeople, including his boss, Ferguson, call him a back shooter for plugging the bandit before he was armed. "He was going for his gun and would have killed me. I'm no gun hand."
Culp quickly goes from hero to zero inside a day. Culp is fired from his job and refused the $1000 reward. Then he is tossed out of rooming house. The only people who stand up for him are Sheriff Fix, girlfriend Cartier and Chuck Connors.
Things change again when 3 members of the "Domino Kid" gang come looking for revenge. Guns blaze as they come hard for Culp, wounding him in the shoulder. It is only the quick-fire rifle play of Connors that puts down the three villains. Ferguson realizes what an idiot he has been and gives Culp and his daughter his blessing to marry. The $1000 reward is restored, and the town folk rather sheepishly admit they were all fools.
Veteran film helmsman Joseph H. Lewis makes it all go smooth and by the numbers.
Local ranch hand Robert Culp is riding into North Fork one cold night. He sees a camp fire and stops to ask if he could warm up. Resting beside the fire, is Steve Marlo. Culp recognizes Marlo from some wanted posters at the post office. Marlo is a gunman named, "The Domino Kid". Culp tries to back off but Marlo reaches for his nearby gun holster. Culp gets off a round and drills Marlo before he can get to his pistol.
The next morning, Culp brings in the body to Sheriff Paul Fix's office. There is $1000 reward on the "Domino Kid". Culp sure could use the cash. He plans on marrying , Lynn Cartier, the daughter of his boss, Frank Ferguson.
A large crowd of townspeople gather as Culp explains what happened, and how he was lucky that Marlo could not reach his gun in time. Some of the townspeople, including his boss, Ferguson, call him a back shooter for plugging the bandit before he was armed. "He was going for his gun and would have killed me. I'm no gun hand."
Culp quickly goes from hero to zero inside a day. Culp is fired from his job and refused the $1000 reward. Then he is tossed out of rooming house. The only people who stand up for him are Sheriff Fix, girlfriend Cartier and Chuck Connors.
Things change again when 3 members of the "Domino Kid" gang come looking for revenge. Guns blaze as they come hard for Culp, wounding him in the shoulder. It is only the quick-fire rifle play of Connors that puts down the three villains. Ferguson realizes what an idiot he has been and gives Culp and his daughter his blessing to marry. The $1000 reward is restored, and the town folk rather sheepishly admit they were all fools.
Veteran film helmsman Joseph H. Lewis makes it all go smooth and by the numbers.
