Hour of the Gun poster

1967·100 min·Released

Hour of the Gun

“Wyatt Earp - hero with a badge or cold-blooded killer?”

Western

Marshal Wyatt Earp kills a couple of men of the Clanton-gang in a fight. In revenge Clanton's thugs kill the marshal's brother. Thus, Wyatt Earp starts to chase the killers together with his friend Doc Holliday.

6.5(104 votes)

Popularity2

Videos

Hour of the Gun ≣ 1967 ≣ Trailer

Cast & Crew

James Garner

James Garner

Marshal Wyatt Earp

Jason Robards

Jason Robards

Doc Holliday

Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan

Ike Clanton

Albert Salmi

Albert Salmi

Octavius Roy

Charles Aidman

Charles Aidman

Horace Sullivan

Steve Ihnat

Steve Ihnat

Andy Warshaw

Michael Tolan

Michael Tolan

Pete Spence

William Windom

William Windom

Texas Jack Vermillion

Lonny Chapman

Lonny Chapman

Turkey Creek Johnson

Larry Gates

Larry Gates

John P. Clum

William Schallert

William Schallert

Judge Herman Spicer

Karl Swenson

Karl Swenson

Dr. Charles Goodfellow

John Chard

Written on 5/4/2017

If you are going to kill like me, you might as well drink like me. Hour of the Gun is directed by John Sturges and adapted to screenplay by Edward Anhalt from Douglas D. Martin's novel Tombstone's Epitaph. It stars James Garner, Jason Robards and Robert Ryan. Music is by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography is by Lucien Ballard. Story begins with the shootout at the O.K. Corral and tells of the aftermath involving the major players. Although John Sturges' Gunfight at the O.K. Corall ten years previously proved to be popular, the director was never happy with the finished project, due in no small part to the fact that Hal B. Wallis controlled the script. Here Sturges takes control and crafts what in essence is a sequel to the 57 movie. Leaning more towards a character study with a dark edge, Hour of the Gun is refreshing in giving the Wyatt Earp/Doc Holliday characters a different story than the one we normally see on the screen; one that actually attempts historical accuracy where possible. Viewing it now it's easy to see why the film was received coldly back on release. The Western movie was just about creaking along as a viable cinematic genre as it was, but with Sturges and Anhalt portraying one of America's folklore heroes in moral decline, it's unsurprising that it found itself out of sync with the times. However, time has been very kind to it, where over decades the re-evaluation of many a psychological Western has seen it viewed as one of the more bolder and cynical tinted oaters from the 60s. With a fine script from Anhalt to work from, who also features as a player in the film as Holliday's whiskey smuggling carer, the cast work well. Ryan files in for villain duties as Ike Clanton and Garner as Earp and Robards as Holliday make for a suitably sombre pairing. There's also some quality in the support ranks where Albert Salmi, John Voight, Jorge Russeck and Karl Swenson leave good impressions. With Goldsmith tonally aware for the scoring and master photographer Ballard utilising the Panavision on offer for the Durango locations, it's an all round well put together production. Some fat could have done with being trimmed off it to get it 10 minutes shorter; for the story starts to feel over long entering the last quarter. But Hour of the Gun is not only a better than your average 60s Western, it's also one of the better Wyatt Earp movies available to those interested in the subject. 7.5/10

Media

Hour of the Gun ≣ 1967 ≣ Trailer

Hour of the Gun ≣ 1967 ≣ Trailer

Hour of the Gun (1967) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

Hour of the Gun (1967) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]