A Genre In Retrospect: The Western - Part 3

Now this is when the Western genre was really number one, and ruled the cinema halls. After decades of fantastic Westerns being released, we finally got to the late 1960’s, and had even more to come. ‘Hour Of The Gun’ (1967) is a clever and stylish movie all around, that tells a true story of some real tough guys in the best way possible. The cast of this film really ages well, with some of the best actors of their time holding their own against each other. The layout of the entire film just works and truly makes for a classic western. I love the genre, and this is a solid entry into the world of Westerns. 

John Sturges sits behind the camera for what would be his third to last western he made. Sturges was no stranger to the genre of westerns, and really knew how to perfect it by this point. Hell, not only did he make westerns before, but he had made this story before as well in ‘Gunfight At The O.K. Corral’ (1957). Some of his other westerns include the always jaw dropping and incredible ‘Bad Day At Black Rock’ (1955), and ‘The Law And Jake Wade’ (1958), ‘Last Train From Gun Hill’ (1959), and of course, ‘The Magnificent Seven’ (1960). You aren’t always able to tell when Sturges has his hand on the camera, but you sure can tell it’ll be quality work when he does.

James Garner stars in ‘Hour Of The Gun’ (1967) as famed real life lawman, Wyatt Earp. Garner always stands resolute in his films, and manages to realistically lead his posse while also leading the film. Jason Robards plays the often ill but always witty Doc Holiday in this picture. He backs up Earp, but always manages to balance him out just right so nothing is unfair. Of course, how could anyone forget, one of my all time favorites plays the heavy in this picture, Robert Ryan steps in to fill the shoes of Ike Clanton. There is not much I need to say about this wonderful actor, but at the same time I could talk all day about him. This has a great cast and the film really uses them to its advantage. 

One thing that often goes under the radar in films is the layout that is presented to us. However, when a film does a layout that really gets you to start thinking about where everyone is, it really works. In almost every shot, we get explained and then showed where everyone will be. This is a pretty difficult task to do, and most of the time it goes unseen. Another great factor of this film is the blocking that is used. Especially because the entire movie is in tight shots with a good number of close ups, having the proper blocking skills is really important. This also helps to show us positioning of the film, and lets us gain a stronger understanding overall.

I really enjoyed this film, and I knew I would too. Now, it is a straight western, so if it’s tough for a contemporary audience member to sit and watch one, I can understand if this is not their film. However, if you do enjoy a great western, this is definitely one to check out. From the killer cast and the outstanding director, to the subtle calmer movements that not many people notice, this film has a lot on its plate. I really did love this film and I know anyone who enjoys westerns will love this too.