"Day of the Evil Gun" is another Glenn Ford western in which he plays a "fast on the draw gunfighter". The theme is similar in nature to John Ford's "The Searchers" released two years earlier.
Lorne Warfield (Ford) a gunfighter, has been on the move for the past three years. He returns home to find that his ranch is in ruin and that Apaches have abducted his wife Angie (Barbara Babcock) and two young daughters. He also finds neighbor Owen Forbes (Arthur Kennedy) waiting for him. Forbes tells Warfield about the abduction and also informs him that he and Angie were planning to marry since she believed her husband to be dead.
Warfield decides to go after his family with Forbes accompanying him. Warfield learns that the wife of Reverend Yeardley (Ross Elliot), Lydia (Pilat Pellicer) had also been abducted by the Apache but had been released. He goes to her but does not gain any useful information. Sheriff Kelso (Paul Fix) cautions Warfield about going into Apache territory.
Warfield and Forbes come upon seemingly simple minded peddler Jimmy Noble (Dean Jagger) whom Warfield gets to admit that it was he who brought Lydia Yeardley home. Warfield and Forbes simply do not get along but tolerate each other in the search. They grapple with each other but continue onward.
The men come to a small town where Forbes is able to convince a gun running storekeeper (James Griffith) to point the way. Next they are captured by a band of Apaches and taken to the camp of bandito Deleon (Nico Minardos). Warfield and Forbes are staked out in the sun to await the buzzards . They escape from Deleon when Warfield lets it be known that he has money buried somewhere. Deleon frees them but is overpowered by the men. Deleon is killed by Forbes when he attempts to overpower him.
Forced to carry on without the help of Deleon, they come upon a small cholera infested town where the town doctor (Royal Dano) is burning houses and trying to tend to the sick. He is unable to help. Warfield and Forbes plod on until they come to an abandoned Morman village. There they find an army detachment headed by a Captain Addis (John Anderson) and Sgt. Parker (Harry Dean Stanton). It turns out that they are deserters aiming to sell two army ammunition wagons to the Apache in return for a stolen pay roll.
The Apache attack and make off with one of the wagons after Addis had blown up the other wagon. Warfield and Forbes follow the wagon tracks to the Indian village where unbelievably, they manage to rescue Angie and the girls. Returning to their home town Warfield turns in his gun to grocer Wilford (Parley Baer) to pay for clothing for his family. But Forbes is not ready to give up Angie and...................................................................................
Glenn Ford again plays the grim faced gunfighter, a part he had down pat. The vastly under rated Arthur Kennedy plays nicely off of Ford as the two compete for the same woman. Ford never fully explains where he has been for the past three years. Paul Fix and Dean Jagger are wasted here as both have only brief cameo-like roles. There is no real leading lady to speak of, an oddity.
A gripping edge of your seat western.
Lorne Warfield (Ford) a gunfighter, has been on the move for the past three years. He returns home to find that his ranch is in ruin and that Apaches have abducted his wife Angie (Barbara Babcock) and two young daughters. He also finds neighbor Owen Forbes (Arthur Kennedy) waiting for him. Forbes tells Warfield about the abduction and also informs him that he and Angie were planning to marry since she believed her husband to be dead.
Warfield decides to go after his family with Forbes accompanying him. Warfield learns that the wife of Reverend Yeardley (Ross Elliot), Lydia (Pilat Pellicer) had also been abducted by the Apache but had been released. He goes to her but does not gain any useful information. Sheriff Kelso (Paul Fix) cautions Warfield about going into Apache territory.
Warfield and Forbes come upon seemingly simple minded peddler Jimmy Noble (Dean Jagger) whom Warfield gets to admit that it was he who brought Lydia Yeardley home. Warfield and Forbes simply do not get along but tolerate each other in the search. They grapple with each other but continue onward.
The men come to a small town where Forbes is able to convince a gun running storekeeper (James Griffith) to point the way. Next they are captured by a band of Apaches and taken to the camp of bandito Deleon (Nico Minardos). Warfield and Forbes are staked out in the sun to await the buzzards . They escape from Deleon when Warfield lets it be known that he has money buried somewhere. Deleon frees them but is overpowered by the men. Deleon is killed by Forbes when he attempts to overpower him.
Forced to carry on without the help of Deleon, they come upon a small cholera infested town where the town doctor (Royal Dano) is burning houses and trying to tend to the sick. He is unable to help. Warfield and Forbes plod on until they come to an abandoned Morman village. There they find an army detachment headed by a Captain Addis (John Anderson) and Sgt. Parker (Harry Dean Stanton). It turns out that they are deserters aiming to sell two army ammunition wagons to the Apache in return for a stolen pay roll.
The Apache attack and make off with one of the wagons after Addis had blown up the other wagon. Warfield and Forbes follow the wagon tracks to the Indian village where unbelievably, they manage to rescue Angie and the girls. Returning to their home town Warfield turns in his gun to grocer Wilford (Parley Baer) to pay for clothing for his family. But Forbes is not ready to give up Angie and...................................................................................
Glenn Ford again plays the grim faced gunfighter, a part he had down pat. The vastly under rated Arthur Kennedy plays nicely off of Ford as the two compete for the same woman. Ford never fully explains where he has been for the past three years. Paul Fix and Dean Jagger are wasted here as both have only brief cameo-like roles. There is no real leading lady to speak of, an oddity.
A gripping edge of your seat western.