The Bounty Killer (1965)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Spencer Gordon Bennet

Writers:

Ruth Alexander (writer)
Leo Gordon (writer)

Release Date:

31 heinäkuu 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

This film features the final film appearance by the creator of the movie cowboy hero, Gilbert "Broncho Billy" Anderson.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Beautiful Woman | Independent Film

Cast

Dan Duryea	...	Willie Duggan
Rod Cameron	...	Johnny Liam
Audrey Dalton	...	Carole Ridgeway
Richard Arlen	...	Matthew Ridgeway
Buster Crabbe	...	Mike Clayman
Fuzzy Knight	...	Captain Luther
Johnny Mack Brown	...	Sheriff Green
Peter Duryea	...	Youth - Bounty Hunter
Eddie Quillan	...	Pianist
Grady Sutton	...	Minister
Emory Parnell	...	Sam - Bartender
Norman Willis	...	Hank Willis - Prospector
Boyd 'Red' Morgan	...	Big Jim Seddon (as Red Morgan)
Bob Steele	...	Red - Henchman
Dan White	...	Marshal Davis (as Daniel M. White)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company:

Premiere Productions

Trivia:

Dan Duryea (father) and Peter Duryea (son) appeared in two western films together: Taggart (1964) and The Bounty Killer (1965).

Quotes:

Johnny Liam: Now, no offense, but... ah... fighting with your hands is a losing game.

Interesting -- But The Star Is Too Old and the Budget Too Small

Dan Duryea -- innocent(!?) and decent rube from Vermont, goes west and decides to become a bounty hunter. Embittered by circumstances, he becomes the mean, Dan Duryea-esquire sneering nasty man known as the BOUNTY KILLER.

This episodic movie, chock full of old western stars, is a real frustration, because the elements to an Anthony Mann style western are there -- an intriguing premise, great acting by Duryea in the second half of the movie, and malicious murder of a cheerful sidekick. But...

Well, first and foremost, the role is written for someone who is no older than 30 and who can play somewhat clueless innocence. Duryea looks every bit of 55, which makes his pursuit of the young, pretty heroine a touch creepy. Also, for the first half of the movie, Duryea's attempt to portray youthful innocence is simply awful. Oddly enough -- for someone who, by all accounts, was a nice guy who only married once -- Duryea cannot carry off nice and he really cannot carry off clueless. It is a relief when the script, about 30 minutes in, finally allows him to be sly and tricky. (The performance gets much better when circumstances turn Duryea bitter -- and he gets to show us a darn good depiction of a good man gone drunk and evil.)

Secondly, this movie was made on the cheap, and it shows badly. All the outdoor dramatic scenes take place on the same cheesy "outdoor" set, with a photograph of the desert mountains serving as a backdrop to the plastic trees.

Third, the plot has some big old holes and lines that no actor could make sound right. Also, the ending, alas, is really, really, really predictable.

All in all, this movie is worth seeing, but it probably won't seem that way until you've gotten through 30 minutes of the movie. Fans of the genre should stick it out.