Gunsmoke in Tucson (1958)

Very disappointing...

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Same old story coupled with confusing characters - one with the highly unlikely name of Blue Chip. Sodbusters versus Cattlemen but not very convincing. Script seems to be written by 7 graders and acting, except for Forest Kelly, is wooden. I watched this movie because it was filmed in Old Tucson (movie set) and surrounding area which is where I grew up about this same time. Photography is representative and good. Nothing else is.

Gunsmoke in Tucson is directed by Thomas Carr and written by Paul Leslie Peil and Robert Joseph. It stars Mark Stevens, Forrest Tucker, Gale Robbins, Vaughn Taylor, John Ward, Kevin Hagen, Gail Kobe and William Henry. A CinemaScope/De Luxe Color production, music is by Sid Cutner and cinematography by William Whitley. As young boys, two brothers, Jed (AKA: Chip) and John, witness their father being hung by a vigilante gang. Chip, angry and bitter, grows up to be an outlaw and leader of the feared Blue Chip Gang. John goes the other way and becomes a U.S. Marshal. Two brothers on opposite sides of the law, destined to become embroiled in an Arizona range war between cattlemen and farmers. Pretty formulaic stuff here but performed and constructed admirably. Plot machinations revolve around the hopeful salvation of Stevens' outlaw, but as he tries to leave his Blue Chip Gang past behind him, he finds himself being set up by shifty land baron Ben Bodeen (Taylor). Joining the "two brothers on each side of the law" axis are threads involving religion, political power games and testosterone lowering in the form of twin lovelies Lou Crenshaw (Robbins) and Katy Porter (Kobe), with Robbins as a sultry saloon gal getting to warble the tune "I Need a Man". Location photography is pleasing (Santa Clarita, Tucson and Chatsworth), Cutner's musical score is robust and appropriate and the final shoot-out/stand off is a good un'. 6.5/10

I saw this western many years ago having already read the book "Tucson!" on which it was based. It stuck pretty close to the book's story of two brothers finding themselves on opposites sides of the law. In truth, Mark Edwards was probably a little too old to play the younger brother but the performances were good throughout. For me and my friend who saw it separately the film was dominated by the character Slick Kirby, played by John Ward. He seemed at the time the coolest person in the film, the younger brother's best friend,one of the fastest guns in the West and the archetypal laconic gunfighter. Ward doesn't appear to have made any other westerns which is surprising, neither did he play many starring roles. Also surprisingly, this appears never to be shown on TV, nor is it out on video or DVD, yet I remember it as an enjoyable oater. The shoot-out at the end was particularly well done.

Very familiar western plot, but well worth watching. Two young brothers witness the hanging of their father and are forced to grow up on their own. One becomes a sheriff and of course the other an outlaw. Good enough to keep your interest.Cast includes Forrest Tucker, Mark Stevens, Gale Robbins and Bill Henry.