Red Sundown is a 1950's Western directed by Jack Arnold, who grownup kids will know from some of his 1950's films: Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), It Came from Outer Space (1953), and The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957).
I love the song at the end and start, "Red Sundown", it's one of those catchy Western title songs or ballads popular in 1950's Westerns, it also reminded me of the song in "5 Card Stud" (1968) sung by and staring Dean Martin.
I liked the old color in this film. Rory Calhoun (who did all sorts of stuff including film noir and Westerns) is the main guy here, he's a bit weak as an actor, playing a gunfighter and the main protagonist. Some fight gets started in a bar over a table and then the guys hunt him and his friend. They find them at some shack, whereby his friend saves him by burying him in an absurd scene. The shack gets burnt but he survives. He goes to a small town, where he gets hired by the local sheriff as his deputy. The sheriff Jade Murphy is played by Dean Jagger who was a familiar face in 1950's films. The fight between squatters and some cattle baron ensues with the sheriff and his deputy trying to sort it all out. Throw in some young lady, who is the sheriff's daughter.
I did notice Lee Van Cleef in a flashback, which was uncredited. Director Jack Arnold may have used stock footage of his many films. Also, look for a young, unrecognizable Grant Williams from the fun "The Incredible Shrinking Man" (1957).
I think there's too much dialogue in this one, yet the film is a bit above average, just barely. That's because it has decent direction, good production values, and capable acting. It isn't great, but still something to watch for Western film lovers.
I love the song at the end and start, "Red Sundown", it's one of those catchy Western title songs or ballads popular in 1950's Westerns, it also reminded me of the song in "5 Card Stud" (1968) sung by and staring Dean Martin.
I liked the old color in this film. Rory Calhoun (who did all sorts of stuff including film noir and Westerns) is the main guy here, he's a bit weak as an actor, playing a gunfighter and the main protagonist. Some fight gets started in a bar over a table and then the guys hunt him and his friend. They find them at some shack, whereby his friend saves him by burying him in an absurd scene. The shack gets burnt but he survives. He goes to a small town, where he gets hired by the local sheriff as his deputy. The sheriff Jade Murphy is played by Dean Jagger who was a familiar face in 1950's films. The fight between squatters and some cattle baron ensues with the sheriff and his deputy trying to sort it all out. Throw in some young lady, who is the sheriff's daughter.
I did notice Lee Van Cleef in a flashback, which was uncredited. Director Jack Arnold may have used stock footage of his many films. Also, look for a young, unrecognizable Grant Williams from the fun "The Incredible Shrinking Man" (1957).
I think there's too much dialogue in this one, yet the film is a bit above average, just barely. That's because it has decent direction, good production values, and capable acting. It isn't great, but still something to watch for Western film lovers.