Death of a Gunfighter (1969)

Directed by Allen Smithee. Starring Richard Widmark, Carroll O’Connor, Michael McGreevey, John Saxon, Lena Horne, Jacqueline Scott, Dub Taylor, Mercer Harris, Morgan Woodward, Kent Smith, David Opatoshu, Larry Gates, Darlene Carr. [PG]

Leisurely-paced, downbeat Western of small town marshal Widmark being deemed an outdated model (a rootin’ tootin’ six-shootin’ fossil) now that progressivism has arrived at the turn of the century. But when the town founders try to replace him, Widmark stubbornly refuses, which results in a plot to overthrow him by deadly force. The outcome is never in any doubt (see the title) but the filmmakers still wring out suspense during the extended action-filled climax. Widmark’s central performance is richer than what can be found in the average funereal oater—he’s far more upstanding than the other town elders, but he also seethes with unspoken hate, and his obstinance isn’t actually based on some sort of unspoken code of honor. Despite prominent billing on promotional materials, Horne is wasted in a lackluster love interest role. The first film to be given the Allen (Alan) Smithee pseudonym directorial credit; in this case, Robert Totten started as director and was replaced midway through production by Don Siegel, and when Siegel refused to take sole credit, the fake name was born in agreement with the Director’s Guild. (seeing Smithee’s name usually signals a truly rotten movie, but not in this case.)

63/100