Gun Fury (1953)
Genre: Western
Duration: 83 minuten
Alternative title: Hyena's van het Wilde Westen
Country:
United States
Directed by: Raoul Walsh
Stars: Rock Hudson, Donna Reed and Lee Marvin
IMDb score:
6,1 (1.997)
Releasedate: 9 October 1953
Gun Fury plot
"A WOMAN WRONGED...A MAN TO AVENGE HER!...and he rode south to do it!"
Former soldier Ben Warren travels by stagecoach with his attractive fiancée Jennifer Ballard to his ranch in California. En route to Salt Wells, the stagecoach is ambushed and robbed by the gang of fellow passengers Frank Slayton and Tom 'Jess' Burgess. After the heist, Slayton, an embittered Confederate soldier, kidnaps Jennifer because he is in love with her. In a subsequent skirmish, Ben falls off the stagecoach and is left for dead. When Ben regains consciousness, he is determined to free Jennifer from Slayton. Ben doesn't count on the support of the Salt Wells Sheriff. On the way to Mexico, however, an Indian (who hates outlaws), Jess (who has been betrayed by Slayton) and Estella Morales (Slayton's Mexican ex-girlfriend) join forces with Ben.
Actors and actresses
Ben Warren
Jennifer Ballard
Frank Slayton
Estella Morales
Tom 'Jess' Burgess
Blinky
Brazos
Doc
Curly Jordan
Jim Morse
Reviews & comments
Barfly
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- 1885 messages
- 1749 votes
I find most scenes a bit too drawn out. Slightly faster editing would have done the film good.
The story is decent, but actually mostly a bit on the boring side. The best moments consist mainly when the Arizona landscape is beautifully captured, but that can never have been the main intention when making it a western.
A somewhat flat western, including the acting performances. The 3D presentation also results in a few illogical situations, purely intended to make some floating material fly across the screen. Perhaps a novelty back then, but now it is somewhat laughable.
Overall, I had expected more from this western, especially given the names Walsh, Hudson, Reed, and Marvin.
2.5*
Translated from Dutch · View original
Dogie Hogan
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- 13381 messages
- 788 votes
This Western is worth watching only for the stunning Donna Reed and the beautiful landscapes, but otherwise it is a lifeless affair. Despite a fine cast, nothing comes to fruition. 'Fury' is in the title, but there is no trace of it in the film. Unless it is the over-acting Roberta Haynes.
The occasional 3D effects come across as a bit old-fashioned.
The story sometimes has some illogical situations.
I find Rock Hudson very disappointing in this film as well. There is certainly no chemistry with his love interest (Donna Reed).
Donna Reed, who is incidentally fantastic in roles of an emancipated woman, such as in the excellent Western 'Backlash', strikes me as acting very uninspired here. The fact that her husband is left dead barely seems to move her, and she appears to resign herself to her kidnapping, despite two clumsy escape attempts, for example.
Donna seems very small in 'Gun Fury', by the way, unless she just has 'giants' around her. I hadn't noticed that in 'Backlash', but then again, co-star Richard Widmark isn't one of the tallest actors and Philip Carey was 1.93 meters.
Lee Marvin's screen time is limited to 3 short scenes.
For the actors and actresses, 'Desert Fury' seems like a snack: they get off the streets and some extra pocket money; we viewers, a film for a rainy Sunday afternoon. Not a Western to recommend.
Just gave an IMDb *4/10.
PS
Hyenas of the Wild West is the Dutch title; however, I didn't encounter them in the film...
Translated from Dutch · View original
Lovelyboy
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- 3973 messages
- 2971 votes
Sunday evening, classic night, getting started with this Guns Fury that I found at the thrift store two weeks ago. And I didn't have to think twice about it, with Rock Hudson, a title that rings a bell, and a movie poster like that. It was worth the gamble, even though the reviews weren't very strong.
Nevertheless, it starts off quite recognizably with the typical visuals, standard soundtrack, and vibe, making Gun Fury not above average but certainly not bad either. However, the film does have weaknesses later on in an overly long build-up and introduction to Slayton and Jess, and in how the couple Jennifer and Ben fly into each other's arms. It is terrible how the housekeeper is practically fluttering with enthusiasm at the sight of the two lovebirds. It is clear that Gun Fury is certainly not super, has its flaws, and also offers little in the remainder of the film as a surprise.
But once underway, with Ben Warren left for dead and discord within the bandit gang, the whole thing gets going quite pleasantly, despite the fact that it doesn't stray from the beaten path or offer anything new. But that doesn't bother me too much, as there is certainly plenty of gunfighting and chasing, we see a surprisingly young Lee Marvin, the shots fired from the moving carriage over the team of horses are very beautiful, the aftermath of the Civil War makes a brief appearance, as does the fear of people going hunting such a gang. And so, in my eyes, Gun Fury turns out to be a more than fine Western of the old school, which has to acknowledge its superiors in titles like Rio Bravo or The Searchers, to name just a few, but is certainly not bad.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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