The Gun Hawk

The Gun Hawk is directed by Edward Ludwig and collectively written by Jo Heims, Richard Bernstein and Max Steeber. It stars Rory Calhoun, Rod Cameron, Ruta Lee, Rod Lauren, Morgan Woodward and Robert J. Wilke. Music is by Jimmy Haskell and cinematography by Paul Vogel.

Gunslinger Blaine Madden (Calhoun) is pursued by the law after a shoot out he was forced into results in him killing two men. With young protégée Reb Roan (Lauren) in tow, Madden makes his way to the town of Sanctuary, a place that ultimately holds the fate cards of the man known as El gavilán.

Still trying to reform the world Ben?

It's pretty stock formula on a thematic front, and for sure there's some creakiness in the script and from some of the actors around Calhoun, but there's a big pay off here. It's something of a rare little Western this one, out of Allied Artists it proves to be one of the better B Westerns from the company. The main interest value comes with the burgeoning relationship between the aged gunslinger and his hot headed punk companion. It's through this relationship that the finale gets its emotional wallop, something which lifts the picture out of the ordinary.

Sanctuary. If you kill there you have no place else to go.

On the outskirts of the relationship between Blaine and Reb there is the lawmen in pursuit, one is wise and has a soft spot for Madden, the other is angry and only sees death for Madden as a positive result. Into the mix comes Ruta Lee (ravishing in looks, staid in acting) as the love interest, though it's nice to report that this strand of the story never cloys and in fact enhances the Madden character arc. Robert J. Wilke and Lane Bradford file in for villain duties, with the former energetic and doing a nice line in brash outlaw who is destined for a fall.

Back off. BACK OFF!

In spite of being able to spot the obvious cheap aspects of the production, the tech credits are rather decent. There's some nice outdoor photography from the Bronson Canyon locale, set design is colourful and costuming is very pleasing. On the flip-side, though, Haskell's music becomes repetitious and therefore irritating, while the make-up department go over board for the key scene at the end. But with Calhoun turning in a very effective ghoulish performance and that finale of some great reward, The Gun Hawk is worthy of being better known and supported. 7/10

Edward Ludwig was mainly known for his adventures yarns: CARIBBEAN, WAKE OF THE RED WITCH, JIVARO, SMUGGLER'S ISLAND, FLAME OF THE ISLANDS, though he also gave some other genres stuff, horror: BLACK SCORPION; crime. LAST GANGSTER; and war/ FIGHTING SEABEES; Also I admit a couple of westerns such as VANQUISHED and the one I am talking about now. This is a typical mid sixties western, not speaking of those starring the Duke, directed by the likes of Burt Kennedy or Andy McLaglen in the pure forties, fifties and Jack Ford tradition. No I speak of those westerns which were somewhere the transition between Ford and Peckinpah. Westerns with a bit of bittersweet taste and melancholy; for instance Dick Thorpe - also last stand, what a coincidence - THE LAST CHALLENGE - with of course nearly the same scheme as GUNHAWK, or those B westerns produced by Paramount pictures and AC Lyles, during also the early sixties, and starring old timers such as George Montgomery, Yvonne de Carlo, Richard Arlen. And don't forget last Spencer Gordon Bennet's film, - one of the most famous and prolific serial maker with Bill Witney, who, for his last feature, as like Thorpe and Ludwig, gave us two tremendous little films, BOUNTY KILLER, and REQUIEM FOR A GUNFIGHTER. In one of them, Dan Duryea gave one of his best performances ever as a pure anti hero, who announced the downbeat late sixties and early seventies. So GUNHAWK is for me a terrific piece of work, especially for the B genre. Which i have always loved.

This B Western is surprisingly not too bad. Some half way decent acting, a few laughs, a fair story plot, some action and of course the very beautiful Ruta Lee. This movie develops the characters pretty well and there is definitely some interest in how they interact and how things will work out in the end. Rory Calhoun is always likeable despite his only ordinary acting ability. He somewhat sleep walks through most scenes and is mostly devoid of emotion, yet somehow he manages to make his role interesting. . Rod Lauren steals the movie as a young, upstart with a good heart. In a somewhat weird scene, Lauren jokes about jumping out a window or shooting himself. Some 20 years later, he committed suicide after being a suspect in his wife's brutal murder. Not the greatest movie, but good for a stormy, rainy night or a boring Sunday afternoon.

THE GUN HAWK was advertised in theaters as a typical action packed shoot em up western, which must have disappointed the drive-in fans who were expecting that. What they saw instead was a thoughtful, superbly acted character study written by Jo Heims, who would later write PLAY MISTY FOR ME for Clint Eastwood. Rory Calhoun and Rod Cameron both prove they are excellent actors, bring nuanced performances to roles similar to those they had both played in countless B westerns. Rod Lauren, Ruta Lee, and Morgan Woodward provide excellent support. I think this movie got lost in the era between the 50's B westerns and the 60's spaghetti westerns, neither of which does it fit comfortably in, which is a shame. Highly recommended!

A heavy, self important western (i.e. Trying too hard to "say something" significant about the human yadda yadda). Most of the oppressiveness comes from Jo Heims' too talky, too expositional and definitely too philosophical screenplay but Jimmie Haskell's score is not far behind and director Edward Ludwig, in his last film, is only too happy to attach himself to Heims/Haskell. As is Rory Calhoun, a poor man's Robert Taylor, Ruta Lee, a poor woman's Stella Stevens, and Rod Laurin, a very poor boy's James Dean. About the only person who manages to rise above the dreck is Rod Cameron, doing a more than passable aging lawman. Not Joel McRae in "Ride The High Country", which this film wishes it was, but close. Give it a C.