La Cité des tueurs

The Corbett-Fitzsimmons fight of 1897 draws to Carson City every outlaw of the territory, eager for the pickings. But Brett Stanton has bigger ideas! Like robbing the box office of a high profile prizefight.

City of Badmen is an unusual western, mainly due to its setting - a prizefight- as well as being a caper. It's a fairly intriguing western with enough conflict and some intelligent dialogue. A little talky at times and it takes a little time to get going, but it does draw you in, at least mildly. The best acting is from Dale Robertson who has a conscience and is conflicted over his criminal life - he clashes with his brother (Lloyd bridges) as well as Richard Boone, who, in no surprise, is the heavy. If you like unusual westerns with a unique setting and characterisation, then City of the Badmen is right up your creek.

A great deal of care has been taken to ensure authenticity in the settings of the period and details concerning the fight. The boxing style itself has changed so radically since 1897 that John Day and Gil Perkins, who are seen as Corbett and Fitzsimmons, trained industriously for their boxing scenes to create the authentic style. A veteran stuntman, Gil Perkins has staged some of the most exciting fights in screen history (John Wayne and Randolph Scott brawl in The Spoilers comes to mind)