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Review of Showdown

Showdown (1963)
10/10
Terse Audie Murphy western
6 August 2020
I always liked this western, it'd a great atmosphere and a solid plot. Pity it's underrated. Audie stars as a cowpoke, who along with Charles Drake, rides into a one horse town to collect their money before ending up imprisoned with outlaws, and when a breakout occurs they find themselves up to their neck in trouble. There's a strange kind of jail - a pole with chain shackling the prisoners. It adds a grim tone to the story, as does the black and white. I used to think that it should've been in colour, but I now think that monogram lends a certain noir-like element to it. There's also a grimness to it as well as some focus on the characters. Kathleen Crowley is really good as is Charles Drake and the villain who has a real menace. The locations are really good, the chase scenes are really nifty, particular liked the bit when Audie lassoes a sagebrush as he's riding the horse, causing dust to disorientate the baddie that's following him. Audie is really good here, reacts well to Kathleen Crowley's bitter tone, and shows some great athleticism and horsemanship.
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