The Duel at Silver Creek

1952
Approved
1h 17m

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

YOUR RATING

Audie Murphy in The Duel at Silver Creek (1952)

Marshal Tyrone and the Silver Kid form an uneasy alliance against a gang of claim jumpers.

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Western

Marshal Tyrone and the Silver Kid form an uneasy alliance against a gang of claim jumpers.Marshal Tyrone and the Silver Kid form an uneasy alliance against a gang of claim jumpers.Marshal Tyrone and the Silver Kid form an uneasy alliance against a gang of claim jumpers.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Rat Face Blake
(as Kyle James)

Walter Sande

Pete Fargo

Lee Marvin

Tinhorn Burgess

George Eldredge

Jim Ryan - Bartender

Victor Adamson

Townsman
(uncredited)

John Albright

Townsman
(uncredited)

Carl Andre

Carl - Claim Jumper
(uncredited)

Emile Avery

Posse Member
(uncredited)

William Bailey

Townsman
(uncredited)

Griff Barnett

Dan 'Pop' Muzik
(uncredited)

George Bell

Townsman
(uncredited)

Stanley Blystone

Sam
(voice)
(uncredited)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
This was Don Siegel's first western, as well as his first film for Universal, which became his home studio in the '60s and '70s.

Goofs
During the climactic gunfight where rider Rod Lacy is himself chased on horseback by the marshal and both then dismount to continue shooting at each other, Lacy astonishingly manages to fire 11 shots from what is clearly a revolver pistol (which normally fires only 6) before an attempted 12th shot reveals it to be out of ammunition, and only then is Lacy forced to reload it - he is out of frame briefly whilst on his galloping horse (the camera cuts to the chasing marshal) but could not have conceivably re-loaded during that very short time, and at no point throughout is he shown to be carrying 2 guns.

Quotes
Marshal Lightning Tyrone: [to Blake] If you're in Silver City after sundown, Rat Face, I'll throw you in jail.
[He throws him through store window]

Connections
Referenced in Hollywood Remembers Lee Marvin (2000)

User reviews32

Review

Featured review

6/10

Audie Murphy plays a cool, fastgun deputy

"The Duel at Silver Creek" is a 1952 Western starring Stephen McNally and Audie Murphy as a sheriff and green deputy who are trying to track down a murderous gang of claim jumpers. Meanwhile the sheriff pursues a new hottie in town (Faith Domergue) while the deputy is interested in a teenage cutie (Susan Cabot). A 27 year-old Lee Marvin is on hand as one of the possibly shady characters.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this old Western. Murphy is great as the youthful and likable fast-gun and McNally is effective as the sheriff. Domergue is beautiful, but duplicitous and even shockingly evil (e.g. the unexpected strangling scene). Cabot is a joy to watch and it's interesting to see Marvin so young.

The story is interesting with McNally narrating and it easily keeps your attention at only 77 minutes, but what brings my rating down is the roll-your-eyes plot gimmicks (for lack of better word) typical of old Westerns. For instance, the sheriff's bad finger that makes it almost impossible for him to squeeze the trigger of his handgun and how this becomes a big secret. And then there's the way the deputy expertly grazes the sheriff's arm in order to take his place in a fast-draw duel (What if he was off by a couple of centimeters?). If it weren't for these types of lame aspects I'd give "The Duel at Silver Creek" a higher grade.

The locations are good, shot at three California ranches -- Corrigan Ranch, Iverson Ranch and Janss Conejo Ranch – as well as Vasquez Rocks.

GRADE: B-