Gun Fury

Rock Hudson and Donna Reed are a couple finally together after the civil war, travelling on a stagecoach when it's hijacked by Phil Carey's outlaw gang. That's pretty much the story. What ensues is a lot of running around amid some beautiful Arizona desert scenery which is the real star here. Lovely cinematography, but weak script let's this Roaul Walsh western in 3D down. Hudson on the way up to greater things is clearly the main reason for making this but his acting hasn't quite met the standard he later achieves in Giant and he's out acted by Phil Carey who exudes more charisma here. Even Lee Marvin is more interesting in a small role. Neville Brand I thought was wasted and his usual screen villainy given little to do. Quite why Carey shows such an interest in Donna Reed, I simply don't know as they've never met before the stage hijac. She's hardly a femme fatale, just a regular girl unfortunate enough to have been there and this is a weakness in the plot. Had she been a former girlfriend of Carey's who has dumped him would have made more sense but his obsession with keeping her with the gang for no apparent reason is baffling, just a ploy for Hudson to chase after them across the scenery. The film later becomes predictable like a TV western, losing the earlier interest that had kept me watching, especially the performance of the underrated Leo Gordon. Should and could have ended better given the talent here.