Shootout

Rating:
Summary: PURE CAMP!
Review: "I'm so dumb. I shoulda knowed, a man's just gonna do what a man's gonna do.".

So unbelievably bad it must be destined to reach cult status one day if the general public ever finds out about this flick. I can't believe Henry Hathaway and Hal Wallis put their stamp of approval on this thing. Great story becomes a victim of the creeping sensitivity of the 60's/70's in the silly tradition of geriatric sentimentality found in True Grit, Rooster Cogburn, and that out of place Raindrops scene in Butch Cassidy, but without a decent script. I defy anyone to name a movie with more ill conceived, outright stupid but hysterically funny dialogue and you'll be rolling on the floor as Gregory Peck, one of Hollywood's most revered actors introduces the word "punk" into the genre....4 TIMES! Dawn Lyn warms up for her role in Walking Tall, and brings the musical score from this turkey with her. The ironic thing is, if you don't like westerns you will probably love this thing; and if you are a fan of westerns you will laugh your [rear] off. Unintentionally very funny.

(Spoiler alert) This is the first time I can ever remember seeing that sideways gansta' pistol pointing and prophetically the token Chicano outlaw gets taken out by this new and unexplainable technique. But it's guaranteed to make you laugh.

If you want to see teacups, apples, and whiskey glasses shot of'n of people's heads then you've come to the right place. Would really make a good Mystery Science project. Laugh factor ****, Quality rating **, but only for making me laugh. BTW, DVD is quite good with 5 stars for both picture quality and sound, just too bad about the script.

Rating:
Summary: some of the best western acting and good story line
Review: a very good western with a good cast and and story line. Peck does a fine job as always as a man on a vengence crusade that is interupted when a little girl is placed in his care. As the story progresses he starts to love this little girl and realize what life is really about and that he has all the treasure that he'll ever want and someone is trying to take it all away.

Rating:
Summary: Same Old Hathaway Recipe
Review: Henry Hathaway found a recipe for making western movies and did not alter one lousy bit. True Grit, Five Card Stud, Shootout - the bad guys from each film in order - Dennis Hopper, Roddy McDowall, and Robert Lyons - they all wear the same outfit. What did they do - pass them down from one film to the other? Also, it appears that True Grit and Shootout have some of the same location scenes shot from the same angle. One more thing - take a close look at the scene at the train depot and see if you cannot find a jet stream. I recommend Gregory Peck's, The Stalking Moon, over Shootout. Stalking Moon has a little more bite and grit and makes no reference to "punks".