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Released by: Olive Films
Released on: March 31st, 2015.
Director: William F. Claxton
Cast: Lee Van Cleef, Forrest Tucker, Hank Worden
Year: 1957
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The Movie:
Some of the most impressive work in the Olive Film's catalog resides in the dark corners of their Western library. THE QUIET GUN - a little seen 1957 offering is a perfect example. Featuring an early performance by genre stalwart Lee Van Cleef and a solid starring role for Forrest Tucker as well as an appearance by Jim Davis (who achieved worldwide fame as Jock Ewing on the tv program Dallas), this is a terrific adult-themed western.
Early in the film, town lawyer Steven Hardy (Lewis Martin) pays a visit to sheriff Brandon (Tucker in a fine sober performance). Hardy is an officious prick with a sanctimonious streak and claims he's there to see the lawman on a matter of "public morality". Seems that a local property owner/cattleman by the name of Ralph Carpenter (Jim Davis) is shacked up with an Indian girl (Mara Corday). Since Carpenter is married (though estranged) from his wife Teresa (Kathleen Crowley) this business is seen by the town council as some sort of major scandal. Further complicating matters is that the sheriff is in love with Carpenter's wife AND considers Carpenter a friend.
Turns out that the city attorney isn't really interested in public decency. He's being paid under the table by a cattle rustler (Van Cleef) to pry Carpenter off his land. Stringently warned by the sheriff to mind his own business, the lawyer pays no heed. He saddles up and takes along an unwilling rifleman to serve papers on the rancher. This goes south fast and Hardy ends up dead. And even more inconveniently, that estranged wife has now suddenly come back into town.
There are shades of HIGH NOON to the plot of THE QUIET GUN. This is a film about honor and duty in the face of apathy and cowardice. When a lynching occurs after the sheriff is assaulted by a passel of townsfolk while he's doing his duty and protecting a suspect, the film starts to become something more than a typical period oater. After arresting the lynching party and putting them in the town jail, Brandon has to face down a huge mob. His solution to this dilemma is quite clever - deputize the entire town council. As the sheriff works towards uncovering the truth we get to see how smart he is. Under that laconic exterior is a shrewd man. Tucker has a great weathered face and an ability to project both sadness and yearning as well as intense nerve. His interactions with the local mentally deficient man named Sampson (Hank Worden) could have been pure caricature but instead work as both human drama and non-cringeworthy comic relief.
Though the ending is quite perfunctory and the sets and locations for the film are quite modest, THE QUIET GUN is still a good looking and well shot black and white affair. Its themes of morality and corruption also mark it as having a little bit more on its mind than shootouts and stock villains. Bolstered by strong performances and a solid script with some surprising dramatic twists, this one is a minor gem.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Olive's 2.35:1 AVC encoded 1080p presentation is almost a textbook example of a solid non-digitally manipulated transfer. Everything looks nice, filmic and natural. Detail and black levels are strong. The crisp black and white aesthetic of the film shines. This is a really nice transfer. Audio is delivered by a fine DTS-HD Master Audio English track. It has about the depth and punch you'd expect from a budget 1957 production but everything is clear and there are no dropouts or distortion. There are no subtitles or extras of any kind.
The Partin Shot:
Adult, interesting and dramatically engrossing, THE QUIET GUN is a fine Western. And it's fun to see Lee Van Cleef and Jock Ewing in the same horse opera. Olive's presentation is bare bones but delivers rock solid A/V. Recommended.
Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!
