Stewart Granger plays a fast-draw gunslinger Tom Early in "Outriders" director Roy Rowland's scenic oater "Gun Glory" who comes back home to his sprawling ranch to resume where he left off before he started riding. Early gets a shock when he shows up and discovers that his wife is dead and his son (Steve Rowland) hates. Some of the people in the community abhor him even more. Principally, a crippled storekeeper Sam Winscott (Jacques Aubuchon of "Thunder Road") hates Tom with a passion. He hates him not only because Tom has a reputation, but also because he persuades the girl his former wife and he raised like a daughter, Jo (Rhonda Fleming of "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral"), to come and cook for Steve and he. Winscott has the temerity to make sexual advances toward Jo and he is shocked when she doesn't respond with affection. The action heats up when a cattleman, Grimsell (James Gregory of "PT-109"), plans to drive his herd across Early's land and through the town. Grimsell means to destroy the town. The first day that he rides into town, he makes his aims clear. As it happens, Tom Early is in town, too. Grimsell's gun hand Blondie (Rayford Barnes of "The Wild Bunch") challenges Tom to a duel. Tom blows him out of his saddle, and Winscott redoubles his efforts to besmirch Tom's reputation. Winscott's hate for Tom drives Jo right into Tom's arms. When Grimsell refuses to stand down and decides to plow the town under the hooves of his steers, he assembles an army of gunfighters. The local preacher (Chill Wills) gathers the townspeople and the farmers to confront Grimsell's gunmen, but the gunmen back shoot the preacher and scatter the townspeople. Gunn (Arch Johnson) nurses a special kind of hate for Tom because he gunned down Blondie. Gunn shoots down Winscott like a dog after Grimsell's gun hand massacre the townspeople and wound Tom's son in the leg.
Seasoned MGM director Roy Rowland, who also helmed "Bugles in the Afternoon" as well as many episodes of "The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp," handles the action expertly and doesn't allow anything to interfere with the momentum of the plot. Sure, it takes 18 minutes for Tom Early to out draw his first adversary. Clocking in at a lean 89 minutes, Rowland doesn't waste a moment in this standard-issue oater, and "Oklahoma!" scenarist William Ludwig comes up with some memorable dialogue to keep the interpersonal relationships interesting. The theme of the gunfighter who cannot hang up his gun is done with skill and Stewart Granger acquits himself serviceably in the role. Rhonda Fleming is the woman who doesn't want him to sacrifice his life. Rowland would make a couple of westerns in Spain during the Spaghetti western crazy, and "Gun Glory" has all the marks of an exciting Spaghetti. To thwart Grimsell and his bunch, Tom Early resorts to dynamiting the terrain and stampeding the villain's cattle. Particularly striking is Harold J. Marzorati's cinematography; when he shoots a long shot, it's a long shot. Spectators who enjoy hell-bent-for-leather westerns with a lot of dust and tough talking will enjoy this sturdy if stereotypical saga. You can tell that this is a 1950s' western because Chill Wills warbles the title tune, which isn't too bad. This is an unusual western is some respects because it endorses the use of violence. Tom's son admits, "There are times when you have to use a gun. There's no other way."
Seasoned MGM director Roy Rowland, who also helmed "Bugles in the Afternoon" as well as many episodes of "The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp," handles the action expertly and doesn't allow anything to interfere with the momentum of the plot. Sure, it takes 18 minutes for Tom Early to out draw his first adversary. Clocking in at a lean 89 minutes, Rowland doesn't waste a moment in this standard-issue oater, and "Oklahoma!" scenarist William Ludwig comes up with some memorable dialogue to keep the interpersonal relationships interesting. The theme of the gunfighter who cannot hang up his gun is done with skill and Stewart Granger acquits himself serviceably in the role. Rhonda Fleming is the woman who doesn't want him to sacrifice his life. Rowland would make a couple of westerns in Spain during the Spaghetti western crazy, and "Gun Glory" has all the marks of an exciting Spaghetti. To thwart Grimsell and his bunch, Tom Early resorts to dynamiting the terrain and stampeding the villain's cattle. Particularly striking is Harold J. Marzorati's cinematography; when he shoots a long shot, it's a long shot. Spectators who enjoy hell-bent-for-leather westerns with a lot of dust and tough talking will enjoy this sturdy if stereotypical saga. You can tell that this is a 1950s' western because Chill Wills warbles the title tune, which isn't too bad. This is an unusual western is some respects because it endorses the use of violence. Tom's son admits, "There are times when you have to use a gun. There's no other way."