Gun for a Coward
Gun for a Coward | |
---|---|
Directed by | Abner Biberman |
Written by | Robert Wright Campbell |
Produced by | William Alland |
Starring | Fred MacMurray Jeffrey Hunter Janice Rule Chill Wills Dean Stockwell Josephine Hutchinson Betty Lynn John Larch |
Cinematography | George Robinson |
Edited by | Edward Curtiss |
Color process | Eastmancolor |
Production company | Universal-International Pictures |
Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 88 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $1 million (US)[1] |
Gun for a Cowardis a 1957 AmericanCinemaScopeWesternfilm directed byAbner Bibermanand starringFred MacMurray,Jeffrey HunterandJanice Rule.The film also starsJosephine Hutchinsonas MacMurray's mother, despite being less than five years his senior.
Plot
[edit]Will Keough is a rancher with two younger brothers, who are called Bless and Hade. They live with their widowed mother, Hannah, whose husband was bitten by a rattlesnake when Bless was a young boy. Ever since that day, Hannah has been determined to shield Bless from the hard life of the West and turn him instead into a refined, gentler soul. In so doing, she sometimes embarrasses Bless in front of the ranch's other men.
Hannah wants to move to the big, sophisticated city of St. Louis and take her middle son with her. Bless refuses at the last minute, then feels guilty when the months go by and his unhappy mother becomes ill and passes away.
Will, meanwhile, builds the ranch into one of the territory's largest. His primary concerns are rustlers and neighbor Audrey, whom he loves and intends to marry, although he has been slow to commit. What he doesn't know is that Audrey has fallen in love with Bless.
Before and during a cattle drive to Abilene, more than once Bless is accused of being cowardly. He fails to adequately back up Hade in a bar fight. A fake rattlesnake is placed on Bless while asleep on the trail, terrifying him.
Bless then alienates Will by confessing that he and Audrey wish to marry. Rustlers stampede the cattle, and Hade is shot to death by a rustler. Will blames Bless, and they fight to a draw after the funeral. Will then allows Bless to lead the posse riding out to confront the rustlers, whereupon Will rides out of town right after he tells Audrey that he approves of their future together.
Cast
[edit]- Fred MacMurrayas Will Keough
- Jeffrey Hunteras Bless Keough
- Janice Ruleas Aud Niven
- Chill Willsas Loving
- Dean Stockwellas Hade Keough
- Josephine Hutchinsonas Mrs. Keough
- Betty Lynnas Claire
- Iron Eyes Codyas Chief
- Robert Hoyas Danny
- Jane Howard as Marie
- Marjorie Stappas Rose
- John Larchas Stringer
- Paul Birchas Andy Niven
- Bob Steeleas Burkee
- Frances Morrisas Mrs. Anderson
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Top Grosses of 1957",Variety,8 January 1958: 30
External links
[edit]- Gun for a CowardatIMDb
- Gun for a Cowardat theAFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Gun for a Cowardat theTCM Movie Database