Hour of the Gun Reviews

Other riveting, based on the story of showdown between the Earps and the Clanton gang s certainly as much a part of American mythology as I believe this since I last watched 1994's Wyatt Earp.
There are solid performances all around, beginning with James Garner who plays a hero with a badge, and is powerful in his intensity. And Jason Robards Jr. is quite good in his character, and does deliver a couple of colorful lines to Earp. The relationship and chemistry between the two men is unique. It's difficult to outline, but it's like these two were old souls who would go through hell with/for each other and never need to wonder or to argue it.

An unusually dour James Garner in another solid telling of the Wyatt Earp story, unusually opening with the gunfight at the OK Corral. Jason Robards is a nicely sardonic Doc Holliday, and it's solidly handled by Sturges (also responsible for The Magnificent Seven).

Excellent western- Be sure to check it out on HD Movie Net

Great cast in a very slow moving western. It does have its rewarding moments though. The production is fine and it's well photographed. Fair period detail but lavish art direction. Check out a very young Jon Voight.

A pretty good western with an interesting take on the gunfight at the OK Corral, and more importantly what happens afterwards.

A film which admirably aims to re-write history with a compelling character study much less focused on heroism. The film however lacks drive and impact.

Excellent western- Be sure to check it out on HD Movie Net

One of the most decent works by John Sturges, only bested by The Great Escape. Hour of the Gun is an entertaining picture. However, it has its flaws and parts where the action lacked excitement. Sometimes I didn't feel Wyatt Earp was really seeking revenge. A Kind of weird sensation. The movie is good thanks to James Garner and Jason Robards, whose performances are charming and portrayed a genuine friendship.

So-so take on the legendary Wyatt Earp and his partner Doc Holliday. Works as a sequel to "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral." Unlike every other Earp movie, the gunfight starts at the beginning and the story begins from there. Fresh take on the overdone character.

A more somber film than Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. A very different film altogether actually, but I find it interesting to compare a given filmmaker's coverage of a historical event, if they did it twice (a la Mankiewicz). I like Garner and Robards, but I don't know that they work all that well together. While I think the film is interesting, it's not altogether enjoyable. Some segments, however, are very good, and I think the writing is really top-notch. Perhaps Sturges was just a little too laid-back at this stage in his career. It supposedly hews closer to history - I guess I prefer the version that "printed the legend."

Hour of the Gun is an austere study of the events following the famous gun battle at the OK Corral, and somewhat muddled psychological picture of what motivated Wyatt Earp. In the hands of a director like Sam Peckinpah this idea probably would have been better handled, but John Sturges was a workman-like director, and this film starts well but soon seems tiresome. Still there's much to admire here. James Garner is good as Earp, and Jason Robards has fun as Doc Holliday, though he's hardly consumptive and too old for the part. The Panavision widescreen photography is beautiful to look at, but this film's real saving grace is a magnificent, masterful score by Jerry Goldsmith. Fans of film music have remembered it better than the movie it so well supports

Great cast in a very slow moving western. It does have its rewarding moments though. The production is fine and it's well photographed. Fair period detail but lavish art direction. Check out a very young Jon Voight.