Review of Gentleman`s Agreement/Twelve O`Clock High/The Bravados/The Gunfighter

Introduction

It`s Fathers Day as I write this, which makes the release of this boxset perfectly timed. The same can`t be said about my review though, which probably missed the mark. Still, it doesn`t matter what day it is, buy this for your dad and you`ll make him a happy man. Gregory Peck will always be associated with To Kill A Mockingbird, and his memorable performance as Atticus Finch. His upright and honest demeanour has made him a favourite for generations of filmgoers. This boxset contains four of his outstanding performances. As is the way for reviewers, I received only two of the films to watch, The Bravados and The Gunfighter. Fortunately, the second disc I ever reviewed for DVD Reviewer was Gentleman`s Agreement. As it is being released again under the Studio Classics label, the specifications may have changed, but for a review of the film itself I can direct you to that other review via the Search tool on the left hand side of the page. Similarly, Michael Tsang reviewed the original release of Twelve O` Clock High in 2002 for this site, but once again that disc may differ from the version in this boxset. I`ve reviewed The Bravados and The Gunfighter for this piece.

The Bravados

Jim Douglass rides into the town of Rio Arriba in time for a rare event in the town`s history, a hanging. Four criminals are due to hang the next morning and the close-lipped Douglass has ridden 100 miles for the spectacle. The townsfolk are suspicious of this man though, some thinking that he has come to free the villains, others even assuming that he is the hangman. But all such suspicions are belied when he asks to see the men in their cell, and views them with pure hatred. The veil begins to lift when he meets an old flame in the town, and Josefa is stunned to learn that he has stopped attending church. She manages to convince him to attend services this night, but it`s when the townspeople are at services that night that the gang make their escape, kidnapping shopkeeper`s daughter Emma Steimmetz in the process. While the townspeople run around like headless chickens, eager to pursue the gang and rescue Emma, Douglass plays it cool, and sets off the next day, rested and prepared. He`s been tracking these men for the last six months, and knows what they are capable of. The town`s priest knows Douglass of old, and tells Josefa of what happened to his wife while he was working his ranch. Since then Douglass has been hunting the murderers, and when he finally catches up to one of the gang, justice is the furthest thing from his mind. What will his thirst for vengeance turn him into?

The Gunfighter

Jimmy Ringo is on his way to Cayenne, but stopping at another town on the way, he`s challenged by a young would be gunfighter, eager to make a name for himself. He has to defend himself of course, and leaves pursued by three vengeful brothers. Ringo`s arrival in Cayenne doesn`t go unnoticed, and the appearance of the notorious gunslinger electrifies the town. The Marshall is an old friend of his, who is less than happy to see him. Soon it appears as if the whole town is camped outside the saloon to see what will happen. Ringo isn`t there on business though, rather he means to see his estranged wife and son. He wants to leave his notoriety behind him and settle down to a normal life somewhere where no one knows his name. It`s hard to lose that reputation though, when there is a mourning father looking for vengeance, another fame seeking trigger-happy youth, and those three brothers not too far behind.

Video

The Bravados

The picture for The Bravados is presented in an impressive 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer. For a film that is reaching its half-century mark, it`s astounding to see a clear and sharp image, with strong colours and a distinct absence of print damage beyond the occasional scratch. That said, darker scenes are more prone to grain, and are less distinct than the rest of the film. There is also some nice use of exterior scenery in the film, with a couple of breathtaking scenes.

The Gunfighter

The Gunfighter is presented in the original 4:3 ratio, and in black and white. Age has taken its toll on the print, with damage evident from practically the first frame. Thin black vertical lines assail certain scenes, and the film is uniformly soft throughout. It`s hardly an ideal print, but isn`t detrimental to the viewing experience.

Audio

The Bravados

This another of those Europe friendly discs, with DD 2.0 mono soundtracks in French, Italian, German and Spanish, with plenty of subtitles. The English track is a re-mixed DD 4.0 track, with the dialogue very front-focussed and all the effects distributed liberally around the soundstage. This isn`t a subtle mix, and I didn`t feel that it was very natural. I would have preferred the original mono track in addition.

The Gunfighter

It`s a Europe friendly disc too, with mono soundtracks in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, with oodles of subtitle options. There is a minor hiss to the film, again a sign of age, but the dialogue is clear and audible throughout.

Features

Nothing to speak of.

Conclusion

The Bravados

I thoroughly enjoyed the Bravados, perhaps because I came to it expecting the opposite. But this is one of those stories that has a strong message, and that hinges on the performance of the lead. Here Gregory Peck excels as the driven vengeful man, relentlessly pursuing those who blames for the death of his wife. He brings a darker, tortured shade to the character that pays off in the final third of the film, as he realises exactly which path he has chosen.

It`s also a surprisingly dark and layered film for 1958, there is nothing heroic about Douglass` actions, and indeed the brutality and hatred with which he dispenses his so-called justice brings to mind the anti-heroes of the later re-imagining of the Western genre. His pursuit of the criminals is perhaps ironically reminiscent of Moby Dick, but the picture he keeps of his murdered wife in a pocket-watch reminds me of For A Few Dollars More. In one of those delightful movie connections, Lee Van Cleef plays one of the gang he pursues.

Douglass` story is revealed gradually, and it`s a mark of the writing that we learn about his past as we learn about his character. Although it rapidly becomes obvious what his motivations are, it isn`t spelled out until the end. Also I enjoyed how the film maintained a moral ambiguity up to the final scene. Douglass is hardly the hero as I have already mentioned, and the townsfolk aren`t altogether accepting of his assistance, until Emma is found. Just at the point when they decide to support his actions wholeheartedly, the film delivers a perfectly timed reversal, which throws everything Douglass has believed into doubt.

You can`t get away from the period in which the film was made, and the Western clichés of the time are never far behind. Somehow they aren`t as annoying when the narrative is so strong. The supporting cast vary, and Joan Collins is miscast as Josefa. I can`t see her as a hot-blooded Latin type, and she fails to really shine here. Ultimately, Hollywood can`t have its heroes acting questionably, and with a quick visit to church, Douglass emerges renewed, forgiven and penitent. Order has been restored with a quick confession, and he`s whiter than white once more.

Ending aside, The Bravados is an enjoyable character study that delivers when it comes to shade and complexity. The picture has stood the test of time well, and the sound isn`t too bad either. Gregory Peck`s performance makes this film work, and it`s well worth watching if you want something extra from the genre.

The Gunfighter

Like John Wayne`s final film The Shootist, The Gunfighter is a telling character study. The difference is that Jimmy Ringo is still in his prime, and trying to change the direction of his life. It shows how a reputation can weigh on a man, limit his opportunities and colour people`s perceptions of him. Ringo is reputed to be the fastest in the West. Unfortunately this isn`t the kind of `sport` that a man can retire undefeated from, and the longer his notoriety lasts, the harder it is to leave behind. The only way anyone can assume the mantle of `the fastest` is to beat the reigning gunfighter. It`s natural selection at its harshest. Wherever Ringo goes, there is invariably someone barely out of his teens with a gun strapped to his thigh, or the law hounds him, or he has to face the consequences of his actions and reputation.

The Gunfighter does an excellent job of showing the effects of this curse, by showing the public attention Ringo`s notoriety and infamy generates. Gregory Peck is excellent as the troubled gunfighter; he exudes a weary menace tinged with a sense of hope that he can change his life for the better. A cast of interesting characters, not least of which is Cayenne`s Marshall Mark Strett as played by Millard Mitchell, supports him. He`s the one member of the gang who escaped the outlaw life and made a better future for himself. He`s sympathetic to Ringo`s plight, but is equally concerned by what effect the gunfighter`s presence will have on the town. Perhaps the weak point is the family Ringo has returned for, his wife Peggy as played by Helen Westcott is indecisive and unassertive, and his son exudes that fifties wholesomeness that is indicative of a lack of characterisation. Since the whole of the narrative revolves on Ringo`s desire to reunite with his family, when that reunion eventually comes it is something of a damp squib. That has more to do with the way women were characterised in Westerns of this period, but to my more modern sensibilities, Peggy really only came alive in the last scene of the film.

For a film of the fifties, The Gunfighter is surprisingly dark, layered and textured. Not for this film are the simple characterisations of good versus evil, black versus white costumes. As with many of the Hollywood classics, the dialogue is peerless, and the tone of the film is punctuated by some delicious moments of comedy. As an examination of the notoriety of the gunfighter, it is ahead of its time, and the end of this film is refreshingly bleak and downbeat. Despite the rather creaky state of the film after fifty plus years, it`s still well worth watching.

Conclusion

Judging by the three films that I have seen, this is a selection of films that treat viewers with strong, layered performances and powerful messages. These are films with meaning, films that stay with you after the credits have stopped rolling. Of the three, Gentleman`s Agreement has dated the most, but it still has a solid message at its heart. The only overall downside is a lack of extra material. It seems a hastily cobbled together boxset of films that are otherwise available individually (although I haven`t seen The Gunfighter advertised singly as yet), and there is nothing to make this boxset stand out from the crowd. Still, if you are a fan of Gregory Peck, then this boxset is an easy purchase.