Death of a Gunfighter

May 8, 1969

1h 34m

★ 6.2

Marshall Patch... he lived by the law of the gun...

Overview

In the turn-of-the century Texas town of Cottownwood Springs, marshal Frank Patch is an old-style lawman in a town determined to become modern. When he kills drunken Luke Mills in self-defense, the town leaders decide it's time for a change. That ask for Patch's resignation, but he refuses on the basis that the town on hiring him had promised him the job for as long as he wanted it. Afraid for the town's future and even more afraid of the fact that Marshal Patch knows all the town's dark secrets, the city fathers decide that old-style violence is the only way to rid themselves of the unwanted lawman.

Genres

Western

Production Companies

Universal Pictures

Death of a Gunfighter Trailers

Cast

Marshal Frank Patch

Richard Widmark

Claire Quintana

Lena Horne

Lester Locke

Carroll O'Connor

Edward Rosenbloom

David Opatoshu

Andrew Oxley

Kent Smith

Laurie Mills

Jacqueline Scott

Ivan Stanek

Morgan Woodward

Mayor Chester Sayre

Larry Gates

Doc Adams

Dub Taylor

Lou Trinidad

John Saxon

Hilda Jorgenson

Darleen Carr

Dan Joslin

Michael McGreevey

Harvard graduate James Averill serves as the sheriff of prosperous Jackson County, Wyoming, standing at the center of a conflict between impoverished immigrants and affluent cattle farmers. Politically connected ranchers enlist mercenary Nathan Champion—who is also vying for the affections of local madam Ella Watson—to combat the immigrant uprising. As tensions escalate, both Averill and Champion start to question their decisions.

0.0

The Wild Frontier

Sep 30, 1947

Outlaws are in control of the land so the town of Clayton City writes the governor for an honest marshal. That marshal is Frank Lane, who brings his son Rocky with him.

6.2

Evil Roy Slade

Feb 18, 1972

Orphaned and left in the desert as an infant, Evil Roy Slade (John Astin) grew up alone—save for his teddy bear—and mean. As an adult, he is notorious for being the "meanest villain in the West"—so he's thrown for quite a loop when he falls for sweet schoolteacher Betsy Potter (Pamela Austin). There's also Nelson L. Stool (Mickey Rooney), a railroad tycoon, who, along with his dimwitted nephew Clifford (Henry Gibson), is trying to get revenge on Evil Roy Slade for robbing him.

4.8

South of Heaven, West of Hell

Jan 28, 2000

Valentine Casey is a Marshal in the desolate Tucson territory of the early 1900s. On Christmas Eve, his outlaw family pays him a disturbing visit. He must confront the sins of his past. He and his partner, U.S. Christmas, journey through the desert to a small town that the ruthless Henry Clan has hit in order to save Casey's love, Adelyne.

6.8

Hang 'em High

Apr 12, 1968

Marshall Jed Cooper survives a hanging, vowing revenge on the lynch mob that left him dangling. To carry out his oath for vengeance, he returns to his former job as a lawman. Before long, he's caught up with the nine men on his hit list and starts dispensing his own brand of Wild West justice.

0.0

Shootout at Big Sag

May 31, 1962

A man has his eyes set on controlling the Big Sag territory in Montana and hopes to achieve his goal by forcing a newly-arrived family from Texas from their land. Hoping to convince the local saloonkeeper to help him, the man sends his daughter into town with instructions for his potential partner. A storm waylays the daughter during her trip to town and she is forced to stay at the home of her father's intended victims, leading to an interesting turn or two.

4.8

Renegade

Feb 9, 2004

U.S Marshal Mike Donovan has dark memories of the death of his first love. He keeps peace between the Americans and the natives who had temporarily adopted and taken care of him. The evil actions of a white sorcerer lead him to confront the villain in the Sacred Mountains, and, through shamanic rituals conquer his fears and uncover a suppressed memory he would much rather deny.

6.4

Bad Company

Oct 8, 1972

After Drew Dixon, an upright young man, is sent west by his religious family to avoid being drafted into the Civil War, he drifts across the land with a loose confederation of young vagrants.

7.1

Last Train from Gun Hill

Jul 29, 1959

A marshal tries to bring the son of an old friend, an autocratic cattle baron, to justice for the rape and murder of his wife.

6.6

Mackenna's Gold

Mar 18, 1969

A bandit kidnaps a Marshal who has seen a map showing a gold vein on Indian lands, but other groups are looking for it too, while the Apache try to keep the secret location undisturbed.

7.3

The Gunfighter

May 26, 1950

The fastest gun in the West tries to escape his reputation.

7.4

My Darling Clementine

Oct 17, 1946

Three brothers stop off for a night in the town of Tombstone. The next morning they find one of their brothers dead and their cattle stolen. They decide to take revenge on the culprits.

0.0

The Reckless Rider

Jul 1, 1932

Disguising himself as an outlaw, a marshal comes to the aid of a man and his daughter who are being terrorized by a criminal gang.

6.7

3 Godfathers

Dec 31, 1948

Three outlaws on the run discover a dying woman and her baby. They swear to bring the infant to safety across the desert, even at the risk of their own lives.

6.5

The Harvey Girls

Jan 18, 1946

On a train trip out west to become a mail-order bride, Susan Bradley meets a cheery crew of young women traveling out to open a "Harvey House" restaurant at a remote whistle-stop.

6.1

Man with the Gun

Nov 5, 1955

A stranger comes to town looking for his estranged wife. He finds her running the local girls. He also finds a town and sheriff afraid of their own shadow, scared of a landowner they never see who rules through his rowdy sidekicks. The stranger is a town tamer by trade, and he accepts a $500 commission to sort things out.

7.4

Johnny Guitar

May 26, 1954

On the outskirts of town, the hard-nosed Vienna owns a saloon frequented by the undesirables of the region, including Dancin' Kid and his gang. Another patron of Vienna's establishment is Johnny Guitar, a former gunslinger and her lover. When a heist is pulled in town that results in a man's death, Emma Small, Vienna's rival, rallies the townsfolk to take revenge on Vienna's saloon – even without proof of her wrongdoing.

5.0

Law Men

Apr 25, 1944

U.S. Marshals "Nevada" Jack McKenzie and "Sandy" Hopkins go undercover to bust a gang of stagecoach robbers in this vintage Western serial. Nevada infiltrates the gang, while Sandy works as a cobbler in town, keeping an ear open for local gossip as they try to flush out the inside man tipping off the crooks.