The Gun Hawk

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Corey attempts to arrest Madden in the town but is driven away by the townspeople. But then in spite of the tender loving care provided by his girl Marleen (Ruta Lee), Madden's wound becomes infected forcing him to............................................................. It's the last movie directed by Edward Ludwig -- he would helm one TV episode three years later, then retire -- and there are a lot of troubles with it. Cameron moves and speaks as if his corset is hurting him, Jimmy Haskell's score makes this seem more like a long TV episode than an actual movie, and the script is busy and muddled. Ludwig directs as if the Production Code is still in effect. Saddest of all, it's John Litel playing Calhoun's drunkard father for a brief, inglorious moment on the screen. Usually I would call a western like "The Gun Hawk" a cliche western because here we have the classic western storyline of a well known outlaw trying to live his life peacefully but having to deal day in day out with the danger his notoriety brings. And to be honest there is plenty which is cliche about it from characters to drama but then considering this is nothing more than a b-movie it plays out in an entertaining manner reaching a nice dramatic climax. And one thing lifts "The Gun Hawk", makes it better than it really is and that is Rory Calhoun who delivers a performance superior to the movie and makes some corny scenes surprisingly touching. While having a drink in the saloon, a drunk (a barely recognizable John Litel) wanders in bagging for a drink. Turns out the old man is Madden's father. The Sullys learn of this and use the old timer to draw Madden out into the open. During the ensuing scuffle, the old man sacrifices himself to save his son.

The role of Madden’s long-suffering lover Marlene is played by Ruta Lee, who got her film start in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and settled into a long TV acting career. When she hit the big screen, it was usually in a Western. She also appeared in “Sergeants Three” and the Audie Murphy vehicle “Bullet for a Badman.” On the outskirts of the relationship between Blaine and Reb there is the lawmen in pursuit, one is wise and has a soft spot for Madden, the other is angry and only sees death for Madden as a positive result. Into the mix comes Ruta Lee (ravishing in looks, staid in acting) as the love interest, though it's nice to report that this strand of the story never cloys and in fact enhances the Madden character arc. Robert J. Wilke and Lane Bradford file in for villain duties, with the former energetic and doing a nice line in brash outlaw who is destined for a fall. Sure, the movie has faults. It begins badly, with a cheesy title song, clumsy expositional dialogue in a sheriff's office, and a comedy-relief fight scene that's not funny. By that point I was thinking maybe I should turn it off. But soon after, it improved. As I write this, The Gun Hawk enjoys a meager 5.8 IMDb rating. As you can see from my own rating, I think this is way too low.The Gun Hawk is a 1963 American Western film directed by Edward Ludwig and starring Rory Calhoun, Rod Cameron, Ruta Lee and Rod Lauren. [1] Plot [ edit ] But Calhoun has another scheme in mind. He's the kingpin in a town called Sanctuary, an outlaw town. Calhoun's also got his girl friend Ruta Lee there as well. He'll need her presence as his gun hand is out of commission. Madden then pursues the Scullys and kills them. Corey follows him and attempts to arrest him, however Madden escapes and is wounded by the sheriff. The Gun Hawk is directed by Edward Ludwig and collectively written by Jo Heims, Richard Bernstein and Max Steeber. It stars Rory Calhoun, Rod Cameron, Ruta Lee, Rod Lauren, Morgan Woodward and Robert J. Wilke. Music is by Jimmy Haskell and cinematography by Paul Vogel.

Rory Calhoun does an excellent job in the lead role. His makeup for the climatic scenes is quite realistic and convincing. Rod Lauren was a singer of the day who had a brief acting career. Rod Cameron on the down side of his career was shortly to embark on making spaghetti western in Europe.

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The Gun Hawk" provided star Rory Calhoun an opportunity to display his acting talents as the anti-hero gunfighter Blaine Madden. On Madden’s trail is an old friend, Sheriff Ben Corey (Rod Cameron), who figures he has to take Madden in for the two killings, but isn’t looking forward to the proposition. His deputy has no such compulsions. He’s always been jealous of Madden and his hold over a sheriff he looks up to as a father. It's after the pair arrive in the Mexican village of Sanctuary that you have to take things with a certain grain of salt. At times barely able to lift his right arm due to the bullet wound, Madden has no trouble mixing it up with hotshot gunslinger Johnny Flanders (Robert J. Wilke), running him out of town after a blistering dust up in the town saloon. Eventually however, his arm becomes seriously infected, and even with the loving care provided by Madden's admirer Marleen (Ruta Lee), he comes to the realization that he may be dying. With Roan's help, Madden prepares for a final showdown, but it's not with the sheriff and his overzealous deputy (Morgan Woodward). With the words "We're gonna set each other free", Blaine squares off against Reb, who's only alternative is to defend himself against Madden's draw. Reb Roan: “Ain’t nothing like a good fight to wake a man up, is there? Matter of fact, that’s my philosophy, you know? Start the day off with a good fight and end it with a bad woman. It’s a lot easier to find a fight, though.”

The performances of the lead actors are noteworthy. Rory Calhoun embodies the character of J.B. Brooks, the retired gunslinger, to perfection. His on-screen presence commands attention, and his portrayal of a tough ex-convict looking for redemption is convincing. Rod Cameron's role as the town sheriff is also well played, showing the character's determination, intelligence, and courage at every turn. And Ruta Lee's performance as Virginia, the feisty and determined woman who loves Brooks, is captivating.

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Two veterans of the B western movie genre Rory Calhoun and Rod Cameron team up for The Gun Hawk. Cameron plays an upright sheriff who saw some promise in Rory Calhoun and wanted to make him his deputy. But Calhoun preferred the dark side and became a notorious gunfighter. Calhoun may not have been the greatest actor, but he knew how to deliver the goods as a jaded gunfighter. What makes the role unusually interesting is that after a certain point, Calhoun knows he's going to die. In fact, he knows it before we do, and once we figure it out, his actions - such as his seemingly unfeeling treatment of a longtime girlfriend - make sense. The Gun Hawk is punctuated with plenty of thrilling gunfights, suspenseful moments, and heartwarming scenes that will leave the viewer on the edge of their seat. The movie's production values are impressive for its time, and the music score is memorable. As the story unfolds, the town sheriff, Jake Evans, realizes that Brooks is innocent of the murder he's been accused of. Evans decides to help Brooks clear his name, even going as far as risking his job and life to do so. But getting to the truth won't be easy, as hidden agendas of the corrupt mayor and his henchmen keep complicating things. Air bubble · Balloon · Chao Egg · Chao Key · Chaos Emerald · Chaos Drive · Car · Container ( Cage, Chao Container, Steel Container, Unbreakable Container, Wooden Container) · Emblem · Emerald Shard · Gate key · Goal Ring · Item Box ( 5 Rings, 10 Rings, 20 Rings, Bomb, Extra Life, Health, High-Speed Shoes, Invincible, Magnetic Shield, Shield) · Key Stone ( Gate Key) · Meteorite · Outfit · Ring · Snowboard