Hour of the Gun: there have been many accounts of the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, but John Sturges turns things on their ears by starting his film with the gunfight, instead of closing the action with it (as most of the others do, including one he directed himself). The result is a moody, dark western and all the more interesting for it, as it explores the opposition of lawful, unlawful, right and wrong. The performances are subdued and very solid: James Garner is all quiet rage as Wyatt Earp; Jason Robards plays a subtler (and older) Doc Holliday compared to the usual, and Robert Ryan makes a good villain. It’s visually serviceable, but Jerry Goldsmith’s rich musical score contributes a lot to the dark mood the film has.
