1.31.2010

No Name on the Bullet (1959)

Directed by Jack Arnold - starring Audie Murphy and Charles Drake



Audie Murphy plays a quick-draw hitman who strolls into town and without lifting a finger or saying a word upsets the whole place and turns it's town folks on each other. He befriends a physician (Charles Drake), who takes a curious liking to Murphy, playing him in chess and picking his brain about who he's there to kill. Murphy's very presence brings out the paranoia and everyone with a shady past thinks they might be the target.


** SPOILERS ** Audie Murphy plays a believable villain in this. His character's trick is that he always gets his hit to draw on him first, clearing Audie of any crime. At the end of the film when it's revealed the target is an old man all Murphy has to do is get him excited and he has a heart attack on the front porch. Charles Drake as 'The Physician' plays the would-be-hero, finally turning on Murphy and throws a giant hammer, hitting Murphy in the arm. Blood dripping down his hand, Murphy crawls up on his horse and rides outta town. The End.

Directed by Jack Arnold, the movie opens with great views of the countryside but once Audie gets to town it mostly takes place in the saloon and backrooms. Kinda' psychological character study of small towns and one of Murphy's best westerns.


Sent into us by reader Barry M - "Gene L. Coon wrote this, says IMDB. Probably most famous as writer and producer for Star Trek, and writer of the Spectre of the Gun episode!"



No comments:

Post a Comment