Warlock (1959)

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Watched this the other night taped off tv a few days ago. I love Westerns and with there being so many great modern westerns of late like Open Range, 3:10 To Yuma, Tombstone, Assassination of Jesse James, etc i was not sure if this older film would make the same impact, the film turned out to be good, in fact it was very good, and i read its never been regarded as a classic in its genre. It did not feel epic in any way, due to the small cast and location. But what a great cast - Henry Fonda, Anthony Quinn and Richard Widmark. Star Trek's DeForest Kelley plays a small part off Abe McQuown's outlaw gang.

The town of Warlock hire Clay Blaisdell (Henry Fonda), a professional who costs a lot of money, but one of the fastest gun shooters alive, complete with his famous golden-handled guns. Love the French titled of the movie - L'homme aux colts d'or translated The Man with the Golden Colts.

This is where the film stood out with the characters played by Fonda (Clay) and Quinn (Morgan), both partners and so called professionals, but not officially recognized and even despised by the law, but due to their reputations for clearing towns off scum, they have become a law unto themselves, hired by the towns people to keep the piece in Warlock, but they are extremely burdened and troubled men, making a living out off killing seems to have taken a toll, and seem just as bad as the McQuown Bunch. I loved it when DeForest Kelley comes up against Fonda early in the movie, someone was going to end up looking like a fool.

Johnny Gannon (Richard Widmark) adds another interesting character into the mix, coming up against his brother in the film, a quiet and proud man, out to change and become a better man and prove a point to new love interest Lily Dollar (Dorothy Malone). Widmark got top billing for the movie when it was released, but i think Fonda pipped him to first place with his role as the cool, but dark Clay Blaisdell. Its a very interesting western, that's worth a look. 7.9/10