John Chard

I sorta figure blood is thicker than good resolutions... Five Guns to Tombstone is directed by Edward L. Cahn and collectively written by Ricahrd Schayer, Jack De Witt and Arthur Orloff. It stars James Brown, Walter Coy, Robert Karness and Willis Bouchey. Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter share composing duties and Maury Gertsman provides the cinematography. Not a lot to write home about here, where the plot treads familiar ground as reformed outlaw gets roped into bad ways again, and his brother is involved in the mess that follows. As some Western fans have rightly spotted, this is a remake of Ray Nazarro's Gun Belt from 1953. Itself not a great film, it is however the one to seek out in preference to this offering. Though made in 1960 this actually feels more like a 1940s Western, where an air of serial sogginess hangs over proceedings. Cahn appears to be one of those jobbing directors who studios turned to to haul a pic in on time. Everything is competently staged, the action etc, and the landscapes pleasing, but excitement is in short supply and the finale doesn't pay off for time invested in viewing. 4/10