"You're about the lowest thing I've ever seen standing in a pair of boots." Lola
This disturbing drama is a product of director Anthony Mann’s fertile imagination. Based on a story by Stuart N. Lake, Wyatt Earp’s biographer, it is the story of a weapon -- an inanimate object. Mann chose to use the weapon as the focal point of the drama, tracing its history through the possession of several characters as the film unwinds.
The gun is a Winchester 1873 Model, 44-40 caliber rifle, One of One Thousand grade. The Winchester 73, an evolutionary improvement of the original 1866 "Yellowboy" Winchester and a direct descendant of the Henry and Volcanic rifles that preceded it, was a product of Winchester Repeating Arms Company of New Haven, CT. The One of One Thousand grade rifle was specially selected for accuracy and finished with high grade wood and extra embellishments on the metal. One of One Thousand was engraved on the barrel. There were only a few hundred of the One of One Thousand rifles made out of the more than half a million Winchester 73s produced between 1873 and 1929, so they are a rare and coveted item indeed.
The movie opens with a shot of the gun displayed in a store window. The black and white photography shows the glinting, jewel-like appearance of the highly ornamented weapon. A nameplate, suitable for engraving is inlet into the highly figured stock. The rifle is first prize in a shooting contest and it is creating quite a stir, to say the least.
Dodge City; Lin McAdam (Jimmy Stewart) enters town looking for Dutch Henry Brown (Stephen McNally), the man who killed his father -- actually THEIR father, as they are brothers!! A caricature of Wyatt Earp is portrayed by Will Geer (Jeremiah Johnson). Of course, "our hero" Lin wins the shooting match, but Dutch steals the rifle, just for good measure. Now Lin has another reason to take revenge on his brother.
The rifle rapidly goes through several changes of ownership, including a gun runner (John McIntire), an Indian (Rock Hudson), a tenderfoot, and a desperado named Waco Johnny Dean (Dan Duryea - Sahara). But the gun has an almost supernatural curse, like an Egyptian mummy, as anyone who comes into possession dies violently, and soon.
Director Anthony Mann (Fall of the Roman Empire) is credited with bringing the Western up into the neurotic 50s, blurring the difference between white hat/black hat. The acting, while good, is interesting in the choice of protagonist Jimmy Stewart who was just not very credible as a real tough hombre, with his high-pitched voice and feminine mannerisms. Even his eventual use by Hitchcock against type was not very effective, in my opinion. Shelly Winters was the feminine interest, Lola. Will Geer was decent as Wyatt Earp. Millard Mitchell was good as High Spade, Stewart's sidekick. Stephen McNally was great as the bad guy, Dutch Henry Brown, but the surprise big performance was by Dan Duryea, who played his role to the hilt and stole the show. John McIntire, was also excellent in his bit part as the tin horn gunrunner who won the rifle in a poker game. Look for Anthony Curtis (Tony) in an early screen appearance, also.
The black and white photography, by William Daniels, was good, with some excellent shadowy compositions. There were interesting camera angles, and the film looks very 1950s and neurotic, like many of the films noir of that era. Compare Red River or Only the Valiant for similar great use of camera and lighting. The story was the real meat behind Winchester 73. The weakest link in the production was James Stewart, but stll the film is excellent. All that being said, where does Winchester 73 stand on my recommendation list? It is a part of my library. I give it an honest four stars for a very dark themed western. The television movie starring Tom Tryon and John Saxon as the two brothers was also very good and worth seeing.
The Universal DVD is presented in 1.33:1 theatrical format, in crystal clear black and white, and runs 93 minutes. There is an interview with Jimmy Stewart included as an extra , as well as Spanish and French subtitles.
For those who like a good westerns, I also recommend They Died With Their Boots On, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Cowboys, The Shootist, The Searchers, Red River, and Only the Valiant.
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