Stanley Kramer is one of my favorite producers and directors, so it's almost a sure bet I'll watch anything he puts his name on. Invitation to a Gunfighter had a bit of a strange start, with George Segal putting on a Southern accent to match his Confederate uniform, but I decided to stick with it. It turned out to be a very entertaining western, and even though I didn't like the way it ended, I was glad I watched it.
George returns from the war to his home in neutral New Mexico. Because the Confederacy lost the war, George's farm was repossessed and sold, and everyone in town has turned against him. With no home, his sweetheart Janice Rule married to someone else, he confronts the head honcho (and persuasive bad guy) in town, Pat Hingle. Pat tries to get George arrested, but George breaks out of prison and kills the man who bought his farm. Now a wanted man, and a feared one, Pat hires a gunfighter to take care of the local problem. Yul Brynner's entrance in town is very too-cool-for-school, and his strong, silent type is very attractive. It's no wonder Janice can't keep her eyes off him - but will she keep her hands off him?
Many westerns feature a less than stellar actress who can't shake her contemporary presence. Whether it's too much makeup, too blonde a wig, or too strong a modern accent, the B-actresses often featured in westerns are disappointing. George, in one of his early roles, tries hard to be a rebellious Southerner with nothing to lose. Yul gives a very good performance full of conflict, and even some emotional tenderness. Janice is pretty obviously from 1964 California. Oh well; you can't win them all. If you're a Yul Brynner fan, you'll really like this movie. It may seem like a standard action flick, but he puts a lot more into it. And ladies, he looks really good while he's doing it.
George returns from the war to his home in neutral New Mexico. Because the Confederacy lost the war, George's farm was repossessed and sold, and everyone in town has turned against him. With no home, his sweetheart Janice Rule married to someone else, he confronts the head honcho (and persuasive bad guy) in town, Pat Hingle. Pat tries to get George arrested, but George breaks out of prison and kills the man who bought his farm. Now a wanted man, and a feared one, Pat hires a gunfighter to take care of the local problem. Yul Brynner's entrance in town is very too-cool-for-school, and his strong, silent type is very attractive. It's no wonder Janice can't keep her eyes off him - but will she keep her hands off him?
Many westerns feature a less than stellar actress who can't shake her contemporary presence. Whether it's too much makeup, too blonde a wig, or too strong a modern accent, the B-actresses often featured in westerns are disappointing. George, in one of his early roles, tries hard to be a rebellious Southerner with nothing to lose. Yul gives a very good performance full of conflict, and even some emotional tenderness. Janice is pretty obviously from 1964 California. Oh well; you can't win them all. If you're a Yul Brynner fan, you'll really like this movie. It may seem like a standard action flick, but he puts a lot more into it. And ladies, he looks really good while he's doing it.