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The Gunfighter Overview:

The Gunfighter (1950) was a Western - Drama Film directed by Henry King and produced by Nunnally Johnson.

Academy Awards 1950 --- Ceremony Number 23 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best WritingWilliam Bowers, Andre de TothNominated
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The Gunfighter BlogHub Articles:

A Shadow of Death Lingers Over "The Gunfighter"

By Rick29 on Aug 10, 2017 From Classic Film & TV Cafe

Released in 1950--the same year as Winchester '73--Henry King's The Gunfighter helped usher in the "adult Western" genre. From its simple title to star Gregory Peck's authentic mustache, this character study works hard to differentiate itself from conventional oaters. Peck plays Jimmy Ringo, a gu... Read full article

A Shadow of Death Lingers Over "The Gunfighter"

By Rick29 on Aug 10, 2017 From Classic Film & TV Cafe

Released in 1950--the same year as Winchester '73--Henry King's The Gunfighter helped usher in the "adult Western" genre. From its simple title to star Gregory Peck's authentic mustache, this character study works hard to differentiate itself from conventional oaters. Peck plays Jimmy Ringo, a gu... Read full article

The Gunfighter (1950)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jan 6, 2017 From 4 Star Films

“Ringo don’t look so tough to me.” Those are the words that propagate a legend and simultaneously follow notorious gunman Jimmy Ringo wherever he goes. There’s always some impetuous kid looking to have it out with him and every time it’s the same result. The kid never... Read full article

Review: The Gunfighter (1950)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jan 6, 2017 From 4 Star Films

“Ringo don’t look so tough to me.” Those are the words that propagate a legend and simultaneously follow notorious gunman Jimmy Ringo wherever he goes. There’s always some impetuous kid looking to have it out with him and every time it’s the same result. The kid never... Read full article

The Gunfighter (1950)

By Beatrice on Jun 24, 2015 From Flickers in Time

The Gunfighter Directed by Henry King Written by William Bowers and William Sellers; story by Bowers and André de Toth 1950/USA Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation First viewing/Amazon Instant This is a very solid Western character study of a gunman who can’t seem to put down his guns.... Read full article

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The Gunfighter Quotes:

Jimmy Ringo: [to Archie, the boy sweeping up the saloon] You got a livery stable here, boy?
Archie: [just stares at Jimmy Ringo]
Mac: Uh, he's a little astonished, Jimmy.
Jimmy Ringo: When you get him un-astonished, tell him to take care of my horse.
Marshal Mark Strett: Somebody after you?
Jimmy Ringo: Three somebodies.
Marshal Mark Strett: The law?
Jimmy Ringo: Naw, this is personal.
Marshal Mark Strett: I don't want 'em to catch up with you here.
Jimmy Ringo: I don't want 'em to catch up with me anywhere.
Jimmy Ringo: How come I've got to run into a squirt like you nearly every place I go these days? What are you trying to do? Show off for your friends?
Jimmy Ringo: You're Hunt Bromley, ain't ya?
Hunt Bromley: Yeah... you heard of me already?
Jimmy Ringo: Yeah, I heard about you. I heard you're a cheap, no-good bar-room loafer. If I didn't have somethin' else on my mind I'd take them guns away from ya and slap ya cross-eyed.
Jimmy Ringo: Now turn around and head for the door. Keep movin' and don't do anything sudden with your hands.
Hunt Bromley: I'll be seein' ya, Mister Ringo...
Jimmy Ringo: All the way outside, sonny.
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The Gunfighter Facts
Based on the life and exploits of an actual western gunslinger named John Ringo, a distant cousin of the outlaw Younger family. The real Ringo was a ruthless murderer and survivor of the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral, against (Dr.) John Holliday, Wyatt Earp and the Earp brothers. Also unlike the movie's account, the actual John Ringo--his real name--suffered a severe bout of melancholy following a visit to his family in California in July of 1882 and went on a monumental ten-day alcoholic binge, which climaxed when he sat down under an oak tree, drew his gun and used it to commit suicide.
Large painting on wall behind Gregory Peck's chair in bar room is "Custer's Last Fight", painted in 1884 by Cassily Adams and reproduced as a lithographic print by Otto Becker from Adams's original painting. These prints were distributed in 1896 to bars and taverns all over America by the Anheuser Busch Company.
The original story was written by John Bowers and Andre de Toth with John Wayne in mind. Wayne loved it and offered Bowers $10,000 for it. The writer thought it was worth more and told Wayne how he felt. The actor reportedly said, Well, you wrote it for me. Don't you have any artistic integrity?" Bowers later got $70,000 for it at Fox, and Wayne harbored ill-feelings about the incident, accusing Bowers of selling it out from under him.
This film was the subject of the classic Bob Dylan song "Brownsville Girl". It starts: "There was this movie I seen one time, about a man riding 'cross the desert and it starred Gregory Peck. He was shot down by a hungry kid, trying to make a name for himself, the townspeople wanted to track that kid down and string him up by his neck. 'Turn him loose, let him go, let him say he outdrew me fair and square. I want him to feel what it's like to every moment face his death'" Then Dylan goes on to compare his own position in pop music to the gunfighter.
In 1996, veteran character actor Richard Jaeckel, who played "Eddie", was diagnosed with cancer at the same time his wife had Alzheimer's disease. The Jaeckels had lost their Brentwood (CA) home, were over $1 million in debt and Jaeckel was basically homeless. His family tried unsuccessfully to place him into the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, CA. Peck lobbied for Jaeckel's admittance, and three days later Jaeckel was placed in the facility. He stayed in the hospital until his death in June 1997.
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