Reportedly the John Sturges-directed, ponderous Hour of the Gun that came some ten years after the high-profile flourished Gunfight at the OK Corral, was a much more appreciated film. Mostly the admiration came form the director who was dismayed at the bending of historical facts to fit into a palpable Hollywood vehicle.Writing kudos to Edward Anhalt who takes the gnarly legal situations of the film and makes them gripping as scenes are set up to examine the way in which Wyatt Earp uses the instruments of the law-enforcement system to bring the Clanton Brothers to trial for their wide-ranging activity of robbery and assassinations. Moreover the film highlights well how the character of Wyatt Earp disintegrates to the level of avenger in order to force justice.It's a thinking man's film. These gunslingers talk a lot about their reasons for doing what they do. The deadly gunfight at the OK Corral happens very early in the movie, and the nullifying affect it has on the balance of power between law-abiding citizens and the outlaws becomes a social pivot point in how the film defines success. This is a period of change in the West, a time in which laws were supposed to supersede gun violence, and the script makes note to repeat the efforts of Earp to utilize this new rule of the land.The performances of James Garner as Wyatt Earp, Jason Robards as Doc Holliday, and Robert Ryan as Ike Clanton anchor the film one three distinct personas. Each represents a defined viewpoint of how civilization is proceeding, and each argues as well with words as he shoots his gun.There is some slight bending of historical accuracy as when Garner's Earp finally tracks down Ryan's Ike Clanton and the confrontation is one of those classical Hollywood standoffs. This only seems slightly self-indulgent for the filmmakers. This is still a classically-structured movie and we already know the story, but seeing how Hour of the Gun reaffirms the myth of the West will have you thinking more about how America developed such a respectful admiration of guns.

Most people know about the GUN fight at the O. K. Corral, but very few knew what happen after the gunfight before this movie was made. That is where this movie begins.James Garner plays Wyatt much like Burt Lancaster did in Gunfight at the O. K. Corral, tight lipped and straight faced. Garner is a great actor but in my opinion he play this just a little to grim. I think I counted Garner smiling twice in the entire movie.Jason Robards plays Doc Holliday in a very cynical way. Reminding Wyatt and hoping that he wont throw all his principles of being a upstanding lawman away. He stays with Wyatt on his vengeful task at getting even with the men responsible for killing Morgan and shooting Virgil.The movie is filled with plenty of action and gun play, what is missing, is a female lead and just a touch of humor, two things that every great movie has and needs. Why these two important ingredients were left out is anyone's guess. I enjoyed this movie, but I do must westerns. The acting was very good and so was the script. But this is not a date movie or one the kids now days would like. It is however a great kick back good old boys shoot um up. So grab a pizza and a beer and set back and enjoy.

It's a real shame this film isn't more readily available on DVD, or better yet, Blu-ray. It's a different kind of western, but definitely a classic - as you might expect from director Sturges and leading men Garner and Robards.Much of the time, Hour of the Gun feels almost like a docu-drama, condensing sweeping events into a line or two of dialog. For example, when Ike Clanton is finally driven out of Arizona, a major turning point in the film, it happens off-screen. There's little attempt at character development. Garner is no Brett Maverick here; he's a stiff, taciturn gent, probably quite close to the personality of the actual Earp. Robards has more scope, with the alcoholic Doc Holiday. In a way, it's his personality that provides the only emotional anchor for the film.But what makes the film worthwhile is its solid construction. The photography is spectacular, with dramatic groups of figures composed against cloudless southwestern skies. (Do NOT see this film panned-and-scanned!) Dialog is terse and efficient. And the storyline (it's not really a 'plot') is compelling, STARTING with the famous shoot-out at the OK Corral, and tracing the feud between the Earps and Clantons to its bitter end.This is definitely not a slam-bang action film. Every climax is under-played. Characters are grim and aloof. And, inevitably, it's not quite faithful to the known history. But it does present a different view of the character of Wyatt Earp, and presages later treatments such as Tombstone, and Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp.If you like westerns at all, and can find a decent print of this film, don't pass it up.

.... "Hour of the Gun" is almost addictive. Garner is quite superb and Robards may have never been better, or at least is much better than he was in "Julius Caesar" when he was apparently drunk all the time. He makes a fine if over-age Doc Holliday in a different key from "Tombstone"'s Val Kilmer or "Wyatt Earp"'s Dennis Quaid. The irony of this movie is the portrayal of Ike Clanton as the powerful, self-contained "jefe" of the outlaws, a sort of cross between Old Man Clanton (a genuine leader) and Curly Bill or John Ringo. The strategic omission of Ike's begging scene in the gunfight only underlines the writer's intention of raising the status of Ike Clanton so that the climactic gunfight has more weight than would have been possible had Ike been more accurately written. It is satisfying to see Wyatt kill Ike; too bad it never happened. The usual errors in holsters and hats may be overlooked (although it makes one value "Tombstone" more) but the journey from recognizable historical references to a trip to Mexico undocumented by any historian with whom I am acquainted and the offer of "Chief Marshall of Arizona" to Wyatt Earp is ludicrous. However this is not a documentary; it is Sturges' second half of "Gunfight at the OK Corral" and as such it stands as a Western - how is that put now? - "inspired by real events". All the women are omitted, Doc is from Baltimore(?), Brocius is killed strangely compared to what really happened, names are oddly changed, new characters introduced for no apparent reason, etc. The acting is better than the script. It makes a better movie than the facts.