I have just seen this old western on spike TV (UK) today 10/11/16, it was fun to pick out the older stars who at one time or another were top billing in their day.I spotted the Sheriff was Johnny Mack Brown, Richard Arlen, Buster Crab, Bob Steel who was a B movie star in his early days I did not spot that the love interest was Audrey Dalton, until the credits rolled, all in all a good film if a touch one paced. Dan Duryea was good value as usual, his best roles for me were when he opposite Audie Murphy, they did a few films together and seemed to hit it off. I try to keep up with the movie channels here, in the hope that some of these old westerns are shown, we have nothing to match these old films today, and quite frankly there are not the suitable actors around who could do these parts.

I suspect the bad reviews were written by people who know little about film making -- or human psychology. They wouldn't recognize a well-structured, well-written script if it sat in their faces.Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. What ought to have been one of the all-time-great Westerns is significantly weakened by Spencer Gordon Bennet's slack direction that misses the story's quirky, off-kilter qualities. That it survives is due largely to the solid -- sometimes witty -- script, and decent-or-better performances.The story has its share of twists, including a surprising-but-logical ending I won't reveal.Another surprise is Duryea's reaction to Knight's murder -- he lays his head on Knight's chest and cries. (In an odd coincidence, the dying Richard Arlen was kissed by Buddy Rogers in "Wings".)Dan Duryea's son plays an important role. That his voice is almost identical to his father's might have been the reason Peter Duryea was cast. And we also get to see a cameo from "Broncho Billy" Anderson, the first motion-picture cowboy star. *It's dangerous to warmly praise a virtually unknown B film, as viewers often expect things the film doesn't deliver. But I don't think you're going to be disappointed. And you can see it for free on YouTube.* Broncho Billy's sister, Leona, is remembered for her on-pitch-but-croaky voice. "Music to Suffer By" is available on CD. Get it.

The Bounty Killer is directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and written by Ruth Alexander and Leo Gordon. It stars Dan Duryea, Rod Cameron, Audrey Dalton, Richard Arlen, Buster Crabbe, Fuzzy Knight and Johnny Mack Brown. Music is by Ronald Stein and cinematography by Frederick E. West.Willie Duggans (Duryea) arrives in the Wild West and quickly becomes exposed to its violence. Finding that big money can be made by bringing in bad guys, he takes up arms and plans to make enough money to set him up for a future with Carole Ridgeway (Dalton), a beautiful saloon singer. But the job isn't easy, physically, emotionally and mentally.It's a film that asks some forgiveness from Western fans, you are asked to accept Duryea being too old for the role, some iffy production issues, coincidences and some giant leaps of faith. Yet if you can do that and just roll with its high energy willingness to keep the Western traditional in the mid 60s? Then this is better than a time waster.Ultimately it's a message movie about the cycle of violence and how said violence can corrupt the most amiable of minds. The screenplay deftly brings in to the equation the roles of normal outsiders who don't mind violence as long as it is for their own ends, something which brings the best sequence in the film to the fore and lets Duryea once again show his class. Backing the superb Duryea is a roll call of Western movie veterans, all of which - with the leading man - make for a reassuring presence at our Oater dinner table. Neatly photographed out of the Corriganville and Glenmoor ranches in California, this may be a "B Western" trying to keep the traditional Western afloat in the mid 60s, but it's honourable in intent and entertains the Western faithful royally. 7/10

What absolute nonsense that a previous reviewer states that Mr. Dureya cannot carry off nice in this film. The guy was acting for over 30 years and was a brilliant, versatile actor. Sure , he could play villains to perfection and because of this was well known and cast in these parts. But during his 30 years of film acting he frequently was cast as a good guy and he played these roles well.The Bounty Killer does ask too much in his age, sure, the part was written for a younger guy but as Dureya is so exceptionally good as the naive easterner it still works well.It's a wonderful film, it's low budget but it's a fine well acted and well written western.