I watched this film on TV on TCM recently after reading the short synopsis and seeing the cast list....Glenn Ford, Angie Dickinson, Jack Elam, Royal Dano and Gary Merrill. A good, reliable line-up. It was a 1967 film as well, sandwiched between The Professionals (1966) and The Wild Bunch (1969), not to mention Butch & Sundance and True Grit, both from the same era. It had to be good. It wasn't...it was awful! The tired plot (ageing gunfighter trying to escape his past with a new young pistolero wanting to prove himself) has been done many times before, and better, but I thought the stellar cast might bring something new to the film...wrong! Poor old Glenn Ford looked his usual world-weary self a bit too much in this film and Jack Elam played his regular character that he's played many times down the years, which is OK if the movie's a good one...if it's not, it doesn't work for me. The most ridiculous waste of talent was the part Royal Dano played, not just an Indian, but a drunken one that wouldn't have been out of place in Blazing Saddles. On top of all that, the film actually looked horrible...it had none of the sharp, colourful camera work that the others I mentioned had, in fact it looked like a 'B' movie to me. The best thing about this film was Angie Dickinson who looked great throughout it. For me, Shane in 1953, set the standard for future westerns, and Rio Bravo ('59) and The Magnificent Seven ('60) kept up this standard with 'grown-up' scripts, good casts and attractive locations. For me, The Last Challenge had none of these ingredients. The only other western I've given a negative review is The Unforgiven with Burt Lancaster (and again, a good cast)...bad, but not quite as bad as this one.

I never thought I would literally almost fall asleep watching this western.In no order of merit.There was absolutely no chemistry between Glenn Ford and Angie Dickinson.Angie Dickinson spoke her lines as though reading them off a billboard.Why Glenn Ford took this movie on I for one, will never know because Glenn Ford is up there with the greats.I found this film totally boring from start to finish.One of the reviews for this film stated, "At last an adult western".This in my view was because of the script, it was full of truths about life as a cowboy who is claimed to be fast on the draw, and there will always be a young punk who claims to be faster. That's it in a nut shell.

Sorry, but I just don't see it the same. For me, this is just one more in a string of not only bad westerns, but bad films made in the '60's. I notice the same thing with war movies made during the decade: The plots are shot full of holes and discontinuities and if not poorly produced and directed, then poorly edited. There seems to be a resurgence in quality starting about '68 with movies such as Bullitt, Bonnie & Clyde and The Wild Bunch, my #1 all-time western.I don't know why, but Hollywood movies in general from late '50's to late '60's, while possibly strong on visuals (scenery, location) are shallow and weak technically and plot-wise. Kind of like American cars at the time: Whatever's put out there will be purchased.

In many ways The Last Challenge is simlar to the TV show Gunsmoke. Glenn Ford turns in a great performance. As the Marshall of a great western town. He has the respect off all the towns folk. He has a beautiful girlfriend who runs a saloon just like in Gunsmoke. Chad Evertt is the bad guy who rides into town to prove he's the better gun draw. The story is good some moments are a little slow but in the end. The story finally takes shape. One problem in the film. The Producers don't give enough substance to the Marshall. There's not enough gun play to establish the Marshall expertise as a law man. Angie Dickenson's character doesn't give the strong woman role. Like Miss Kitty in Gunsmoke. Chad Evertt's role should have been more dirty.Byron