Mustered out of the cavalry after serving for multiple years, Capt. Buck Devlin (Scott) has plans to join his brother and family at their ranch in a quickly developing area with acres and acres of available land. Along with him are two of his soldiers he's become good friends with, Sgt. John Maitland (James Garner) and Pvt. Will Clegg (Gordon Jones). The trio arrives in time to help fight off an Indian attack, finding Buck's brother killed because faulty ammunition prevented his rifle from firing. Looking for answers and revenge -- while also gaining supplies for other local farmers/ranchers similarly supplied with bad ammo -- Buck, Maitland and Clegg head to the nearby town of Medicine Bend. It doesn't take them long to figure out who's behind the ammunition, a powerful businessman with his hand in everything in town, Ep Clark (James Craig). Knowing his guilt is one thing, and proving it is another. How can the trio bring Clark to justice in a town where he controls everything?
I found this B-western on Encore Westerns and because of the cast I decided to give it a chance. Just recently I reviewed The Proud Ones, a very entertaining, well-made 1950s western that rose above some of its limitations. It was an adult 1950s western, one revolving around actual relationships, betrayals and greed. 'Shoot-Out' is basically the complete polar opposite. It has the look of a glorified television show, using several sets that any fans of 1950s TV westerns will no doubt recognize. The story starts off interestingly enough with Scott and Co. riding into an Apache attack and saving the day. They undertake a mission to help the local ranchers and farmers, and I'm thinking we're off to a good start. It goes downhill from there, and quickly.
There is an obvious potential with the story for a fairly dark western. A businessman so intent on making money he sells bullets filled mostly with coal dust instead of gunpowder? That's pretty gnarly if you ask me. His henchmen intimidate other shopkeepers into raising prices -- or just not selling at all -- so locals are forced to buy his merchandise. That's all good and nice, but even that aspect is botched here. The tone in this western from director Richard L. Bare is....wishy-washy to say the least. After Buck's brother is killed and they begin their rescue, we're treated to a scene where the very nude trio has their clothes stolen. They're left to approach a Quaker wagon train wearing whatever they find to cover themselves. Oh the hijinks! The story movies back and forth among dark, very serious and funny, goofy and stupid. I don't know if either option would have made a good (or watchable) western, but it couldn't have hurt. Instead, the mix ends up being pretty lousy.
I managed to stick with it though because of the casting. Mr. Western, Scott is decent in the lead, but he's not given much to do. Maybe it's just because his pairings with Boetticher were so significantly better than this one, but it's not one I'd really recommend for fans. Playing his bumbling partners -- and reminding me of a bad 1930s buddy serial -- Garner is the ladies man and Jones is the stupid, booze hound who always gets the group into trouble. Craig is a decent, sneering villain, obsessed with gaining more power. In the 'Hey, they're good-looking, let's keep watching department, Angie Dickinson (just 26 years old) plays Priscilla, the daughter of a rival shopkeeper of Clark, and Dani Crayne as Nell Garrison, a saloon/dance hall singer and dancer. Even the lousiest of B-westerns apparently need some forced, not believable love interests.
Not much else to say here so let's keep this one short. It's dull and has no real point. Basically, it's worthwhile because Scott is always watchable -- even in badness -- and for fans to look for early appearances from future stars James Garner and Angie Dickinson.
Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend (1957): * 1/2 /****
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