The Gunfighter (1950)

A notorious gunfighter (Gregory Peck) is weary and tired of having to prove himself to every trigger happy punk who wants to make a name for himself. He arrives in the small town where his estranged wife (Helen Westcott) is living under an assumed identity with their son (B.G. Norman) where he hopes to reconcile with her. But he must contend with a young gunslinger (Skip Homeier) who wants to make a reputation for himself. Directed by Henry King (SONG OF BERNADETTE) from an Oscar nominated screenplay. This is one of the best westerns (and perhaps still a bit underrated) of the 1950s with Peck giving one of his very best performances. It doesn't romanticize the old west and from the very beginning, we have a sense that our hero is doomed yet despite his killing background, it's hard not to empathize with him. In a sense, karma has come around and he knows it. There's very little in the film that isn't essential and every scene has purpose. Unusual for a movie of the era, there's no underscore, just a main title (and a terrific one by Alfred Newman) and a brief end title that total less than three minutes at most. There's strong support from Karl Malden, Millard Mitchell, Jean Parker, Richard Jaeckel, Verna Felton and Ellen Corby.