A Time for Dying (1969) - Once Upon a Time in a Western

Richard Lapp is Cass Dunning, a young man good at one thing, firing a six-gun. So he figures to make a name for himself as a bounty hunter.

Those plans are derailed when he decides to rescue a pretty young lady (Anne Randall as Nellie) from a life of shame.

She arrives in Silver City to start her new job, not knowing that job involves keeping men happy in the local saloon.

Nellie and Cass take refuge in a hotel in the town of Vinegaroon and wind up being hauled before the eccentric Judge Roy Bean on a charge of immorality. He solves that problem by marrying them.

Cass figures to send Nellie to live with his father while he earns a stake hunting down outlaws like Billy Pimple, a youngster hoping to become the next Billy the Kid.

Nellie isn’t exactly thrilled by this idea.

Then a band of bandits bound for Silver City derail both their plans.

Richard Lapp as Cass Dunning, heading West to make a living with his gun in A Time for Dying (1969)

Anne Randall as Nellie Winters, the woman Cass suddenly finds himself married to in A Time for Dying (1969)

Review:

Be forewarned, this should be watched for its curiosity value only. It was the final film directed by Budd Boetticher and the final film to feature Audie Murphy. It’s not the film either would want to be remembered for.

In fact, it’s downright amateurish compared to Boetticher’s masterful outings with Randolph Scott in the lead role. Much of the blame lies on this film’s two young leads. Richard Lapp wound up having a very brief film career; anyone watching this will understand why.

Anne Randall was Playboy’s Playmate of the month in May 1967 and was making one of her first film appearances. She had a longer film career than Lapp, but is probably best remembered for her role as a Medieval wench and the first robot to blow a fuse in Westworld (1973).

As for Murphy, he appears in a grand total of one scene. Murphy’s memorial website blames the film’s brevity and choppiness on the fact that he died during filming, meaning about 20 minutes of film he was to appear in was never shot. His death also delayed the film’s release.

Audie Murphy as Jessie James, providing some advice to young gunman Cass Dunning in A Time for Dying (1969)

Victor Jory as the eccentric Judge Roy Bean, throwing a party for newlyweds in A Time for Dying (1969)

Directed by:
Budd Boetticher

Cast:
Richard Lapp … Cass Dunning
Anne Randall … Nellie Winters
Audie Murphy … Jesse James
Victor Jory … Judge Roy Bean
Robert Random … Billy Pimple
Beatrice Kay … Mamie
Peter Brocco … Seth
Rion Masak … Sam, the bartender
Burst Mustin … Ed
Walter Reed … Mayor
Louis Ojena … Blacksmith
Jorge Rado … Banker
Walter La Rue … Shotgun

Runtime: 67 min.

Robert Random as Billy Pimple as the Billy the Kid wannabe in A Time for Dying (1969)

Anne Randall as Nellie Winters and Richard Lapp as Cass Dunning, enjoying their wedding party in A Time for Dying (1969)

Memorable lines:

Bartender: “Yeah, we make exceptions to Billy Pimple. He ain’t quite Billy the Kid, but he’s sure workin’ on it. And he’s jealous of him too, which makes it worse. Billy Pimple’s got a disposition like a rattlesnake in the sun.”

Cass Dunning: “Well, what do I do now? Huh? Throw these guns away and pick up pa’s plow just because I got a wife.”
Nellie Winters: “I don’t care what you do. You just go ahead and let those poster fellas blow your fat head off if that’s what you want. And they will. Anyone of them.”