Rock Hudson plays Ben Warren, a Civil War veteran who has a simple post-war wish — to marry sweetheart Jennifer Ballard (Donna Reed) and settle down on a large ranch in California, where he can live peacefully in isolation.
Unfortunately, the stagecoach Jennifer Ballard is traveling West also carries Frank Slayton (Philip Carey) and Tom “Jess” Burgess (Leo Gordon).
They have a simple wish, too — making off with the gold shipment the stage carries.
When Ben tries to play hero, he’s left for dead and the bandits make off with the gold and Jennifer, a former Southern belle who reminds Slayton — an “unreconstructed” rebel — of the days before the war.
Slayton and Burgess have a falling out over what to do with the girl. Slayton wins and has his partner tied to a fence and left for the buzzards.
He’s rescued by Ben, and the two spend the rest of the film on the trail of the outlaws — Jess in search of vengeance, Ben in search of his lost love.
Rock Hudson as Ben Warren, trying to round up help in his search for a kidnapped fiance in Gun Fury (1953)
Donna Reed as Jennifer Ballard, fearful of her fate in the hands of Frank Slayton in Gun Fury (1953)
Review:
Entertaining Western directed by Raoul Walsh, with Carey turning in the film’s strongest performance as the slightly demented outlaw. And you’ll find lots of other familiar faces; his gang includes Lee Marvin and Neville Brand.
But it’s Ben Warren — Hudson’s character — who learns the biggest lesson: that isolation isn’t always the best policy. He keeps asking for help to track down the Slayton gang. He keeps running into men who feel the same way he does — why get involved in someone else’s business.
The coincidental appearance of an Indian ally who also wants to get even with Slayton doesn’t help the film’s plausibility. Roberta Haynes plays Estella, Slayton’s other girl, who goes into a jealous rage when he arrives from the stagecoach robbery with Jennifer Ballard in tow.
If you watch the film, you won’t be surprised that it was shot in 3-D. Lots of objects are aimed directly at the viewer.
Philip Carey as Frank Slayton, obsessed with Jennifer Ballard because she reminds him of the pre-war South in Gun Fury (1953)
Leo Gordon as Tom ‘Jess’ Burgess, a gang member who no longer sees eye to eye with Frank Slayton in Gun Fury (1953)
Directed by:
Raoul Walsh
Cast:
Rock Hudson … Ben Warren
Donna Reed … Jennifer Ballard
Philip Carey … Frank Slayton
Roberta Haynes … Estella Morales
Leo Gordon … Tom “Jess” Burgess
Lee Marvin … Blinky
Neville Brand … Bravos
Phil Rawlins …. Jim Morse
Ray Thomas … Doc
Bob Herron … Curly Jordan
Forrest Lewis … Weatherby
Runtime: 83 min.
Roberta Haynes as Estella Morales, a woman’s who jealousy fuels her search for revenge in Gun Fury (1953)
Philip Carey as Frank Slayton with two of his gang members — Blinky (Lee Marvin) and Bravos (Neville Brand) in Gun Fury (1953)
Memorable lines:
Ben Warren, on his war experience: “I learned one thing. Bullets are very democratic. They kill good men as well as bad.”
Frank Slayton: “She’s quite a woman, isn’t she?”
Jess Burgess: “As far as I’m concerned, they’re all alike. They just got different faces so you can tell them apart.”
Slayton: “She’s as different from other women as cognac is from corn liquor.”
Burgess: “You get the same kind a headache from either one.”
Frank Slayton to Jennifer Ballard: “You look at me like that because you live in a world that doesn’t exist anymore. If we’d met before the war … but we didn’t. It’s a different world now, the South. A world with three armies — an army of mourners, an army of cripples and an army of thieves. Fortunately, I’m still in one piece, and no one’s crying over me.”
Rock Hudson as Ben Warren and Donna Reed as Jennifer Ballard, enjoying a happy reunion in Gun Fury (1953)
The Indian brave who joins Jess Burgess and Ben Warren in their pursuit of the outlaws in Gun Fury (1953)
Roberta Haynes as Estella Morales, threatened with a spur in Gun Fury (1953)
Philip Carey as Frank Slayton (center) in a disagreement with Jess Burgess (Leo Gordon) over Jennifer Ballard (Donna Reed) in Guy Fury (1953)
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