Bobby Darin stars as Cal Wayne, a Confederate officer who has the misfortune of shooting one of his own men, a good friend no less, during the war.
He returns to Abilene scarred by the experience. Known for his fast gun, he no longer wears one.
A couple more shocks are in store for Cal. First, everyone thought had been killed in the war. Second, Grant Evers (Leslie Nielson), the brother of the man he shot, has given up farming and gone into the cattle brokering business, making a fortune for himself.
And, finally, Evers is engaged to Amy Martin (Emily Banks), Cal’s former lover, who decided she needed to move on with her life after hearing of Cal’s “death.”
Grant and Cal are friends too. In fact, Grant’s right arm was maimed in a boyhood accident when he and Cal were playing.
So when Grant asks Cal to take over the job as sheriff of Abilene, Cal feels obligated to do so, despite his hesitancy to use a gun.
Grant’s a sly one, though. He’s on the ranchers’ side in a range war that’s brewing between the farmers and ranchers. And he knows the farmers will trust Wayne, taking the heat off him, at least for the moment.
Then a young Union soldier, who also just returned home from the war, is whipped to near death by Grant’s henchman Joe Slade, presumably for stealing a calf. That threatens to blow the lid off that brewing range war.
Bobby Darin as Cal Wayne, listening to longtime friend Grant Evers talk about his grand ambitions in Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
Leslie Nielson as Grant Evers, wondering if Cal Wayne’s return will affect his plans to marry Cal’s old flame in Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
Review:
A liberal use of fake blood and the Spaghetti-like closeups — at odd angles no less — during the final showdown can’t disguise the fact that this film seems old-fashioned.
That’s thanks in part to the fact that all the scenes of grazing cattle herds clearly come from stock footage. And a couple of action scenes where the film speed is obviously set on high.
As for the plot, if it all sounds a little familiar, there’s a reason. This is a remake of the 1956 Western “Showdown at Abilene,” with Jock Mahoney, Martha Hyer and Lyle Bettger playing the roles more convincingly than Darrin, Nielson and Banks.
At his small size, it’s tough to envision Darrin as the toughest man in Abilene when he’s not wearing his gun. Best known for his music, he did rack up a couple dozen small and big-screen acting credits. This marked his only Western. Darrin died following heart surgery in 1973 at age 37.
Donnelly Rhodes as Joe Slade, first sheriff, then foreman for Grant Evers in Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
Emily Banks as Amy Martin, welcoming home the man she thought had died in the war in Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
Directed by:
William Hale
Cast:
Bobby Darin … Cal Wayne
Emily Banks … Amy Martin
Leslie Nielson … Grant Evers
Donnelly Rhodes … Joe Slade
Don Galloway … Ward Kent
Frank McGrath … Ned Martin
Michael Sarrazin … Cord Decker
Barbara Werle … Leann
Johnny Seven … Loop
William Phipps … Frank Norton’
William Mims … Ed Scovie
Robert Sorrells … Nelson
Don Dubbins … Sprague
James McCalllion … Smoky Staub
Bryan O’Byrne … Frobisher
Runtime: 86 min.
Title song: “Amy”
by Bobby Darin
Don Galloway as Ward Kent, a deputy worried about Cal Wayne’s reluctance to use a gun in Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
William Phipps as Fred Norton and William Mims as Ed Scovie, thrilled when Cal Wayne refuses to back down to Grant Evers’ gunmen in Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
Memorable lines:
Frank Norton: “Cal, I don’t know what you figure on doin’, but if you stay (in Abilene), you can’t just sit on the front porch and fan yourself. You’re going to have to pick a side.”
Deputy Ward Kent: “Problem with this business is it makes a man old before his time. I never did hear of no sheriff living to be an old man. Did you?”
Cal Wayne: “Sure. They didn’t shoot ol’ Irv Smith til he was almost 31.”
Kent: “Probably lied about his age.”
Cal: “Probably.”
Cord Decker: “Funny that a man has to fight to live in peace.”
Michael Sarrazin as Cord Decker, returning from the war and worried about who’s approaching his campfire in Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
Johnny Seven as Loop, one of Grant Evers’ hired guns, challenging Cal Wayne’s ban on guns in Abilene in Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
Barbara Werle as Leann, the woman who’s always loved Cal Wayne in Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
Frank McGrath as Ned Martin with daughter Amy (Emily Banks), watching Cal Wayne approach a showdown in Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
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