Seven Ways from Sundown (1960)

Wonderful character development!

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

"Seven Ways from Sundown" producer Gordon Kay began his career as an associate producer bank rolling westerns in the late 1940s with Allen Lane as the cowboy champion. Indeed, Kay spent the bulk of his career producing sagebrushers, with occasional forays into social drama "Voice in the Mirror," the Esther Williams vehicle "An Unguarded Moment," the George Nader suspense thriller "Man Afraid," .the Tony Randall animal comedy about a lion "Fluffy," and a World War II combat saga "The Young Warriors" with "Virginian" James Drury. "Seven Ways from Sundown" was the second of seven sagas that Kay produced with Audie Murphy riding tall in the saddle. You can spot the usual Universal Pictures back lot sets. Interesting enough, "Seven Ways from Sundown" used the same Ranger headquarters set that the television western "Laredo," about Texas Rangers, used for its two season run. The scenic Alabama Hills look majestic in the sprawling outdoors scenes with the principals riding through them. Veteran western novelist Clair Huffaker of "The War Wagon" adapted his own novel for the screen with "Fort Dodge Stampede" director Harry Keller, who helmed six of Murphy's sagebrushers, calling the shots. No, "Seven Ways from Sundown" isn't half as good as "The War Wagon." Meanwhile, Keller collaborated on eight films with producer Gordon Kay. He helmed "Covered Wagon Raid," "Man Afraid," "Voice in the Mirror," "The Unguarded Moment," "Six Black Horses," "Day of the Badman," "Quantez," and "Seven Ways to Sundown." This formulaic, 80-minute, horse opera about a heroic young man and an older villainous gent makes for an amiable, easy-going, but mildly entertaining western. Former World War 2 hero Murphy is adequately cast as the wet-back-the-ears Texas Ranger protagonist, while Barry Sullivan has a field day as his charismatic quarry. In many ways, Keller and Huffaker look like they must have seen those memorable Randolph Scott westerns that Bud Boetticher directed and Burt Kennedy wrote where the villains were so charming that they emerges as sympathetic. Initially, trigger-happy hellion Jim Flood (Barry Sullivan of NBC-TV's "The Tall Men") is shown killing for four, well-armed hombres and burning down a saloon. Our hero, Seven Ways (Audie Murphy of "To Hell and Back"), rides onto the scene the day after the conflagration armed only with a Winchester repeating rifle. It seems that he has only recently signed up with the Rangers. The irate citizens are prepared to lynch him for turning up so late in the game, so he skedaddles before they can lay hands on him. In the town of Buckley, Texas Ranger Lieutenant Herly (Kenneth Tobey of "The Thing from Another World") orders Sergeant Henessey (John McIntire of "Backlash") to take the kid along with him to capture Flood. Henessey argues that Herly should send more men after Flood. It turns out that Henessey knows a lot about the elusive Flood. He knows enough about the outlaw to not trust anything that any of Flood's friends or acquaintances tells him about the gunman. As they embark on their search for Flood, Henessey has to wet-nurse Seven because the young man doesn't know squat about handling a six-gun, but he is a crack shot with his Winchester. Eventually, Seven gets pretty adept with his Colt's revolver and proves himself in later scenes when he is forced to intervene in predicaments.Things take a dramatic turn for the worst when the cunning Flood bushwhacks Henessey on the trail and the older Ranger, who had served as a mentor for Seven Ways, dies. Seven refuses to heed Hennessey's advice to forget about Flood and ride back to Texas. Our tenacious young hero catches up with Flood, wounds him with a lucky shot, and takes him captive. The two men form a relationship vaguely reminiscent of that between Seven and Henessey. Keller and Huffaker never let us forget about the treacherous of Ranger Lieutenant Herly whose cowardice prompted the death of Two for the Money Jones, one of Seven's older brothers. The cast is sturdy, and the dialogue is memorable, though the storyline remains a mite formulaic. Our hero is given a love interest, but the action sidetracks this affair for the search for Flood. "Seven Ways to Sundown" is the kind of oater where the hero and the villain bond but in the long run they have to turn on each other for one to survive. The Italians would take this dramatic situation and work it out in some instances, particularly in Sergio Corbucci's westerns where the hero and villain would reconcile their differences and emerge as friends.

Seven Ways from Sundown is directed by Harry Keller and adapted to screenplay by Clair Huffaker from his own novel of the same name. It stars Audie Murphy, Barry Sullivan, Venetia Stevenson, John McIntire and Kenneth Tobey. A UIP production in Eastman Color with music scored by William Lava & Irving Gertz (Joseph Gershenson supervising) and cinematography by Ellis Carter. Plot finds Murphy as Seven Ways from Sundown, a Texas Ranger who tracks and captures notorious outlaw Jim Flood (Sullivan). As the two men make their way back to Texas, a bond begins to form...It's another Audie Murphy Western that rarely gets a mention when the talk turns to Murphy's best Oaters. On this occasion, though, it's not because it is operating suspiciously at the low end of the "B" Western scale, or that it is boorish in the formula department, this is actually a case of it being under seen by the last couple of generations of Western fans. A shame because it has much to recommend.Film basically centres around the two (initial) polar opposite characters finding a mutual respect as they traverse the dusty land back to Texas. Along the way they encounter problems; Apache attack, bounty hunters et al, but they play cards, they fight, with both men getting ample opportunities to either escape or wound, but mostly they talk. Wonderful dialogue driven chat from the Huffaker (Rio Conchos/The Commancheros) pen. This isn't in the same league as the psychological smarts laden 3:10 to Yuma chatter between Heflin and Ford, no sir, but it's well scripted and boosted considerably by the chemistry between Murphy and Sullivan.It's an odd couple physically, especially in the early parts as Seven has Greenhorn traits to overcome, but the guy's odd friendship does become believable. When Seven says late in the day that there's no man he trusts more than Flood, we understand why, because Keller (Day of the Bad Man/Quantez) and Huffaker have done great work in bringing the characters and actors to life. There's extra spice in the beans, too, with knowledge given to us of what Flood has done with his guns and what Seven is irked by in his past, he has a calling but is it a burden?There's enough action in here to please the undemanding Western fan, with gun play, fist throws and show downs (look out for a nice stunt leap off of a wagon), while there's the odd smattering of heroism such as Audie saving a dog from a bird of prey! A potential romance angle (no not between the men) is very low key and not a hindrance, McIntire and Tobey impact nicely with their respective performances and Nevada's Red Rock Canyon forms a magnificent back drop (bravo Ellis Carter). But this is all about Murphy and Sullivan and the care and consideration afforded them by Messrs Keller and Huffaker. Far from perfect for sure, anyone will find holes in this sort of production, but forgiveness is not hard to come by when it plays out so damn well. Hey! The ending is a real beaut as well. 8/10Footnote: I viewed the film from British TV, Dave Channel. A lovely print that only makes me lament there's no widespread DVD release for this film. There is a very expensive Region 2 French DVD available from certain outlets, the quality of which I can't vouch for.

Like many B westerns this opens with a bang; introducing the villain Jim Flood by showing him gunning down a handful of people and setting fire to the saloon before fleeing. The next day the townsfolk aren't impressed when rookie Texas Ranger Seven Jones turns up... wondering where the law was when they actually needed it. He then continues on to his first posting and is soon out tracking Flood along with experienced ranger Sgt. Henessey. As they track Flood it becomes clear that he is popular with the people in many towns he goes through. As they ride through the New Mexico desert Flood shoots and kills Henessey leaving Jones to hunt him alone.Surprisingly Jones manages to catch him relatively easily; that is only half the task though; he must now get him back to Texas. Flood is determined not to go back and there are several other dangers to worry about including local bounty hunters, Apaches and the brother of the men Flood killed in the opening.This was a fairly typical Audie Murphy western; if you are a fan of his work you are sure to enjoy it, if you aren't you probably won't. Personally I think Murphy does a great job in this sort of film; his character isn't overly macho but it doesn't seem unbelievable when he prevails over an apparently superior foe. Barry Sullivan made a fine villain; rather than being an obviously bad man he is actually quite a charmer, this made a nice change. There is enough action, mostly just shootouts though, so no spectacular horse-work. The scenery looks great with Utah filling in for the New Mexico desert. As for the title... Jones' full name is 'Seven Ways from Sundown Jones"; he is the seventh child and his siblings were similarly named although we only learn the names of One and Two!

When the movie begins,"Seven" looks like a clueless kid ,cmpletely immature;and it is all to the credit to Audie Murphy,the most decorated soldier in WW2,to give this kind of performance.The first meal with the girl's mother makes him look like the son of the house.His mission is actually an initiation :he is in need of a father /big brother ;first Sgt Hennessy ,then Jim Flood will play the role :the scene when they play poker with beans is revealing:and if you do not think it is,check out the last line .Flood is actually a complex man:not really a hero,for he committed a crime,but far from being a villain,who gives his knife to a kid (the key to his character is perhaps his absence of child .At the end of the movie,when Seven has grown into a man and is about to marry the girl,he lets himself killed for his mission of a father is over