History remembers Bat Masterson as a
buffalo hunter, U S. marshal, and Army scout, gambler, gunfighter, frontier
lawman, and in later years as a newspaper columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph. The movies
and TV remember him somewhat differently, though this western with Joel McCrea as Bat actually works in some factual details from his years in the Old West. Still, the difference between the two Bats is well represented by photos of
both. You just have to look at their hats (see below).
The Gunfight at Dodge City parallels Bat’s
time in the infamous cow town of the same name, during the years 1877 – 1879.
There he joined a brother, Ed Masterson, who was town marshal.
Plot. The movie takes those few details and
spins a story that casts Bat as a reluctant champion of justice against a
corrupt sheriff (Don Haggerty) and his gang of deputized thugs, who run Dodge City
and kill anyone who interferes with them.
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| Joel McCrea as Bat Masterson |
McCrea partners with the widow (Nancy
Gates) of an uncooperative saloon owner the gang has removed from among the
living. Reopening the saloon, he hires on the town doctor (John McIntire) as a card
dealer, happy to have some diversion from patching up cowboys with accidental
gunshot wounds from the weekly Saturday night hurrah in the streets.
Running as a reform candidate against Haggerty
for county sheriff, Ed Masterson (Harry Lauter) is shot dead by an unknown
assailant, and McCrea is persuaded to take his place on the ticket. Elected by a
grateful citizenry, he gets unruly cowboys in line by cracking heads with his gun
barrel and threatening to shoot anyone who still wants to run riot. His method brings
to mind the brand of law enforcement usually associated with Wyatt Earp.
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| Bat Masterson as himself, 1879 |
As the story unfolds, complications
multiply, none of them having to do with historical facts, though they would
suffice. Bat was not all that careful about the company he kept or how he used
public office.
Romance. With a nod to legend, if not history, the
film begins with a flashback to a shooting in which Bat kills an Army sergeant
who draws on him in a dispute over a girl. And the screenwriters quickly
establish him as good with a gun and a ladies man. Besides the attractive widow
and business partner in Dodge City, Bat enjoys the company of a preacher’s
daughter (Julie Adams). Betrothed to Bat’s brother, Ed, before he is killed, she
is understandably taken aback by Bat’s attentions. She admits to being afraid
of him.
Long story short, Gates finally makes
known what’s long been obvious to us—Bat has stolen her heart. Unable to keep
him from his final gun duel with Haggerty, she hears him deliver the usual reason
why a western hero does not run from a gunfight. Not running, McCrea tells her,
is the difference between a rabbit and a man. By this time they have locked
lips and, when it’s the other man who dies, McCrea is surrounded again by grateful
citizens, and he gets his new sweetheart, too.
 |
| Joel McCrea, Nancy Gates |
Wrapping up. The film was shot in
Cinemascope and Technicolor, and was handsomely produced using Melody Ranch as
a stand-in for Dodge City. Working in a variety of genres including film noir
and sci-fi, director Joseph M. Newman is also remembered for another Joel McCrea western, Fort Massacre (1958), as
well as The Outcasts of Poker Flat, Pony Soldier, and Red Skies of Montana, all of them in 1952.
John McIntire is particularly enjoyable in
the film as the town doctor and friend of Bat. In 1959 he had already appeared
as a continuing character in TV’s cop drama, Naked City. In a screen career that included roles in many
westerns, he continued on TV for long runs of Wagon Train (1959 – 1965) and The
Virginian (1967 – 1970).
The screenwriters were Martin Goldsmith (Fort Massacre) and Dan Ullman, whose
numerous writing credits for film and TV included many westerns, such as Good Day For a Hanging (1959), reviewed here a while ago.
The Gunfight at Dodge City is currently
available online at youtube, and on DVD at amazon and Barnes&Noble. For
more Overlooked movies and TV, click over to Todd Mason’s blog, Sweet Freedom.
Further reading:
Image credits:
Photo of Bat Masterson, Wikimedia Commons
Joel McRae as Bat Masterson, mgm.com
Coming up: Carol Buchanan, Gold Under Ice
Another Joel McRae film I need to see. Like his work considerably but pass over it much of the time. Not sure why?
ReplyDeleteMaybe he is too often a nice guy in westerns. Not enough edgE. Better suited to comedy, e.g. SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS.
DeleteJohn McIntire had a good role as another town doctor in one of my favorite Westerns, The Tin Star (1957). He's one of those character actors you're always glad to see.
ReplyDeleteBeen a long time since I saw that one. Will have a look for it.
DeleteOddly, the film that did come close to the real Bat was the musical, Guys and Dolls. Bat's pal Damon Runyon was so taken with Bat that he wrote a short story called The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown, about a Broadway demimonde character and a Salvation Army girl, which was adapted for the musical. The film version had Marlon Brando as Skye Masterson, the one actor who really looked like Bat.
ReplyDeleteAs a result of this article have ordered Masterson. I knew about Sky "Masterson" and Guys and Dolls, but good to see it up there. Oh, it is McCrea ...not McRae.
ReplyDeleteYeah, good eye. I finally caught the misspelling earlier today for today's post as well as last week's. So much for my perfectionism. Wheeler's book is just fine. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
DeleteFurther thought: Do not care for Bat Masterson's various portrayals on television or in film with the exception of Albert Dekker in Woman of the Town. Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteIt is sometimes amazing to me how "dapper" many of our well known western characters were. Bat is looking good in his real photo.
ReplyDeleteIran this last evening and found it incredibly dull. Agree about McIntire. Always good. I have yet to see a film directed by Joseph Newman that worked for me. Same with Dan Ullman screenwriter.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to read Bat's bio to get the full and correct story, but a movie is a movie, for entertainment mostly in this case.
ReplyDeleteOscar, I raise the issue because many people rely on the movies for their history and draw a lot of false conclusions without realizing it. That's the old teacher in me, I guess.
DeleteYeah, it's too bad that some people think that the movies are true history.
DeleteI'm watching it now on GRIT TV. Just started, hope it's good.
ReplyDelete