Strong and Moving!

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

I am a big fan of Randolph Scott and try to watch as many of his films as I can. Why? Because Scott had a nice style--easy-going and likable yet tough. However, I must also admit that for every exceptional film his made (such as "Ride the High Country") he made several that were not so special--and perhaps a few that were simply adequate. Considering how dull this film was in spots and how similar it was to several of his other films, I'd put "The Man Behind the Gun" in this last category. Like MANY of his other films, this one is about the Civil War and divisions between Northerners and Southerners. In about half of these films (or perhaps a few less) he is working for the North and in the others he's either an agent/spy for the South or an ex-soldier after the war trying to help oppressed Southerners. To me, it's like the writers were beating a dead horse and needed some originality. The only thing SLIGHTLY original about this is that it is set just BEFORE the war instead of during or after. Otherwise, a very typical sort of formula. And, if you care, a chance to see Alan Hale, Jr. in a supporting role. In addition, there's just too much singing in this film. Now if you are NOT a fan who's seen most of his films, this may not be that important and the film might be more watchable. At best adequate.

Oh dear! What a disappointment. I've been watching old Westerns on British TV for decades, and I wasn't aware of this one until its showing yesterday - most other Scott Westerns come around every few years or so and are usually worth watching again.The rich colour and outdoor sets were good, but that's all I can say about this film. I have to agree with most of the other negative comments already made. Several times I felt like turning it off, and finally I did, halfway through, something I hardly ever do.Scott seemed unusually oily in charming the girls, his two sidekicks were annoying and so was the Mexican bandit lad. And I've a feeling the army uniforms were 20 years or so too modern, not that this has bothered makers of many other Westerns.Perhaps it got better in the second half, but I couldn't be bothered to wait and see.TWENTY-TWO MONTHS LATER:Bit worrying. I sat down to watch this film and it took a while for me to realise I'd seen it, and less than two years ago. This time I did persevere and watched it all the way through, and still wasn't impressed. It's a bit like a stew into which everything has been thrown, with an unappetising result.I could forgive the stagecoach scene with so many key characters conveniently travelling together, but there were all sorts of curiosities: the attempt to hide the assassins' bodies in the opening scenes, was the charade really necessary of Scott being a disgraced officer, the reason for Hale's feat of strength (and how were Scott and co able to engineer it), the Mexican lad's sudden transformation into an admirer and associate of Scott and his ability to supply rifles in bulk (what did happen to him after he slipped away from the baddies?), the role reversals (already mentioned) of Scott and Carey, how did Scott get a nice new major's uniform, the way the two NCOs were tricked into what they thought was re-enlisting, the stubbled NCO posing as a woman and so on.

In contrast to most reviewers, I found this one of the most interesting Randolph Scott westerns I have seen. However, it could have used a better descriptive title. For a start, "The man behind the masquerade" would apply to several of the main characters, including Randy.The plot centers around two things: the secret effort of the US army to infiltrate and break up a pre-Civil War secession movement in southern CA, and the shiftings in the romantic quadrangle between Randy, as Major Callicut, Captain Giles(Phillip Carey), Lora(Patrice Wymore) and Chona(Lina Romay). The two female leads are cast as opposites in personality as well as looks. Chona is a worldly Mexican spitfire singer in an L.A. nightspot, whereas Lora is a straight-laced rosy-cheeked striking blond school teacher from the East. Randy is clearly smitten by both, as is Captain Giles, who will unexpectedly be working with Randy to squash the secession movement. Lora is engaged to Giles, but she soon cools toward him, while warming up to Randy, whom she met on the stage to L.A. Meanwhile, Giles has been dallying with Chona, in Lora's absence. Now, Chona is angry that Giles has stopped seeing her, after Lora's arrival. She briefly hints at a romance with Randy, but this fades after he discovers that she is in with the rebels and she discovers that he is a secret agent for the army. Chona eventually initiates a spirited but remarkably inept cat fight with Lora over Giles. It ends in a draw, but tragedy soon strikes one.Meanwhile, Creegan, a vocal supporter of an independent southern CA, as a slave state, is at odds with Senator Sheldon, supposedly a staunch supporter of a united free CA. However, Sheldon also has plans for an independent southern CA, with himself as kingpin. But first, he wants to relieve Creegan of his monopoly of the water supply for L.A. It takes Randy a while to figure out that it is the supposedly deceased Sheldon, not Creegan, that he must subdue.Dick Wesson And Alan Hale Jr. are Randy's sidekicks, providing occasional comic relief. Wesson served other supporting roles during this period, usually as an effeminant daffy character.(examples: "Desert Song" and "Calamity Jane"). Here, he masquerades as a woman in one scene, but is laughingly unconvincing, with his moustache and unshaven face! He usually sports a bull whip which, among other things, he uses to remove the dress from the derriere of a saloon girl! Hale is easily confused with his father, who played similar supporting roles, especially in Errol Flynn movies. Patrice Wymore was the last official Mrs. Errol Flynn. She would interrupt her rather short Flynn-promoted film career to tend her ailing husband, whom she eventually divorced. Unfortunately, her daughter by Flynn turned out to have Flynn's addiction to drugs and died a beach bum cocaine and rum addict, reduced to stealing coconuts to support her habit. Lina Romay was primarily known as a Latin singer. She should not be confused with the younger actress of mostly horror and pornographic films, with the same name.In some respects, this film reminds me of the earlier Wayne western "Tall in the Saddle". Again, Wayne simultaneously becomes tenuously involved with a raven wildcat and a cool blond from the East. Again, Wayne is initially misled as to who the real villain is he is looking for. This was a B&W film, in contrast to the Technicolor treatment the present film was given. Color films rapidly took over Hollywood in the '50s, largely because of increased competition from TV and reduced complexity of making color films. Color TVs didn't become common until the '60s. Thus, color served as another reason for people to go to theaters.

"The Man Behind the Gun" is another of a series of 80 minute little westerns churned out by Randolph Scott during the 1950s. As with most of these films, there's plenty of action and a stellar supporting cast.Major Rance Callicut (Scott) poses as a disgraced army officer who is sent to work undercover to foil secession threats which would take Southern California out of the Union. The time is the 1850s. On the stagecoach to Los Angeles he meets Lora Roberts (Patrice Wymore) who is on her way to LA to marry army Captain Roy Giles (Philip Carey). Also on board is bandit Vic Sutro (Anthony Carouso) whose holdup attempt is foiled by Callicut.With his two side kicks, Sgt. Monk Waller (Dick Wesson) and Cpl. Olaf Swenson (Alan Hale Jr.) Callicut at first posing as a school teacher, sets out to discover who is behind the troubles. He learns that there are two opposing factions, one headed by Bram Cregan (Morris Ankrum) and the other by Senator Mark Sheldon (Roy Roberts). Calicutt is not trusted by Giles, who tries to arrest him before learning his true identity. Calicutt becomes attracted to the lovely Lora (of course).Also in the mix is saloon owner Buckley (Douglas Fowley) and his singer Chona Dregnon (Lyna Romay). Calicutt is assisted by a young Mexican bandied, Joachim Murietta (Robert Cabel) whom he had earlier befriended. When Senator Sheldon is shot, and Cregar rescued from the hangman's noose, Calicutt thinks he has it all figured out...or does he?As in most of Scott's westerns there is a major shoot out and plenty of fast paced action. Alan Hale Jr. basically picked up where his late father left off playing similar roles until he hit it really big as the Captain in TVs "Gilligan's Island". As an item of interest, Hale Sr. had appeared with Scott in one of his last films, "Colt 45" (1950). Patrice Wymore was one of Errol Flynn's wives.Not one of the best Scott westerns but entertaining nonetheless.