More Dead than Alive

Once again, the internal conflict of the protagonist, Cane, (at least the first part of the film) goes into the background -which is not anything after 18 years in prison and the association lynches the ex-convict in each town he arrives at. and asks for honest work - to shine a spotlight on the shadowy recesses and abysses? of young Billy, collaborator and star of Dan Ruffalo's show; isn't this Billy enough of a wink to William Bonney? His inexperience seasoned with infallibility with the revolver, seasoned with the reckless mania of not remembering -like that friend of Pat Garrett- to be mortal? And fatally it is known that the incredible skill of Billy did not even serve to check that his gun was loaded; and fatality that it is known that Cane finally seemed to have the glory, but he forgot that he had only paid in jail for 1 of the 12 murders

Clint Walker as an ex-con in Arizona and Vincent Price a Western show barker

In 1891, a former gunfighter (Walker) gets out of prison in Yuma and is taken aback by how things have changed in the two decades that he’s been locked up. While he tries to stay away from guns, he settles for a trick-shot artist at a traveling show (ran by Price). He deals with a rash young buck (Paul Hampton) while taking interest in a lovely artist (Anne Francis).

“More Dead Than Alive” (1969) is similar to the great “Bandolero” from the year prior, but with a lower budget, a meandering script, and less attention to detail (e.g. the vintage Schwinn bicycle with chrome and plastic parts). Seven years later “The Shootist” would borrow the basic plot with a bigger budget, just exchanging John Wayne for Walker’s part, Ron Howard for Hampton and Lauren Bacall for Francis.

The opening Gatling Gun sequence feels contrived, which destroys realism, but the corresponding prison set is impressive. It, incidentally, was built in the mid-50s by Columbia Pictures for $118,000 and was used in the popular Star Trek Gorn episode, “Arena,” as Cestus III. Hampton plays a “kid” who’s about 19 years-old, but was 31 during shooting and looks it.

If you can roll with the questionable issues, you can’t beat Walker as the masculine protagonist or Vincent Price in a rare Western. I was able to enter into the world of the characters and care for the protagonist and his potential mate. Unfortunately, the ending leaves a bad taste and reflects the 60s after JFK’s murder, which isn’t helped by the horrid offbeat song.

The film runs 1 hour, 40 minutes, and was shot at Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce, which is just north of Los Angeles in the desert high country. The mine-fight sequence was filmed at Bronson Caves, which is 15-20 miles due south of there. The town scenes were done at a movie ranch in the area.

GRADE: B-