Cattle King

Well-armed backers of an interstate cattle trail running from Texas to the Canadian border run into resistance from Wyoming rancher Sam Brassfield (Robert Taylor) who has accepted and adapted to the reality that what was once an open range has now (1880's) become increasingly fenced off. His fences are blocking the plan for the cattle super-highway, the main backer of which is burly Clay Matthews (Robert Middleton) and his hired Texas gunman Vince Bodine (Richard Devon) who leads a ruthless band out to bring to reality the cattle trail by killing and scaring off any potential resistors. Matthews uses alcoholic rancher Harry Travers (William Windom) to spread rumors that Brassfield is the one cutting everyone's barbed wire fences in order to become the cattle king of the Wyoming range. Windom's part isn't half bad as the weak brother of the woman Brassfield becomes engaged to (Joan Caulfield). The whole idea of the cattle trail is interestingly brought out when the then President of the United States Chester Arthur (Larry Gates) visits Wyoming and finds out for himself that the rules of the range have changed for good. The film stumbles along at times, but for an early to mid 60's western it has some tough moments.

This western uses plot #5 out of the usual 5 or 6 plots in practically every film of the genre. And because of this, it's not exactly a must-see film--even if there is an appearance by President Chester Arthur a couple times during the film.

So what is plot #5? It's the big boss who insists on keeping the range free for cattle--even if this means pitting ranchers and sheep herders and practically everyone against each other. What makes this a bit difference is that one of the cattle men (Robert Taylor) is actually set up by another cattle men--mostly because Taylor thinks everyone CAN peacefully coexist. The bottom line is that the entire film seems very, very , very familiar. The acting isn't bad but the overall effort is imminently skip-worthy.

Oh, and the guy who played Arthur really looked very little like the real Chester Arthur.

Guns of Wyoming (AKA: Cattle King) is directed by Tay Garnett and written by Thomas Thompson. It stars Robert Taylor, Robert Loggia, Joan Caulfield, Robert Middleton, Larry Gates and William Windom. Music is by Paul Sawtell and cinematography by William Snyder.

A range war looms large in Wyoming...

Fronted by the ever reliable Western presence that was Bobby Taylor, this pic follows a familiar and slight formula. Which ultimately is fine for those who love the prolific line of Westerns produced in the 50s and 60s.

Thematically it's strong, where we find Taylor's hard working and honest cattleman desperately trying to protect his land from the free grazing movement - something which brings into play nefarious characters. Sam Brassfield (Taylor) fences off his land and Clay Matthews (Middleton) - with henchmen in tow - cuts them down, simultaneously putting the word out that it's Brassfield who's doing the snipping! Naturally there's romance in the air, which causes friction from more than one quarter, and into the mix comes a visit to this part of Wyoming by President Chester A. Arthur. Who, as it happens, is a key player in spite of his limited screen time (Gates regally excellent).

There's a dark edge bubbling away in this one, which is capitalised upon with a genuinely shocking turn of events. If only the finale could have given us a barnstormer of the kind the story kind of demands. Elsewhere there's no problems in the cast, all perform goody/villain/pretty gal characters with measured form, the location photography in Kernville, California is most appealing, whilst the screenplay is without fuss and pointless filler. True enough to say it's hardly essential viewing for Western fans, and action junkies will be left hankering, but Taylor fans are appeased and it remains watchable from first frame to last. 6/10

The only fault i can find is with the premise of the film ... to prevent the territory from becoming a cattle expressway to canada ... that makes no sense at all because the cattle market is in chicago ... i also find it damn near impossible to travel by horseback from the tetons or even lander for that matter to cheyenne in one day ... perhaps from laramie to cheyenne ... being a cattle baron is a risky business because you have to fight off the elements, rustlers, and the buyers that give low prices... not to mention the crooked cattleman's association ... the railroad is rarely used to ship cattle now because its done cheaper and faster by truckers ... the president is in wyoming to visit yellowstone national park which is at least 6 days travel from cheyenne ... its okay, hollywood can make anything happen overnight

Probably the 3456th western about war that existed between cattle lords, or between cattle kings and rustlers, or between ruthless landlords, owners of thousands and thousands acres properties and colons in search of a better life. In short, this scheme exists since western genre exists, and I am sure it will continue in the future, even in 2050, because this is the story of America. So, here, in this 1963 western directed by an uninspired Tay Garnett and starring a bland Robert Taylor - whose only presence counts, not his performance - it is just interesting for a movie buff to see Robert Taylor fighting against a pure evil Robert Middleton, who seemed to exist only for this kind of character. And the hired gun, his sidekick, Richard Devon, is also better for me than Taylor. Good little western.