Movie Review: No Name on the Bullet (1959)

Synopsis: John Gant has a reputation as a heartless mercenary. Where he goes, death follows. When he rides into the small town of Lordsburg and rents a room at the hotel, the residents, not knowing who he has been sent there to kill, become paranoid. However, since all Gant's previous victims drew their guns first, the law is powerless to stop him. Meanwhile, the town doctor, Luke Canfield, is doing his best to keep the peace and stop the townspeople from going too far.

Who's in it? The movie stars Audie Murphy, Charles Drake, Joan Evans, Virginia Grey and Warren Stevens.


Review: I've had No Name on the Bullet in my library for a couple weeks now and decided to watch it this morning, mostly because I have enjoyed most Audey Murphy films I've seen. This movie turned out not to be an exception to that.

I think the thing I liked most about this film is how Gant's (Murphy) appearance in town brought out multiple skeletons, whether it was the banker (Whit Bissell) who wasn't all that honest or a wife (Grey) who had left her husband. Even the dying judge (Edgar Stehli) seemed like he was expecting Gant to come after him. This created a great mystery, especially since the intended target could be just about anyone. I couldn't even rule out the main protagonist, Luke (Drake), since Gant seemed to take an interest in him not long after coming to town.

Adding to the movie was Gant himself. I found it difficult to describe him as the movie's villain because all his previous victims had been given a fair fight and were presumably guilty of some wrongdoing. While in Lordsburg, he remained polite and professional, choosing to deescalate intense situations with his words rather than his gun and the one time he was forced to defend himself, he only wounded his attacker and didn't try to kill him. 

If anything, I think he was blamed for more than he was responsible for. His appearance might have been a catalyst for some of the town's violence, but it felt more like those people were using him as an excuse for something that was probably going to happen anyway.

The end of the movie, when it was revealed who he was after and why, was intriguing and a bit suspenseful, especially the way his victim, who originally refused to defend himself, was tricked into picking up a gun. I was also curious about how things would play out for Gant since, once again, he didn't technically commit a crime, but it also seemed a bit unlikely he'd be allowed to get away with it again. To be honest, I was very surprised with the outcome as a result.

Final Opinion: This is a good western with a great mystery and outstanding performances, especially by Murphy. I'd recommend taking the time to watch it.

My Grade: A

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