The Gatling Gun (1971)

The Gatling Gun (1971). 1h 33m | PG

“u0026quot;The Gatling Gunu0026quot; was originally titled u0026quot;King Gunu0026quot; and shot in 1969, but not released till 1971. Itu0026#39;s a cavalry vs. Indians Western focusing on the eponymous weapon with a great cast of familiars — Guy Stockwell, Robert Fuller, Phil Harris, Woody Strode, Patrick Wayne, John Carradine, Pat Buttram and BarBara Luna (from Star Treku0026#39;s u0026quot;Mirror, Mirroru0026quot;) — highlighted by curvy redhead Judy Jordan, to say the least.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCritics write it off as u0026quot;routineu0026quot; and akin to a TV Western. True, it is Grade u0026#39;Bu0026#39; and comic-booky, so proceed with caution. BUT the notable cast clicks and the story delivers the goods, as far as Western (melo)drama u0026amp; action goes. Itu0026#39;s essentially a survival tale of a small group of soldiers and civilians who team-up to survive a desert trek threatened by Two-Knife (Carlos Rivas) and his rogue tribe.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf youu0026#39;re a sucker for desert-survival tales (like me), such as u0026quot;Sands of the Kalahariu0026quot; (1965), u0026quot;Flight of the Phoenixu0026quot; (1965), u0026quot;Escape from Zahrainu0026quot; (1962) and u0026quot;They Came to Cordurau0026quot; (1959), youu0026#39;ll probably appreciate u0026quot;The Gatling Gun,u0026quot; as long as you can forgive the TV budget (although itu0026#39;s not technically a TV movie and was dubiously released to theaters). Itu0026#39;s not as good as the first three, but itu0026#39;s more entertaining than the last one. While u0026quot;Cordurau0026quot; is a more serious production with overall superior production values, itu0026#39;s also more hokey in a 50u0026#39;s Western sense.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe trek through the desert features a lot of drama but the movie ends with a bang as the group squares-off against Two-Knife and his braves. Stockwell stands out as the alpha male Army Lieutenant who naturally attracts the babe (Jordan), whereas Fuller is effective as Private Sneed, done-in by his own lust for lucre.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot at Eaves Movie Ranch and Ghost Ranch near Sante Fe, New Mexico.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eGRADE: B-“