LexiconDST *Minor spoiler, mentioned by most other reviewers*I agree that the acting is all over the place; it was a great idea, that was too weighty to be executed through this particular writing, casting and direction.My only caveat is that, speaking from personal experience, it's often the more covert forms of racism and classism that are the straws on the camel's back. One can laugh at buffoons yelling epithets directly, and one can challenge hoods in white hoods. Societal snubbing is more insidiously toxic/cancerous, and harder to dismiss. Plus, seeing other humans relegated to this version of The Bottoms, humiliation added upon humiliation, seeing others not fighting the corruption and degradation, realizing you were paid to kill someone who didn't "need" killing...it could be that type of pressure cooker.

ma-cortes Studio-slick story with talky screenplay, it starts when Confederate soldier named Matt Weaver (George Segal) goes back to his village after the Civil War, he encounters that his house has been sold by landowner Sam Brewster (Pat Hingle). Brewster hires enigmatic gunfighter Jules Gaspard d'Estaing (Yul Brynner) to deal with Weaver and charged with taking him out but d'Estaing's independent approach settles the issues in a very unorthodox manner . When Jules is assigned for cleaning up the troubled community , he suddenly shifts loyalties and turning the balance of power. Meanwhile , there takes place a lovely triangle among the main characters (Brynner, Segal and Janice Rule).This is a tremendously exciting story of a gunfighter-for-hire who had only one more killing to go. It begins as a slow-moving Western but follows to surprise us with dark characters and solid plot ; resulting to be a striking piece. Long on dialog but contains an exciting final with surprising duel . The tale is almost grim , a killer comes to a town just in time to make sure its citizenry but later the events get worse . Short on action Western with Brynner as rare gunslinger who is hired as professional murderous to kill outcast Confederate George Segal. The highlights are the violent destruction of the town and the climatic showdown at the ending. Phenomenal and great role for Yul Brynner as avenger angel and bitter gunfighter, he's the whole show at the height of his iconic game . Vivid and lively musical score by David Raksin. Atmospheric cinematography in glimmer color by Joseph McDonald. The motion picture is professionally realized by Richard Wilson (Al Capone , Three in Attic). Wilson was a previous associate of Orson Welles in the Mercury Theatre days and made another good Western as ¨Man with a gun¨, starring Robert Mitchum and ¨Zane Grey¨ episodes. Watchable results for this offbeat Western.

ejr-4 Found this to be a pleasant surprise. Talky but interesting psychological western, much more intelligent than typical gunfighter fare. Also, I would venture to say that "High Plains Drifter" might have taken a bit of inspiration from this film, which predates it by many years.Light on the action but the characters are more than one dimensional stereotypes and all good performances.Totally misrepresented by the one line summary, "Town hires a gunslinger to kill an outcast then hires the outcast to kill the gunslinger," as 95% of the movie is about the first half of that sentence.Check it out!

bkoganbing This is an underrated western with a great moral lesson about both racism and judging too quickly from appearances. The townspeople led by Pat Hingle in this northern leaning western town hire Yul Brynner to gun down George Segal who has returned from the Civil War after fighting for the Confederacy. George Segal has come back to claim his land and his woman, each of which has been taken by another.AS the movie progresses it's slowly revealed that the Union leaning town is not what it seems to be. Pat Hingle plays a politician very common for 30 years after the Civil War, adept at what they called "waving the bloody shirt." Just demagogue away at who did what and where during the war and ignore the current issues both social and economic. During the course of The Magnificent Seven, Yul Brynner's Chris Adams is referred to as a Cajun. Here he's given a proper Cajun name of Jules D'Estaing and when his secret is revealed, a whole lot of people in that town have to confront their own prejudices.Makes for worthwhile viewing.