Samuel Fuller’s Forty Guns

Directed by Samuel Fuller, Samuel Fuller’s Forty Guns details the conflict that ensues between a powerful rancher (Barbara Stanwyck’s Jessica Drummond) and three sibling U.S. Marshals (Barry Sullivan’s Griff, Gene Barry’s Wes, and Robert Dix’s Chico). Filmmaker Fuller, armed with his own screenplay, does a terrific job of initially luring the viewer into the progressively erratic proceedings, as Samuel Fuller’s Forty Guns kicks off with a captivating opening stretch that boasts a hypnotic pre-credits sequence and a stirring interlude wherein Griff intimidates and confronts a drunken hooligan (John Ericson’s Brockie). It’s disappointing to note, then, that the narrative subsequently segues into a meandering midsection generally devoid of compelling, interesting digressions, with the arms-length atmosphere compounded by Fuller’s inability to transform the three heroes into wholeheartedly compelling figures (and it doesn’t help, certainly, that Sullivan and Barry’s charm-free efforts ensure that their characters remain essentially interchangeable throughout). And while Fuller has admittedly peppered the picture with a few undeniably captivating moments, including a fairly memorable tornado set-piece, Samuel Fuller’s Forty Guns builds towards a decent yet palpably lackluster climax that ensures the whole thing concludes on a somewhat forgettable note – with the final result a terminally hit-and-miss endeavor that feels like it should be much, much better.

** out of ****