Wizard-8 The Canadian TV movie "The Gunfighters" was apparently made to also be a pilot for a prospective weekly television series. Apparently the network decided against this, and I have to say, "Thank goodness!" This is a really bad TV movie, pilot or not. The production values are really poor, ranging from clothing that looks nothing like cowboy garb found in the 1800s to cheesy indoor sets. The musical score is sour, and at one point plagiarizes several bars from Ennio Morricone's score for "A Fistful of Dollars". The acting is sub par, with even George Kennedy (who obviously knocked off his scenes in a few days) unable to generate much enthusiasm. But the worst thing about the movie has to be the script. It is filled with one cliché after another, from the actions of the characters to their dialogue. The icing on the cake is the unbelievable final few minutes that gives us a deus ex machina resolution of sorts (though leave some plot points unresolved.) I find it hard to believe any western fan would be entertained by this.

froberts73 Jeez these nitpickers. They don't go for the entertainment, they go to - well - pick nits. The scenery ain't right, the haircuts ain't right, the jeans ain't right, etc. The capper was the yokel who called the fine theme inappropriate for the time. Hey, Jasper, next time you watch "High Noon" turn down the volume when you hear that theme.I gave "The Gunfighters" a big, ole western ten - enjoyed it from beginning to end. The story was intelligent and easy to follow, the characters were very well developed. The fight scenes were among the most convincing, the way they handled the guns were fantastic, the bullwhip fight was outstanding (shades of Lash La Rue but with more conviction).The women were lovely and convincing, the story had a sort-of moral to it. The trio of leads, who kept their hair neat through the melees, were as honest as any of the major actors who made westerns. I was particularly impressed by the German-raised lead whose presence was so commanding.Side note: Art Hindle's uncle is Michael Caine, and the name of the governor in the movie was Michael Kane.George Kennedy was never more obnoxious (and I mean that as a compliment)."The Gunfighters" has quickly become one of my favorite westerns, even though Alberta did not resemble Kansas. Heavens to Betsy!

winner55 A direct-to-video pilot for a cowboy series that apparently didn't sell. Pretty conventional TV Western benefits from plenty action sequences and straight-forward acting by all concerned. Improbable plot twists manage to get salvaged by general motivational drive and inherent decency of main characters. Good to see George Kennedy make one last film as a heavy.Some nice location camera work. Editing is professional and the script not too talky.One minor drawback: the pacifist character Dutch is a real bore, and played by the weakest actor in the cast. Fortunately his lectures are kept to brief lines about "violence never solves anything." Other than Dutch, the characters are pretty likable and fast on the draw.Wholly unmemorable, but not a complete waste of time. Still, feels like a throwback to another era - more than a little out of date, even given its release year.

martinh-4 I really enjoyed watching this film - it had a lot going for it. I particularly liked the piece of instrumental music playing and the song - Gunfighter (?). If you're at home and simply wish to chill out, grab this film as I'm certain you'll enjoy it - especially if you like Westerns. Earlier oaters are my favorite (eg. Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter, Tom Mix, and early John Wayne), however, for a change, I bought this film on DVD and was not disappointed. Boy! Was the West tough.The actors were good - I especially liked "Dutch" and "Matt" Everett. The film is pretty well fast paced and some of the filming techniques are unusual. There is quite a lot of scenery for those who enjoy the great outdoors and the horses were nice to look at. The film brings up some good moral dilemmas, as too issues somewhat relevant still today.