At Gunpoint

MacMurray plays a storekeeper who, more by accident than marksmanship, shoots the leader of a gang robbing the town bank. From there on, this Western turns into a cross between High Noon and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, with the townsfolk proudly boosting MacMurray as a hero, then - as the rest of the gang come for revenge - leaving him to stand alone. The first half is quite gripping, with excellent performances from MacMurray and the ever-dependable Walter Brennan (with teeth), as the hard-drinking, cynical doctor who remains the hero's sole but over-age ally. Latterly, though, Daniel B Ullman's script develops a case of creeping sententiousness, tending to speechify about civic conscience and the American Way, and throwing in an absurdly contrived upbeat ending.