Starring Joel McCrea as Bat Masterson, The Gunfight at Dodge City (1959) is a smart Western about loss. The crux of the story is the loss of Bat’s brother Ed to violence, but the gunslinger loses—or else is on the verge of losing—much else besides. But Westerns aren’t pessimistic; he also gains before the movie ends. The film’s weakest link is the stuff about Billy the “half-wit” (Wright King), who does seem to know the difference between right and wrong no matter what his bro Ben says.

McCrea has a monotonous voice, but he believes in the role; and is manfully pleasant. Julie Adams fails to have her heart in it; not so Nancy Gates (Lily). Don Haggerty knows what he’s doing as an unconscientious sheriff. I said McCrea is pleasant. Gunfight is a pleasant Western in color. It does a fine job with flying fists and flying bullets. Directed by Joseph M. Newman.