 |
 

The Restless Gun (1957)
"Duel at Lockwood"
John Payne, Olive Carey, Frank Gorshin
Acquitted of murder and just out of jail, Wes Singer is so bad he even shoots at his granny's laundry. Guess he figures it helps him keep his edge as Lockwood's newest gunslinger. With two kills to his name and egged on by his 'friend' (Gorshin, who must be hard up for friends because Wes not only slaps him, he pulls a gun on him, too), Wes challenges established six-shooter, Vint Bonner (Payne), who's in Lockwood on business, to a shoot-out. Being a peaceable kind of guy, Bonner would rather not, thanks anyway. But what can a guy do if some punk cowboy is determined to have it out with him? Guess Wes put one too many bullet holes in Granny's bloomers because Granny, who'd raised Wes from a pup, drives into town to beg Bonner to kill her grandson. "Shoot him down like a mad dog," she advises. Gee, there's a loving grandma for ya. This is the beginning of several bad guy roles for Vic, but he does a good job with the roles that come his way, often adding little extras that save the characters from being just cookie-cutter creeps. He's got lots of attitude here as Cowboy Punk but lets you see through the cracks. Vic could say so much with just a look. This is another show worth watching.

|  |