True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Winchester '73 is a reasonable western, with superb secondary characters.The main story of the film was rather lackluster. We don't find out that Dutch is Lin's brother and that he killed their father and why he killed him, till later in the film. But that's not even the biggest problem, the biggest problem is not showing us and giving us a reason to care about it. I found many of the minor roles and stories in the film to be the most interesting. Waco Johnny Dean was the most lively character and provided much needed entertainment. Steve Miller cowardly leaving Lola to die and then seeing there is help near by and then having to deal with the shame of his actions. Then there is Joe LaMont, cheating Dutch at cards to obtain the much wanted rifle only to be burned by the Indians. Shelly Winters playing a damsel doesn't work for me, she is better suited to role of the loud mouth drunk. The two scenes of Lin and Dutch were quite poor. The one at the marksmanship contest was silly, they're not robots, they cannot shoot bullseye every time and hit the center of a moving coin every time. The other being the final shootout at the rocks, nothing interesting or clever about it at all, Dutch just decides to stand in the open and get shot.

After winning the most desired rifle of all time, a Winchester '73, in a shooting contest in fabled Dodge City, James Stewart promptly loses it, setting up the film's main premise, a man out to reclaim what's rightfully his and in doing so settle scores along the way. I have to say the opening hour or so seemed a bit conventional, but there's a noticeable improvement in the final 30 or so minutes, shot by ace cinematographer William Daniels under the direction of film noir icon Anthony Mann. Stephen McNally is Stewart's main opponent but Dan Duryea is in vintage form as gunslinger Waco Johnny Dean for the limited amount of time he takes up on screen. McNally is classic as well. You could see Stewart coming into form as Mann's main character in a string of following westerns, but none of them turns out to be as good as this.

Based on a short story, WINCHESTER 73 is the story of a famous rifle and those who end up using it. The plot is fairly straightforward, involving good (personified by James Stewart) versus evil (Stephen McNally, Dan Duryea) with good triumphing in the end. What renders this movie so entertaining is the stunning outdoor photography (by William H. Daniels) and Anthony Mann's taut direction, that keeps the plot rattling along at a brisk pace. There are distinct Biblical overtones to the plot, with seven competitors participating in the competition in Dodge City, to see who can win the rifle in the first place (including Stewart and McNally), but a Cain and Abel-like coda to the film, where it is revealed that Stewart and McNally are not only sworn enemies but blood brothers; McNally the Cain-like brother who turned to crime and shot their father in the back. For this 'unethical' crime alone, he deserves everything he gets. Stewart gets the chance to extend his acting range in this film; the sequence where he forces Waco Johnny Dean (Duryea) to submit to his will reveals just how violent he can be, if necessary. Shelley Winters turns in a good supporting cameo as a singer caught up in this elemental conflict, who can take care of herself (fortunately). Not an absolute classic, but a really good western nonetheless.

*Spoiler/plot- 1950, Frontiersman Lin McAdam is attempting to track down both his father's murderer and his special repeating rifle, Winchester '73. This rifle passes among a diverse group of desperate characters. Some of these are: crazed highwayman, immoral gunrunner, savage young Indian chief, and McAdam's brother.*Special Stars- James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, Steven McNalley, Will Geer, Jay C. Flippen. Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis. Dir: Anthony Mann *Theme- Rifles don't really kill people, bad people kill good people.*Based on- A screenplay.*Trivia/location/goofs- James Stewart has credited Winchester '73 for helping to save and redefine his career, after a series of post-war flops which threatened to damage his career. This is the film Mr. Stewart would first find and use as his favorite horse called, 'Pye'. Pye was part Quarter and Arabian horse. This horse became his screen partner in his 30+ years Western film career. He never owned this horse but was loaned by a friend's daughter. At the time of release there was some ridiculing from the press at the idea of James Stewart, the polished quiet "thin man", could play a tough westerner. But, audience members were heard to audibly gasp in shock at the scene where Mr. Stewart angrily confronts Dan Duryea gunman character at the saloon bar with an arm-twisting. This was a first film role for two Universal upcoming leading men, Rock Hudson (gun buying Indian Chief) and Anthony (Tony) Curtis (2nd Cavalry trooper, Doan).*Emotion- A different film from those that came before. This film stressed character interactions that plain melodrama. It was enjoyable to experience the change of this Western genre into something more watch able. I am happy to own some film prop memorabilia of this film, a medal worn around Rock Hudson neck as an Indian Chief.