Lawman (1971)

Synopsis: Cold-blooded bastard wanders into town and blows away hard-working ranchers and family men. Oh wait – he’s the marshall from a neighbouring village. 

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “Burt Lancaster is an uncompromising lawman who defies the odds when he single-handedly confront s a gang of killers in this ruggedly brutal western starring Lee J. Cobb, Robert Ryan and Robert Duvall.” 

What Did I Learn?: According to the hero of this film, a lawman is “a killer of men.” 

You Might Like This Movie If: You've never once seen an episode of this television series, and there's no chance you'll confuse the two.

  

Really?:  1) Oh Burt... shooting an unarmed man in the back is just plain wrong. 2) So wait... it’s made pretty clear that even if Maddox (Lancaster) takes the men back to Bannack, nothing much will happen to them, and yet it all ends in a hail of gunfire? Come to think of it, if Maddox knows nothing will happen to these guys if he brings them back, you have to wonder why he’s on this little expedition. 

Rating: Lawman isn’t a bad movie for a Sunday afternoon, but it’s an uninspired and forgettable Western, and Lancaster’s Jered Maddox is a little too cold-blooded for my taste. With a bit of re-writing – maybe with more of an emphasis on Robert Ryan’s role as the local sheriff who works for the villain, but tries his best to remain honest – Lawman could have been a lot better. 6.5/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067333/?ref_=nv_sr_2