John Sturges didn't want to make another Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. He’d already done that in 1957 with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. That movie was a hit, sure, but it was also a total fantasy. It was Hollywood fluff. By 1967, Sturges was itchy to tell the truth—or at least something closer to it. He wanted to strip away the white hats and the chivalry. To do that, he needed a very specific kind of energy. He needed the hour of the gun movie cast to look like men who hadn't slept in three days and probably smelled like wet leather and cheap whiskey.
He found his Wyatt Earp in James Garner.
Now, if you only know Garner from The Rockford Files or his charming turns in romantic comedies, his performance here might shock you. It's cold. It's almost robotic. Garner plays Earp not as a hero, but as a man who has completely snapped. This isn't the "Frontier Marshal" we see in textbooks. This is a guy using a badge to justify a personal execution list.
The Casting Gamble: James Garner and Jason Robards
Most directors would have gone for a "tough guy" for Wyatt. Someone like John Wayne or maybe Clint Eastwood, who was already rising as the new face of the Western. But Sturges went with Garner, the guy known for a wink and a smile.
It was brilliant.
Garner brings this unsettling stillness to the role. In the opening scenes at the O.K. Corral—which, by the way, Sturges filmed with obsessive detail to historical accuracy—Garner looks like he's already dead inside. The movie starts where most Earp movies end. The gunfight happens in the first five minutes. The rest of the film is about the "Vendetta Ride," and the cast had to carry the weight of a story that is essentially a slow-motion tragedy.
Then you have Jason Robards as Doc Holliday.
👉 See also: Ted Nugent State of Shock: Why This 1979 Album Divides Fans Today
If you're a fan of Val Kilmer’s flamboyant, "I’m your Huckleberry" take on the character, Robards might feel jarring. He’s much older than the real Holliday was when he died. He’s cynical. He’s world-weary. Robards doesn't play Doc as a tragic dandy; he plays him as the only person in the movie who actually understands how far gone Wyatt Earp really is. Their chemistry is the heartbeat of the film. It’s a friendship built on mutual destruction. Robards was a heavy drinker in real life at the time, and honestly, you can see it in his eyes. It adds a layer of authenticity that you just can't fake with makeup.
Robert Ryan and the Villain Problem
A Western is only as good as its villain. In the 1950s version, the Clantons and McLaurys were basically caricatures. In Hour of the Gun, Sturges cast Robert Ryan as Ike Clanton.
Ryan was a legend. He was also a man who specialized in playing characters with a simmering, quiet intensity. He doesn't play Ike as a mustache-twirling bad guy. Instead, he’s a businessman. He’s a corrupt power player who sees the Earps as an inconvenience to his bottom line. It’s a very modern take on an outlaw. He’s not out there screaming in the streets; he’s in the shadows, pulling strings, trying to use the law to kill the men who represent the law.
The supporting players in the hour of the gun movie cast are a "who's who" of 1960s character actors. You’ve got:
- Albert Salmi as Virgil Earp, bringing a sense of grounded morality that contrasts with Wyatt's descent.
- Sam Melville as Morgan Earp, the brother whose fate sets the whole bloodbath in motion.
- Jon Voight in one of his earliest roles as Curly Bill Brocius. He’s barely recognizable, but the raw talent is already there.
- William Windom as Texas Jack Vermillion.
It’s a gritty ensemble. There are no shimmering costumes here. The hats are dusty. The coats are heavy. When these guys get shot, they don't just fall over gracefully. They hit the dirt hard.
Why This Specific Cast Mattered for 1967
You have to remember the context of 1967. The Vietnam War was televised every night. The Civil Rights movement was in full swing. The old Hollywood myths were dying. Audiences didn't want the "Code of the West" anymore; they wanted the truth. Or at least something that felt like it.
✨ Don't miss: Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus Explained (Simply)
Sturges used this cast to deconstruct the myth of the American West. By having a "nice guy" like Garner turn into a cold-blooded killer, he was making a point about how violence changes people. The film didn't do great at the box office initially. People were confused. They wanted Maverick, and they got a man hunting people down like dogs.
But over time, the reputation of the hour of the gun movie cast has soared. Film historians like Sir Christopher Frayling have noted how this movie paved the way for the hyper-realistic Westerns of the 70s and eventually Tombstone (1993) and Wyatt Earp (1994). Without Garner’s grim determination, we probably don't get Kevin Costner’s version of the character decades later.
Realism Over Glamour: The Technical Side
Sturges was obsessed. He spent a fortune on authentic props. He insisted on filming at the actual locations in Mexico that resembled 1880s Arizona better than modern Arizona did. But all that production value would have been wasted if the actors didn't sell it.
The way Jason Robards handles a deck of cards or the way Robert Ryan sits a horse—it all feels lived-in. There’s a scene where Wyatt and Doc are sitting by a campfire, and the dialogue is sparse. It’s mostly just silence and the sound of the wind. A lot of actors would have tried to "act" through that silence. Garner and Robards just exist in it. They let the fatigue show.
This cast also includes some fascinating "hidden" names. Look closely and you'll see Frank Converse and Larry Gates. These were guys who moved between Broadway and Hollywood, bringing a level of craft that you didn't always see in "horse operas."
The Legacy of the Vendetta
The movie follows the Earp Vendetta Ride, which was a real event. After the O.K. Corral fight, the Cowboys (the outlaw gang) retaliated. They maimed Virgil and murdered Morgan. Wyatt went on a rampage.
🔗 Read more: Big Brother 27 Morgan: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
Most movies make this look like a glorious quest for justice. Hour of the Gun makes it look like a funeral procession.
Garner’s Wyatt Earp is a man losing his soul. By the time he gets to the end of his list, he isn't a hero. He’s just the last man standing. The movie’s tagline was "Wyatt Earp: Hero with a badge or cold-blooded killer?" and the cast leans heavily into that ambiguity.
If you're looking for a fun, lighthearted Western, stay away from this one. But if you want to see a masterclass in ensemble acting where the stakes feel heavy and the dirt feels real, this is it. It’s the bridge between the old Westerns of John Ford and the new, cynical Westerns of Sam Peckinpah.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you're planning to revisit this classic or watch it for the first time, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch it as a Double Feature: Pair it with the 1957 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. It’s the same director, but the tone shift is incredible. Seeing how Sturges changed his mind about the same story is a lesson in filmmaking.
- Focus on the Eyes: Watch James Garner’s eyes throughout the film. He goes from a man trying to follow the law to someone who has completely abandoned it. It’s all in the gaze.
- Check the Credits: Look for the names of the historical consultants. Sturges actually used some of the best researchers of the era, which was rare for the 60s.
- Listen to the Score: Jerry Goldsmith did the music. It’s jagged and modern, matching the unsettled nature of the cast’s performances.
- Compare the Doc Hollidays: After watching Robards, go back and watch Val Kilmer or Dennis Quaid. You’ll see that Robards played the "illness" of Doc Holliday more realistically than almost anyone else.
The hour of the gun movie cast didn't just play parts; they inhabited a very dark chapter of American history. They took the shiny badges and the white hats and dragged them through the mud. It wasn't what people wanted in 1967, but it's exactly what the Western genre needed to survive into the modern era. Honestly, it's a miracle the movie got made at all considering how much it spat in the face of established Earp lore. But we're better off for it.