Firecreek
| Firecreek | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Vincent McEveety |
| Written by | Calvin Clements Sr. |
| Produced by | Philip Leacock John Mantley |
| Starring | James Stewart Henry Fonda |
| Cinematography | William H. Clothier |
| Edited by | William H. Ziegler |
| Music by | Alfred Newman |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros.-Seven Arts |
Release date |
|
Running time | 104 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1,100,000 (US/ Canada)[1] |
Firecreek is a 1968 American western film[2] directed by Vincent McEveety and starring James Stewart and Henry Fonda in his second role as an antagonist that year.[citation needed] The film is similar to High Noon in that it features an entire town of cowards refusing to help a peace officer against outlaws. Stewart plays an unlikely hero, forced into action when his conscience will not permit evil to continue.
Offscreen close friends Stewart and Fonda's first film together had been in a section of the episodic musical comedy On Our Merry Way two decades earlier, and they made The Cheyenne Social Club two years after Firecreek. They had also both appeared in How the West Was Won but had no scenes together despite playing best friends.
The picture was partially filmed at North Ranch in Thousand Oaks, California.[3]
Plot
After years of backing away from criminals and gunfights, one resident of the small western town of Firecreek decides to fight back. Part-time sheriff Johnny Cobb (James Stewart) decides to avenge the death of a young man against gunmen led by Bob Larkin (Henry Fonda).
Cobb has a lot on his mind, particularly with his wife Henrietta (Jacqueline Scott) about to give birth. He is a peace-loving farmer whose childishly made sheriff's badge is practically an honorary one.
Larkin's men ride into town and disrupt the peace. Earl (Gary Lockwood), Norman (Jack Elam), and Drew (James Best) run roughshod over the local citizens and Larkin has no inclination to stop it, despite Cobb's requests. Larkin is more interested in getting to know an attractive widow named Evelyn (Inger Stevens).
The only person in town willing to help Cobb is a slow-witted stable boy named Arthur (J. Robert Porter). When one of Larkin's men attacks a woman, Arthur kills the man.
Cobb's wife goes into labour and he has to leave town. While he is gone Larkin's men hang Arthur and no one in the town tries to stop them.
Cobb returns to town and realizes that Arthur has been hung and cuts down Arthur's rope. He demands that the apathetic shopkeeper eyewitness, Whittier, hand over his gun. He then goes after Larkin and his men, one of whom gets caught in a rope tied to a horse, which bolts off, dragging him. They all but kill him and he takes them all out except Larkin, who is killed by the widow Evelyn as he is about to kill Cobb.
Cast
- James Stewart as Johnny Cobb
- Henry Fonda as Bob Larkin
- Inger Stevens as Evelyn Pittman
- Jacqueline Scott as Henrietta Cobb
- Gary Lockwood as Earl
- Dean Jagger as Whittier
- Ed Begley as Preacher Broyles
- Jay C. Flippen as Mr. Pittman
- Jack Elam as Norman
- James Best as Drew
- BarBara Luna as Meli
- Brooke Bundy as Leah
- J. Robert Porter as Arthur
- Morgan Woodward as Willard
- John Qualen as Hall
- Louise Latham as Dulcie
- Athena Lorde as Mrs. Littlejohn