The Gunfighters

So here we have another Doctor Who story that I had never seen, and in this case, unlike ‘The Time Meddler’, I was not particularly optimistic about this story. In the end, I feel that the fact that it took so long for ‘The Gunfighters’ to be released on video is the main reason that it has such a poor reputation.

I actually rather enjoyed it. There, I said it. All things considered, it wasn’t a bad little comedy-historical. The characters were, in general, not too badly done, although some of the acting was rather wooden, and I will be a happy man if I never see Jackie Lane attempting to mime the piano again. Hartnell’s portrayal of the Doctor was interesting – at first he seems to be blundering along, unaware of the real danger, and especially of the danger his companions are in. However, somewhere in the middle he becomes rather more like his normal, serious self, as events unfold around him. This was interesting, and perhaps reflected Hartnell’s approach to the decreasing comedic element as the story progressed. 

In general, the story itself was simple, if incredibly historically inaccurate, and the sets were quite impressive, given the limited size of the studio, and the interiors are sparse but give a feel of the Wild West. It is in the sets, and some of the better-acted supporting characters that this story really becomes tolerable. It is with that horrendously all-permeating song that it becomes a bit tiresome. Not that it is a bad song, well it’s not brilliant, but it just tends to get in the way of the drama and tends to soften the impact of things such as the bartender’s senseless death. 

However, in spite of all that I have complained about, in the end ‘The Gunfighters’ does exactly what it sets out to – give the viewers a fun look at the Wild West and in particular the Earps and the Clantons. It’s only when it takes itself too seriously, like in recreating the infamous gunfight that it falls down. All in all, well worth a look, if only to remove some of the stigma associated with this supposedly awful story.