Western
United States of America
Seven Ways from Sundown is a Western film released in 1960 and directed by Harry Keller. The movie tells the story of a young Texan named William "Seven" Jones, played by Audie Murphy. Seven is a famous gunslinger who decides to quit the outlaw life and become a lawman.
Seven gets a job as a Texas Ranger and is assigned to bring in a notorious outlaw named Jim Flood, played by Barry Sullivan. Seven tracks Flood to a remote cabin in the woods and manages to capture him after a fierce gunfight. However, during the long journey back to town, Seven and Flood develop an unusual relationship as Flood tries to persuade Seven to let him go. Over time, the two men begin to respect each other, and Flood even saves Seven's life when they are ambushed by some of Flood's former accomplices.
Despite their camaraderie, Seven knows that he must bring Flood to justice, and the tension between the two men builds as they approach their destination. When they finally reach the town, Flood makes a desperate bid for freedom, and Seven is forced to shoot him down in a final showdown.
The film features typical Western motifs, such as gunfights, horseback chases, and shootouts. However, what sets Seven Ways from Sundown apart is the complex relationship between the two main characters. Murphy and Sullivan give nuanced performances that show the shades of grey in their characters' morality. The movie also explores themes of redemption, the nature of justice, and the difficulty of enforcing the law in a wild and lawless land.
