Charles Bronson is a Bounty Hunter in his 1st starring Western! FREE HD Movie! SHOWDOWN AT BOOT HILL

Charles Bronson went to Italy to work with Sergio Leone in 1968 for ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST and came back a superstar. Ten years, 3 TV series and over 60 film and television appearances prior to his role of “Harmonica,” Bronson had his first starring lead in a feature film. He played a bounty hunter in the western called SHOWDOWN AT BOOT HILL in 1958.
You’ll see from his early performance in this film that Charles Bronson was always good. I remember many of his guest starring roles in episodic TV series and his lead roles in MAN WITH A CAMERA, EMPIRE and THE TRAVELS OF JAMIE McPHEETERS. With theatrical movie breakout roles in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, THE GREAT ESCAPE and THE DIRTY DOZEN, Bronson was building a huge fan base. Somehow, though, I’d always missed his first starring role and am pleased to be presenting it now.
In SHOWDOWN AT BOOT HILL Bronson’s bounty hunter character outdrew a wanted man and wants to claim the reward. Problem is that the killer with the price on his head had lots of friends in town, and no one wants to step up as a witness to support Bronson. This is an adult western shot in black and white, wide screen. The script is good. The cast has one standout performance. It’s that of veteran character actor John Carradine as a wise old barber. He and Bronson have several nice scenes together. You'll also spot Jose Gonzales-Gonzales, brother of Pedro, unbilled.
The film was shot on the 20th Century Fox lot and directed by former film editor, Gene Fowler, Jr., who knew how to keep things moving. SHOWDOWN AT BOOT HILL was wedged between a couple of Fowler directed cult classics; I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF and I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE. Fowler directed Bronson next on TV's MAN WITHOUT A GUN, and several episodes of MAN WITH A CAMERA. Fowler was quite active on TV helming episodes of RAWHIDE, TALES OF WELLS FARGO, and GUNSMOKE.
If you enjoy Bronson like I do, and westerns with a 1950s flavor, I think you’ll like SHOWDOWN AT BOOT HILL.
If you enjoy our films on WORD'S WAYBACK and interviews on A WORD ON WESTERNS and would like to watch them commercial free, please join our Patreon Posse of western film fans and help us continue. Thanks for joining us. / awow
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[@docbrown6550]

Charles Bronson, L Q Jones and Alex Cord were three great actors that we needed to see in a lot more movies that sadly never got to be made.

[@terryhurlburt9113]

Mr. Bronson did a very good job. A darn good script. This movie showed that the WESTERN format was more than just gun slingers and Cattle Stampedes. Thanks, Rob.

[@WilliamJohnson-g6z]

I grew up watching westerns too. I was born in 1964. Westerns and then TV kind of switched to cop shows. But Westerns were my favorite. I always had a lot of respect for Charles Bronson. The fact he was a world war II vet cemented the fact that he was cool in my opinion. He was a regular guy that made it big. You have to respect that. He always had that cool look about him. Some of his first roles were villains. Him and Lee Marvin both had some roles as villains.

[@bobdudy7177]

It's a good old Western, never had seen it before. Charles Bronson was a one of a kind actor, and American WW2 Veteran. John Carradine always played memorable characters too. Thanks for the Movie..

[@Allencriss]

Actors, are actors each one of their own in kind. Portraying most iconic roles' on staging their performance. I a12 years old, working as a dishwasher off I-80 Interstate. At a Ramada Inn supper club, when the dinner waitresses were having quite a discussion amongst themselves. That the Actor John Carradine Sr., happened to be out in the Supper Club, ordering his dinner. Somehow or other out of, just my cuteness, As the girls debated over nervous eagerness and excitement. Let me take out an introductory bottle of wine to present to him. Nothing, too much out of the ordinary for me, I was a kid, a child. When he placed his hands upon his dinner table in acceptance. The arthritic infliction that had set into his hands alone. Began to have compassion for actors within their portrayals as artists, crafting out their livelihoods as Indvidual's. Charles Bronson was one such individual too. Who carved out his life, in portraying himself across the motion picture recorded. Honest, effortlessly, and yet only, to have upheld that for his own life.

[@alicecoker9155]

I'm 73. Free up with 11 brothers. I watched Westerns all my life. I've seen this movie before. I just can't remember when. Must have been years ago.

[@steveharris5008]

this is a great movie that's more than a western; some exceptional words wriiten throughout; "... there's a Boot Hill in every man's soul..." is one magnificent example; more than just a western...

[@Bonjour-World]

Best Charles Bronson movie that I have ever seen.

[@1wheeldrive751]

Charles Bronson was an atypical Hollywood actor. He never really got sucked up into his own hype. His immigrant background is worth reading up on. He and his long time wife, actress Jill Ireland, eventually bought a tract of land in a small town in eastern Vermont, in the quiet horse country just south of Woodstock. They are buried there, at the very top of the cemetery, with the most magnificent mountain view that you could imagine. I know this because I live in that town, and I share that view. Unfortunately their heirs sold their place on Bronson Rd. But someone changes the flowers at their gravesite quite regularly.

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks for this information, wheel. Nice that fresh flowers are at their gravesite, too.

[@1wheeldrive751]

@@AWordonWesterns - they aren’t real flowers, but rather artificial ones. Real Flowers don’t last very long in our harsh climate. But they are attractive, and show that someone cares since they change them often.

[@scottmoyer1357]

Beautiful state and part of the country.

[@zcosmos9]

Thank you for preserving this cultural history

[@marjoriesmithson5924]

Bronson is one of my favorites. Good movie !❤😊

[@suev3339]

WOW!! Exceptional! Charles Bronson’s debut on the film screen really set the style for his acting. Wonderful for your sharing Rob. To think he had to do other films than westerns before he hit the genre of a classic western actor. Excellent acting and John Carradine never fails - he’s like a fatherly figure in his role here. 🤠

[@wuz2do]

Brings back memories of my childhood and waiting for the new episodes of all the great Westerns in the 60s Thank You for sharing I really enjoyed it

[@AWordonWesterns]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@LeeZeidel-s1h]

I was born in 1956 there were a slew of westerns . Television shows movies etc . I started watching at a very young age 😊

[@roadwary]

I didn't know that this Bronson movie was going to be about the short man complex. I thought that was very cool. I can relate.

[@WillyPercival-m1d]

Any movie with Charles Bronson In it is good like this one 😅

[@johnlamberti4424]

Charles Bronson, Steve McQueen, and Dean Martin. The coolest of them all

[@miketully9905]

Most times when you see the First Starring Roll of a great actor the film is okay, but nothing to write home about. But this is a really well made, well written, and well acted story. The entire cast is good. Which makes me wonder who First Choice for the part of Luke was. I doubt it was Charles Bronson at this point in his career. I suspect it was someone, or possibly several someones, with a whole heck of a lot more box office draw than someone who'd never taken on a starring roll before. Usually having several top names turn down the leading role will sink a film. But someone greenlit the film anyway, with Bronson in the lead, despite it being his first time being saddled with that much responsibility. And he pulled it off brilliantly. Atta boy Chuck! R.I.P. Chuck It's been near to a quarter of a century since you left us. But we still remember you, and we still watch.

[@brucetharp7610]

My all-time favorite actor since the 50's!!!

[@jackvoss5841]

His acting demonstrates that he had already been capable of a leading role for a while. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying

[@stephendufort4154]

I appreciate your western Chanel , thank you!

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks, Stephen. We try to deliver the cowboy goods!

[@rogertemple7193]

This is a really good western drama with Charles Bronson and a really good supporting cast including the always amazing John Carradine thanks for this great little known film.🇺🇲📺🇺🇲

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks, Roger. Carradine sure is good in this. Bronson was terrific in the lead and I really liked RJ's restoration and wide screen black and white.

[@kevinhealey6540]

He was developing his character. At the time it wasn't complete but it was getting better and better.

[@dextermaclean1842]

I was born in the sixties. Watched the westerns with gran . Have been addicted ever since . Love them . Yeehah 🎥👢🔫🐎

[@chrisloomis1489]

The end contains wise words: There is a Boot Hill in every town , and the Past buries it's dead . Better to focus on the now, and future. Great old movie. Love the two main actors , the cast was great too , no cussing , no filth , and no gore , but 100 % great story. Good.

[@g.m.robertson8700]

AMEN TO THE DECENCY, TOO...

[@atreb56]

Thank very much for posting. I only remembered Bronson buying the hand cream when I saw this years ago..

[@anoldtoulon6978]

Bronson was a directors dream. He low-key but had so much presence.

[@vdjelement1]

I think this is his first and best movie

[@yogasamrat]

Bronson can certainly come off as a half breed.I am sure he played that part in some westerns.

[@AWordonWesterns]

CHATO'S LAND, CHINO

[@matthewnikitas8905]

@@AWordonWesternsGood movie but I thought it was a little over the top with the gratuitous violence and the rape scene

[@MikeBarratt-lk3gt]

​​​@@matthewnikitas8905Well that's Michael Winner for you.

[@matthewnikitas8905]

@@MikeBarratt-lk3gt Apparently so

[@DavidPerry-do6xt]

Chato's land is the name with Jack Pallence

[@mingulay29]

Excellent movie with John Carradine head and shoulders above the rest, his acting almost English theatrical. Bronson has great screen presence and obviously admires the older man. Wouldn't you? Good script too.

[@JackyUn-f2v]

Just for me,,these old movies much greater,,better to fresh ohr mind,!

[@davidwylie5355]

You all were right this is a good movie.

[@KenHartman152]

I was born 1950. So, I grew up with the Western's as my staple for movies and TV. I still enjoy rewatching those same Western's to this day. But last night I got to watch a Western I had not seen before on your "Words Wayback" channel... "Showdown at Boot Hill", With a very young Charles Bronson. Excellent movie and you can see how the camera loved Bronson your eyes just were drawn to his character in every scene he was in. Great watching a younger fantastic character actor John Caradine as well. 👍 Thank You Rob & Son!!! 🤠🎬🍿

[@cwtckness]

I was born 11:11:49

[@Ken-dv9uf]

​@@cwtcknessHowdy fellow Boomer!

[@cwtckness]

@@Ken-dv9uf yea hate to face it, so I don’t stand in front of mirrors toonlong

[@jamesblacketter9854]

Awesome to sit down an catch an ending of a gud movie, blessings rob n crew,

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks, James. You can even start it at the beginning to see Bronson's shootout.

[@paulwilton735]

In 1958 the entire world was better...more moral..descent..I'm so proud of the time I lived.

[@guitartim2128]

Hey Word on Westerns,are we still on for Fridays? Not a complaint because Any day of the week that a W.o. W. is on I will gladly be here. Thanx for being here tonight!

[@AWordonWesterns]

We switched to Fridays a couple weeks ago, Tim. Thursdays seem to work better. Hope it's good for you, too.

[@GraftonDuncan-go8wd]

❤ Charles Bronson is so cool and deadly😛

[@arlineabdalian6594]

Hi, Friends! Will be back before we begin. Bronson Forever! Giddyap!🐴🐴🐴🐴

[@MrMarcol29]

Can’t beat a good western ✌️

[@ep9360]

Brilliant. So many isms, still true today. RIP Mr Bronson. Forget about it.

[@stormbrooks1784]

Nice movie! Good acting, plot, and direction. Morally excellent.

[@PAULDMORGAN1]

Thank you Mr. Word for posting these great films. 👍

[@AWordonWesterns]

You're very welcome, Paul. Glad you like them.

[@ronaldstrange8981]

I love westerns and this isn;t too bad. England, September, 2024.

[@pizzagirl597]

Good film. Good cinematography. The music by Albert Harris is perfect. Thanks Rob. ❤

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks, pg. Harris is an almost forgotten composer and orchestrator. This score is his best.

[@DEEBARNES-xb7jy]

It's late and a perfect time to see C. Bronson - Rob!! You named multiple series I'd never known about!! I'm sure RJ worked his magic-looking forward to this Wayback Western! I've gotta set an alarm next week😂 Thanks as always🎉

[@jeffnorbert1871]

Excellent movie! Unexpected ending. Be sure and watch to the end.

[@edgarsnake2857]

Your intro was terrific. I watched CB develop into a superstar in real time and through many parts. I'm psyched for 'Showdown At Boot Hill.' Thanks.

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks, Ed. I'm a big fan!

[@lynderherberts2828]

Mr. Bronowski was such a great actor. Handsome, too. Also, John Carradine. I can count on any movie he is in will be enjoyable. Liked and subscribed.

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks.

[@rkgaustin]

Bronson is like the human pause button in this. Every time he walks in the music stops.

[@AWordonWesterns]

LOL

[@desertfox3860]

Thanks Rob. This is another one I had not seen.

[@davidjennings1771]

Great movie, thanks I'd thought I 'd seen all of Bronson's movies. Hopefully I'm still wrong and still have another find to enjoy!

[@gerardjohnson2106]

Thanks for sharing. 👍👍👏👏🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@DEVILDOG1964]

VERY GOOD MOVIE!! RIP CHARLES GOD BLESS.

[@MegaWam1]

Excellent Western. Great acting and great plot. Thank you.😀

[@CodyYana]

Thanks for this brilliant old movie. bw from Denmark

[@AWordonWesterns]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks

[@KevinGarvin-l6n]

Such an unusual western movie with great actors and a great script!

[@kathleenpopata9718]

My Friday night essence goodo cowboy movie Coolest Actor Mr Charles Bronson

[@bengtwahlstedt1021]

CHARLES BRONSON = SUPERLEGEND !

[@alvilla9659]

That was a good movie Rob. Thank you

[@Magic-Wrench]

Very good movie.

[@Dal-l7i]

As always, an excellent movie Rob...

[@gregorymceaddy8884]

Chuck is an American badass .and he knows one harmonica tune.. you never want to be listening to it personally

[@yourfns]

Great movie. Thanks.

[@williamthompson286]

This is a lot of fun. Its basically a TV western with better production values. The b&w cinematography is particularly good. I love all those crane shots. Thanks partner.🤠

[@pressureworks]

It could be argued he actually achieved superstar status as a result of staring in Death Wish.

[@RealBigBadJohn]

I guess my Friday popcorn deliveries will need to be changed!

[@AWordonWesterns]

Popcorn is two-for-one on Thursdays.

[@RealBigBadJohn]

@@AWordonWesterns 👍

[@TonyB-rv9qd]

Classic Movie 🎥🍿👍

[@freeshrugs63]

I've watched a lot of Westerns since Covid especially. I saw this one a couple of years ago, but I really appreciated your introduction to it. And I watched it again. Because now in my old age, frankly, I couldn't remember much about it!

[@AWordonWesterns]

Wow, thank you!

[@harrynixon1984]

The comments are GREAT and so be it because CHARLES BRONSON IS STILL GREAT because we get to watch a MASTER act. Believe it or not I first got to know the actor in DEATH WISH and most people know how the game out. GREAT and they made so many I lost count..the first franchise RIGHT ?

[@subodhmimani]

Good movie. Worth watching.🎉🎉

[@GlendaFoxhlove-n9f]

I thank you very much

[@AWordonWesterns]

You are welcome, Glenda. Thanks.

[@DonadTrump-z8u]

I was born in 1949 I grewup with Roy Rogers Dale Evans and The horse Trigger and Gene Autry rhe singing Cowboy

[@anoldtoulon6978]

Maybe I just love good literature, but the script is really well quipped. Statements and retorts. ❤

[@lynderherberts2828]

Great job by the director and key grip.

[@russellwarr3791]

Thanks, love Charlie, big up from Australia 🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘

[@mikeellis9720]

Dang. Sally was a pretty little thing.♡

[@rachabcunanan2528]

EXCELLENT !!!

[@venussky4677]

Good movie ❤❤❤❤

[@uncdani]

Charlie Bronson looking good as the gunslinger but an unconvincing lover.

[@jonathanvince8173]

This was so well acted by all not sure why it took so long for Mr Bronson to make a name John was really good too. Mr Bronson was in WW2 James Gardner was in Korean war They both looked after Donald Pleasance in the Great Escape after some of the Ideas in the Great escape was from him as Donald was a Prisoner of war and new about escapes planning scams so on. As the directors were not going for realism Charles and James both had words with them backing Donald making sure they all respected Donald.

[@gerrymcardle9319]

A very good Movie

[@tomato1040]

Charles 1st🥇 movie & best 🏆 MOVIE=mc2🍿 EVA😂🎥!

[@bobyouel7674]

thanks

[@RobertKetteringham]

Ii agree with the man ho said thanks ❤❤❤❤

[@pressureworks]

Perhaps neither Blondie or Colonel Mortimer cared about finding someone with Mere $200 Bounty. Rough way for Harmonica to scrape a living. But was less rough than his fate joining the 7

[@redfields5070]

Young or old, Bronson always looks the same to me. It seems like he started out older and stayed that way.

[@wmden1]

To me there was a little weirdness in this movie, but all in all it was pretty good. If the girl's mother hadn't been killed the ending would have been close to perfect. It was satisfying, as it was. John Carradine's character was about the most levelheaded character I remember seeing him play and he still did an outstanding job of it.

[@pdrphil8159]

The movie was downright average , but its nice to see Bronson before he was a household name... He was a veteran of WW2 . He was a gunner on a B29 bomber and was shot in the shoulder... In the move , The Great Escape , Bronson , Lee Marvin & several other actors were WW2 vets . It made them super stars & later Bronson stated that he felt the success of that movie was owed to their war experience .. Both Bronson & Marvin (a WW2 marine) became life long friends ..

[@OdeeOz]

I miss training horses, and trail riding to camp 👍👍💖🌟🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@kennethd4645]

Back in the days of bloodless bullets. :)

[@grahamhill6340]

Good B-WESTERN... shot on my old lot of 20th Century-Fox, oh by the time I arrived there (1980) the western sets were long gone. Notice the credits with John Chambers doing the make-up, of course this was before he became the father of prostectic make-up, as in the Oscar he got for PLANET OF THE APES. Director of photography John M. Nickolaus did three seasons on TV's RAWHIDE, and writer Louis Vittes wrote many an episode for it too... and the director of SHOWDOWN AT BOOT HILL Gene Fowler, well he directed and edited on RAWHIDE. Even Charles Bronson worked on RAWHIDE, and this film could've easily have been just another episode from any TV western. The final scene, the cemetery and surrounding scenery was shot by the studio's eastern boundry line, later to become Century Park East when the backlot was sold-off.

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks for the terrific (as usual) information, Graham. That was a time when all of the major studios had western towns on the back lot. I got to town in late 1978 and walked through the old Republic (and GUNSMOKE) western streets of MTM on Radford. A thrill! Now it's up to Melody Ranch which is still a great location, perhaps only, for filmmakers today. This Bronson film has lots to recommend it.

[@dwayneterrell1915]

I grew up on these movies too you know there ain't nothing on TV to watch today it's all stupid stuff I can't even fit into my brain this is what I like to watch right here give me an old western Andy Griffith show The Flintstones you know something easy at this new stuff I just I just can't deal with it

[@rubiconklbrutorowman7577]

I watched this n good...

[@anoldtoulon6978]

Movie title: "How I met Sally" 😂😂😂

[@dwayneterrell1915]

There's so many of them that that's all play together if you know what I'm talking about I don't even have the name of you know I'm on just like I do that the best movie ever and the music from the same time

[@cwtckness]

I walked right by him in Malibu California some 50 years ago short maybe 5 feet 7

[@redfields5070]

That's normal, not a circus freak.

[@objectivesovereignty]

I remember Bronson in an episode of The Twilight Zone along side Elizabeth Montgomery 1961 ( Two )

[@johnhalley974]

I know all the sets get used over and over again but noticed at 5:45 the saloon used in Warlock…The one that Hank Fonda burns down with a dead Anthony Quinn in it.

[@AWordonWesterns]

Thanks for the info, John.

[@WEEwillycoolb68-q5r]

The boy gets the girl. Good ending.

[@brunodesamber5714]

I. Seen. This. Western. Never. Before. But. What. Can. I. Say. 🤠 it's. A. Dam. Very. Very. Good. And. A. Gold. Western. 🐴 whit. Perfect. And. Exelent. Script. And. Story. 💣 a. Absolutely. Howdy. Movie. To. See. No. Dauts. 🤠 may. Thanks. Rob. For. Uploading. This. Gold. Western. Movie. Keep. On. Raiding. This. Way. Yihaa. 🐴 🎉🎉🎉🎉 🤠 💣 👌👌

[@brunodesamber5714]

That. Was. A. Very. Exelent. Western. Rob. 🤠 👌👌😀

[@chadwedul1787]

Pretty neat lo-tech trick -- speeding up the film to speed up the draw.

[@pressureworks]

11:00 Johnson Hall.....I thought this town looked like Rock Ridge !!!