Decision at Sundown

Decision at Sundown is a 1957 American Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Randolph Scott. It is one of seven Boetticher/Scott western collaborations, including Seven Men from Now, The Tall T, Buchanan Rides Alone, Westbound, Ride Lonesome, and Comanche Station. Boetticher said this film and Westbound were the only mediocre films he made as part of the Ranown cycle. Plot Bart Allison and his true and faithful friend Sam ride into the town of Sundown. Blinded by hate, Bart has only one thing in mind: to seek revenge from Tate Kimbrough whom he believes had once immorally seduced and then abandoned his wife Mary, which finally led to her to kill herself. At least this is the story Allison believes. More probably his wife at that time had fallen out of love with him and intended to leave him, being genuinely attracted to the womanizing Tate, who later spurned her and renounced their relationship. Tate has taken political and economic control of the little town of Sundown. The citizens don't appreciate him but yield to his influence probably out of fear and material interest. The very day that Bart shows up in the town, Tate is preparing to marry Lucy Summerton, the "finest and prettiest young lady" in Sundown, according to the barber in whose shop Bart finds an opportunity to get a shave. He intends to stop the ceremony from taking place by objecting to the wedding after the priest's traditional question. Tate has no real romantic interest in Lucy; the marriage is probably part of a scheme that will fortify his influence in the town. To the disapproval of Lucy's father, Tate spends time with Ruby James with whom he is probably sentimentally involved but also a little rough-mannered. She is supposed to leave town after the ceremony but she insists on attending the wedding in the church despite Tate's disapproval. She even has the nerve to sit on the front pew with the town's doctor, John Storrow, secretly also in love with Lucy and having a great moral and humane influence in the town, helping everybody out as well as making various hints at a possible opposition to Kimbrough's greedy control of the local community. Bart does not hesitate to show his animosity concerning the local boss and even goes as far as creating tension between him and the sheriff Swede Hansen, refusing to have his drinks paid in honor of Tate Kimbrough's wedding.