The Sheepman

"They called him the STRANGER WITH A GUN..."

1958 1h 25m EN

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 66

WesternComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A stranger in a Western cattle-town behaves with remarkable self-assurance, establishing himself as a man to be reckoned with. The reason appears with his stock: a herd of sheep, which he intends to graze on the range. The horrified inhabitants decide to run him out at all costs.

“They called him the STRANGER WITH A GUN...”

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Cast

Glenn Ford
Jason Sweet
Shirley MacLaine
Dell Payton
Leslie Nielsen
Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe
Mickey Shaughnessy
"Jumbo" McCall
Edgar Buchanan
Milt Masters
Willis Bouchey
Frank Payton
Pernell Roberts
Chocktaw Neal
Slim Pickens
Marshal

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: George Marshall
Writers: William Bowers, James Edward Grant, James Edward Grant
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

85 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

68 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by George Marshall, shot by Robert J. Bronner. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jeff Alexander. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ralph E. Winters shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Glenn Ford and Shirley MacLaine and Leslie Nielsen carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "They called him the STRANGER WITH A GUN...".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0052190 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

George Marshall directs. Robert J. Bronner behind the camera. Jeff Alexander scores. Ralph E. Winters cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

185 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
268 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by George Marshall, shot by Robert J. Bronner. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Jeff Alexander. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Ralph E. Winters shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Glenn Ford and Shirley MacLaine and Leslie Nielsen carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "They called him the STRANGER WITH A GUN...".
8IMDB entry: tt0052190 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 66 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 16 themes, including "shepherd", "sheep", "gunslinger", "fistfight".
11Released under 18 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Robert J. Bronner
Original score: Jeff Alexander
Editing: Ralph E. Winters
Costume design: Walter Plunkett
Makeup / hair: Sydney Guilaroff
Runtime: 85 min · 1h 25m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: The Sheepman (1958)

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George Marshall

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2016-01-03
★ 8/10
Nothing sheepish about this Beef and Lamb Hot Pot. The Sheepman is directed by George Marshall and written by William Bowers, James Edward Grant and William Roberts. It stars Glenn Ford, Shirley MacLaine, Leslie Nielsen, Mickey Shaughnessy, Edgar Buchanan, Willis Bouchey, Pernell Roberts, and Slim Pickens. Music is by Jeff Alexander and cinematography by Robert J. Bronner. Utterly delightful semi-comic Oater, The Sheepman pitches Ford as sheep farmer Jason Sweet, who arrives in Powder Valley - a place ruled by cattle ranchers only - and upturns the applecart by announcing he intends to let his sheep graze on the lands there. Trouble, motives and back stories will out! With the exception of some poor rear projection work, this is a pic that's constructed with style and humour. The opening is a doozy as Sweet quickly puts down a marker in the town, with a glint in his eye and a punch of some force. It's an irresistible characterisation by Ford, deftly blending humour with machismo, setting up the rest of the film by firmly pulling us viewers onto his side. Supporting cast are bang on the money, doing justice to well written characters (the screenplay was Oscar nominated), with the writing also having some nous via twists and a commitment to never let the story be boring or twee. An absolute must see film for fans of the irrepressible Glenn Ford. 8/10

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