Gunfighter

Gunfighter and gunslinger /ˈɡʌnslɪŋər/ are literary words used historically to refer to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation of being dangerous with a gun and had participated in gunfights and shootouts. Gunman was a more common term used for these individuals in the 19th century. Today, the term "gunslinger" is now more or less used to denote someone who is quick on the draw with a pistol, but can also refer to riflemen and shotgun messengers. The gunfighter is also one of the most popular characters in the Western genre and has appeared in associated films, video games, and literature.

Gunfighters range from different occupations including lawman, outlaw, cowboy, exhibitionists and duelist, but are more commonly synonymous to a hired gun who made a living with his weapons in the Old West.

Origin of the term

Etymologist Barry Popik has traced the term "gun slinger" back to its use in the Western movie Drag Harlan (1920). The word was soon adopted by other Western writers, such as Zane Grey, and became common usage. In his introduction to The Shootist (1976), author Glendon Swarthout says "gunslinger" and "gunfighter" are modern terms, and the more authentic terms for the period would have been "gunman", "pistoleer", "shootist," or "bad man" (sometimes written as "badman"). Swarthout seems to have been correct about "gunslinger", but the term "gunfighter" existed in several newspapers in the 1870s, and as such the term existed in the 19th century.Bat Masterson used the term "gunfighter" in the newspaper articles which he wrote about the lawmen and outlaws whom he had known. However, Joseph Rosa noted that, even though Masterson used the term "gunfighter", he "preferred the term 'mankiller'" when discussing these individuals.Clay Allison (1841–1887), a notorious New Mexico and Texas gunman and cattleman, originated the term "shootist".

Gunfighter's Moon

Gunfighters Moon is a 1995 western film produced by Douglas Curtis, directed by Larry Ferguson and starring Lance Henriksen, Kay Lenz and David McIlwraith. Also appearing are Nikki DeLoach, Ivan Sergei and James Victor.

Tagline

"Calling Frank Morgan a Gunfighter is Like Calling The Desert Dry!"

Plot

A veteran gunfighter is summoned to Red Pine in Wyoming by a former lover. She wants to protect her new husband, (a store-keeper who is the 'temporary' town sheriff), from a gang of outlaws who want to free one of their number who is being held for killing the lawman's predecessor during a bank robbery. What the gunfighter is unaware of, is that he is the father of a teenage girl. She also doesn't know.

Cast

Lance Hendriksen......Frank Morgan
Kay Lenz....................Linda Yarnell
David McIlwraith........Jordan Yarnell
Nikki DeLoach............Kristen Yarnell
Ivan Sergei.................Spud Walker
James Victor..............Juan Acosta

Production

The film had different titles in various countries; for instance: Das letzte Duell in Germany.