Masterson of Kansas (1954) User Reviews (9)

Forced into alliance by exigent circumstances

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 28 July 2013]

Although the friendship of Marshal Wyatt Earp and gunfighter/gambler Doc Holiday is frontier legend and the subject of several movies, Dodge City's other famous lawman Bat Masterson and Holiday did not have the same feelings. That is the premise on which Masterson Of Kansas is built around, although the two are forced into alliance by exigent circumstances.

George Montgomery is in the title role and James Griffith plays Doc Holiday. The exigent circumstances are a threatened Indian war when John Maxwell who has worked for peace is accused of murdering the commanding officer at Fort Dodge on perjured testimony of David Bruce.

It all doesn't smell right to Montgomery who finds proof enough in the Indian village of Jay Silverheels the Comanche chief. At least proof enough for him if not the white man's court. After that he's on a mission to clear Maxwell and maybe win his daughter's hand who is played by Nancy Gates.

And if Montgomery and Griffith don't have enough to fight about the sight of Gates puts them both in heat. Bruce Cowling as Wyatt Earp has enough on his hands to keep these two from killing each other.

Masterson Of Kansas is a nice no frills B western directed by William Castle in a straightforward style that does not portray his penchant for gimmicky horror films. Doc Holiday is always an interesting character and James Griffith joins a respectable pantheon of players who have played Holiday over the years like, Cesar Romero, Victor Mature, Jason Robards, Jr., Kirk Douglas, and Val Kilmer. Griffith yields to none of them.

Fans of westerns and George Montgomery westerns will have little to complain about with Masterson Of Kansas.

"I have to hate real hard when I kill a man..."

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 9 April 2011]

This Western is close to the epitome of taking real historical figures and coming up with an entirely fictional story about them. While it's true that Bat, Wyatt, and Doc would have known each other in real life, there's nothing to suggest they would have teamed up in this kind of adventure. But it was no secret that Hollywood used their names along with a host of others to bring in the fans, so if you get beyond that, you at least have yourself a fine little time killer here.

The basic story revolves around the arrest of Amos Merrick (John Maxwell), convicted of murdering an Army Colonel, and sentenced to hang in Hays City. As the story progresses, it's revealed that the sole witness lied under oath, since he wasn't even there when the event took place. Bat (George Montgomery) sets out after the stage carrying Merrick, forming an unlikely trio with Doc Holliday (James Griffith) and Merrick's daughter Amy (Nancy Gates). Just ahead of them is Wyatt Earp (Bruce Cowling), riding along with Merrick to make sure he gets to Hays City.

The villains of the piece are headed by Charlie Fry (William Henry), who's interest lies in the choice grazing land that the local cattlemen would be forced to hand over to the Indians under a treaty negotiated by Merrick. Fry is an equal opportunity killer, and is willing to knock off anyone standing in his way, including lawmen and dance hall girls. The whole affair ends in a blazing showdown in the middle of Hays City, reminiscent of the Gunfight at the OK Corral, minus Virgil and Morgan Earp, and with the inclusion of Bat. It amazed me throughout the picture that the good guys could stand right out in the open firing away, taking out the outlaws hiding behind every manner of cover, and not get shot themselves.

Interestingly, the picture adds a fanciful tale about the way Bat got his name. He tells Miss Amy that as a kid, he would practice his marksmanship by shooting at bats on the fly, and came to be known as 'the boy who shot the bats'. That was later shortened to Bat as the legend of his notoriety grew. Which would be quite the story if it wasn't made up for the picture. If you're a stickler for historical accuracy, this is just another thing that's bound to drive you batty.

James Griffiths as Doc Holliday Steals the Show

[louis-king · 4/10 · 28 March 2005]

Even though the title is Masterson of Kansas, It's James Griffiths' Doc Holiday who's the most interesting character. His quiet, cultured manner radiates more deadliness than the generic Western manner of Montgomery's Masterson. Griffith was a good character actor who was worthy of better movies.

The problem with the Masterson of this movie is that the real Masterson was a bit of a dandy (more like Gene Barry's TV version) whereas here he's no different than Wyatt Earp.

Of the three 'good guys' Holiday, Masterson and Earp, Holdiay seems the most intelligent. Masterson knowingly takes on about 8 bad guys who are waiting for him and almost gets killed but for Holiday's intervention. Earp's attempt to face down a lynch mob lasts about 5 seconds when he gets knocked unconscious by a well thrown rock. That would never have happened to Burt Lancaster! Unfortunately for the viewer, the bad guys are not menacing enough and waste time with elaborate plotting. Makes you long for Lee Marvin or Leo Gordon.

Nothing Serious But Mildly Entertaining

[Michael_Elliott · 15 February 2011]

Masterson of Kansas (1954)

** (out of 4)

Decent, if by the numbers, Western has Bat Masterson (George Montgomery) and Doc Holliday (James Griffith) about to shoot it out when Wyatt Earp (Bruce Cowling) breaks it up. Soon a friend to the Indians is convicted of a crime he didn't commit and the Indians are threatening violence if the man dies for the crime. Now it's up to Bat, Doc and Earp to try and figure out who the real killer is. William Castle will always be remembered for the cheap horror movies he made at the end of his career and it's pretty funny to look back on his earlier days because you'll see countless Westerns that he did for Columbia. This here is one of them and it's certainly a lot better than some he made but at the same time no one is going to confuse this for the work of John Ford. I think for the most part the film remains childish and fun as there's never anything for you to take too serious. If you're into history then it's best to skip this film as there are many liberties taken but I guess that should go without saying. I thought mixing up the three characters made for an entertaining picture and I think the stuff with the Indians also made for some mild entertainment. The majority of the running time is dialogue with the three men constantly arguing with one another and making threats that you know will never happen. I did enjoy the cast with Griffith easily stealing the film as Holliday. He brings a certain toughness to the role but also handles some of the quieter moments dealing with his illness. Montgomery is a tad bit stiff but this actually helps the character and Cowling is fun as Earp. There have been countless films with Doc and Earp so if you want something serious then it's best to look elsewhere. This film here is just 72-minutes worth a "B" fun. Nothing serious. Just mindless entertainment.

Worth watching to see James Griffith as Doc

[Maverick1962 · 4/10 · 13 June 2021]

I've admired James Griffith as a shady character actor for some years but he shines in this little B western. He appeared in around 200 film & TV shows but this is the best I've seen him. He plays Doc Holliday, friend of Wyatt Earp, but this time he's mainly squaring up to Bat Masterson, played by George Montgomery. William Castle directs and Nancy Gates is the romantic interest. The plot is formular for this period in Hollywood -1954- famous lawman meets famous gunslinger meets pretty girl. Bad guys try to act menacing but fail miserable. George Montgomery plays George Montgomery again and in wide screen which is nice. Some poor acting from supporting cast and weak script lines keep this from ever becoming a good western. OK for 10 year old children though.

3 ways to survive in Dodge - Hard, fast or dead

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 2 April 2021]

Bat Masterson (George Montgomery) is a gunslinger. Masterson, Wyatt Earp (Bruce Cowling) and Doc Holliday (James Griffith) work together to protect an impending land exchange between honest rancher Merrick (John Maxwell) and peace-seeking Indian chief Yellow Hawk (Jay Silverheels) against the crooked chicanery of land baron Clay Bennett (David Bruce). Nancy Gates ( Comanche station) is the daughter of Merrick, who is sentenced to hang, but believes him innocent ...

A fairly good shoot-em up, which does what it says on its tin and offers good entertainment. James Griffith as Doc Holliday is a scene stealer, and gives this nifty B-programmer some gravitas, and Montgomery is his usual likeable and stalwart self as Bat Masterson.

DRY AND DULL DELIVERY...UNCONVINCING...STAGY

[LeonLouisRicci · 5/10 · 26 August 2021]

William Castle Directed this Awful Story that Never Seems as Urgent as the Screenplay Pretends.

It is a Talk-Fest Interrupted at Regular Intervals with a Lot of Gun-Fire.

But the Whole Movie seems Off.

George Montgomery Delivers Every Line with the Same Inflection and Two Facial Expressions...Not Smiling and Smiling.

It's a Slog that Tries to Ramp Up the Story of a Murder-Trial that may Result in an Indian War.

Wyatt is taken Out of the Action by a Thrown Rock.

None of this is Convincing.

The Trial is Stiff and Boring as is most of this Misfire.

Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Virgil Earp...it's one of those "Name-Droppers" that Proliferated Pictures in the 1950's.

It Takes More than Famous Name-Tags to Make a Movie Entertaining.

Filmed in Technicolor so that's Something.

the usual western

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 13 November 2019]

Brings together Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Doc Holliday in an ol western... the usual cowboys and Indians. Stars George Montgomery, James Griffith, and Bruce Cowling. In Dodge City, it's the cattlemen against Merrick, the man helping the native americans, and Masterson is determined to bring justice if he can. kind of ironic that part of it is filmed in Griffith Park, but doesn't seem to be connected to James Griffith. it's the usual western shenanigans. pretty good... very linear story-line. nothing too new here. Directed by William Castle; he had started in westerns... ended up as the horror movie king in the 1950s and 1960s. Castle also directed House on Haunted Hill ( and lesser known The Tingler !) with Vincent Price.

Where's Matt Dillon?

[bsmith5552 · 6/10 · 9 June 2018]

Producer Sam Katzman and Director William Castle have again thrown history to the wind with this venture. They have brought back to life Bat Masterson (George Montgomery), Doc Holliday (James Griffith) and Wyatt Earp (Bruce Cowling) in Dodge City. All three are sporting two guns and are ready for action.

The film starts out with Masterson and Holliday squaring off for a showdown when Earp intervenes.. Amos Merrick who negotiated a peace treaty with the Kiowas, has been accused of murdering an army colonel who was against the treaty. Merrick is being protected by Yellow Hawk (Jay Siverheels) the Kiowa chief. Masterson is sent in to arrest Merrick and bring him in for trial. Yellow Hawk promises that the tribes will attack if any harm comes to Merrick.

Merrick's daughter Amy (Nancy Gates) arrives and tries to mount a defence for her father. At Merrick's trial, he is found guilty based on the testimony of Clay Bennett who claims to have witnessed the murder and cattleman Charlie Fry (William Henry) who has a vested interest in the land given to the Kiowa which is prime grazing land. Merrick is sentenced to hang and is taken to Hays City for that purpose. Fry and his men want to lynch Merrick before he can be legally hanged in order to provoke an Indian attack.

Meanwhile Bennett has fled to unknown parts. In order to prove Merrick's innocence, Masterson sets out to find him. It turns out that Bennett went in search of his estranged wife Dallas Coray (Jean Willis). Anyway Masterson catches up with Bennett and gets the truth out of him.

Returning to Doge with Bennett, Masterson is confronted by Fry and his men. Holliday and Earp join in with Bat and...................................................

James Grriffith makes a pretty good Doc Holliday. He is the only one of the three that even remotely looks like the real life person. Montgomery and Cowling are both clean shaven and too clean cut and not in the remotest sense looking anything like their real life counterpoints. The scene where the three walk side by side each with both guns blazing and not getting hit is a little over the top. And you'll notice that the bad guys can't hit the broad side of a barn in the final shootout.

Katzman and Castle had similarly distorted history in their previous effort "Jesse James vs. the Daltons" (1954).