Gun Grit: Watching Jack Perrin deal with city slickers

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school westerns where the lines are drawn in the dirt, you'll probably get a kick out of this. If you need a movie that reinvented the wheel, look elsewhere. Gun Grit isn't trying to change your life, it's just trying to get through the day.

The plot is simple. Big city gangsters decide they want a cut of the ranching business. Jack Perrin shows up to tell them no. That's about it, really.

The Cowboy Rhythm

There is a specific cadence to these films that I kind of love. It’s not about the dialogue—half the time the lines are just functional bridges to the next horse ride. It’s about the space between the shots.

Jack Perrin has this way of looking at a problem that feels very matter-of-fact. He doesn't panic. He just stares at the bad guys like they're a leaky faucet he needs to fix.

I found myself watching Starlight the Horse more than some of the human actors. That horse has more presence in some scenes than the actual villains. Maybe that’s the point? 🐎

Odd Little Moments

• The way the gangsters hold their hats. It feels like they’re wearing costumes, not clothes.
• The sheer amount of dust kicked up in every single movement. You can practically taste the grit.
• The silence in the desert scenes is almost louder than the gunfire.

It’s not as polished as Great Expectations, obviously, but it doesn't try to be. It feels a bit like The Cactus Kid, just with slightly more serious stakes and less goofing around.

There is a scene near the middle where they talk about a protection racket for what feels like ten minutes straight. It drags. You can almost see the actors wondering if they’re getting paid by the word.

Then, suddenly, someone pulls a gun and the pacing wakes back up. It’s a bit jarring. But, hey, that’s how these things go.

If you have an hour to kill and don't mind a bit of static, give it a whirl. It's not perfect, but it's got character.