Shooting Straight: An Old-School Morality Play That Kinda Works

Okay, so Shooting Straight from way back when. Is this one worth digging up? 🤔 If you’re into those older, kinda earnest black-and-white dramas where folks wrestle with their conscience, then yeah, maybe give it a look. But if you need fast action or modern twists, you'll probably be checking your watch. It’s a slow burn, for sure.

Richard Dix plays Larry Sheldon, our main guy. He's a gambler, and the film opens right into a pretty tense card game. Someone gets shot, accidentally, but it’s still a huge deal. The whole sequence feels a little quick, like, one minute he's arguing, the next, a body's on the floor and Larry's gone.

He bolts. Just runs. And somehow, almost immediately, he’s swapped identities, landing in a new town as a minister. The way he just *becomes* a preacher, it's pretty wild. Like, where did he even get the clothes? The film doesn't really pause to explain, it just kinda asks you to go with it. ⛪

You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this sudden transformation is plausible. He’s trying really hard to be good, you know? To leave his past behind. The town seems to buy it, mostly.

Then comes the real complications. He meets an actual preacher, an older, genuine fellow played by James Neill, who’s all kindly wisdom. And Neill has a daughter, Doris (Mary Lawlor), who Larry, of course, falls for. That’s where the real tension starts building.

Their scenes together, they have this quiet charm. Doris is pretty sweet, and you can see why Larry's drawn to her. But then you remember his whole secret, and you just know it's going to blow up in his face eventually. The film does a good job of letting that dread kinda hang in the air.

One specific moment sticks out: Larry's trying to give a sermon. He's stumbling over his words, clearly out of his element, and you can see the sweat on his brow. It's a nice touch, showing he’s not just faking it, he’s struggling with the lie.

And Andy Devine shows up! Always a welcome sight. He plays a bit of a gruff but well-meaning character, a deputy maybe, who occasionally throws a suspicious look Larry’s way. Just enough to keep you on edge.

The whole plot point of his past catching up... well, it does. Someone from his old life eventually recognizes him. It's not a huge, dramatic reveal initially, but a slow, creeping realization. The way they handle that moment, it’s not with a big orchestral sting, but with a quiet, uncomfortable stare. Pretty effective, actually.

There's a scene where Larry is just staring out a window, lost in thought. It goes on about 15 seconds too long, and you start to wonder if the camera just forgot to cut. But then you realize it’s supposed to show his internal struggle, maybe. Or maybe it was just a long take. Hard to say.

The film isn't trying to be super deep, though. It’s more about the simple idea of redemption, and if a person can truly change. The ending is… well, it ties things up pretty neatly. Maybe too neatly for some. But for a film of its era, it feels about right.

It’s not gonna blow anyone away. But for a quiet afternoon watch, especially if you appreciate older films that explore moral quandaries without getting too preachy (ironically!), it's got its moments. It's a decent enough watch, if you know what you're getting into. 🎬

Didja notice?

• That one shot of the dusty town street that felt like it was recycled a few times?
• Larry's minister outfit looks a little too perfect for someone who just threw it on.
• The way Doris smiles; it really lights up her face, a nice contrast to Larry's worried look.
• A lot of the background extras just kinda stand there.
• The accidental shooting scene. Did that guy even flinch before falling?