What a strange little picture. Audie Murphy, like Randolph Scott, has a place in second tier western heroes that is unassailable. By second tier, that's not to denigrate either actor, just that they never attained the heights of movie stardom like James Stewart, John Wayne or later Clint Eastwood did in westerns. Sadly, this marked the final screen appearance of Audie Murphy, and only five minutes of the picture. The leading actor is Richard Lapp. Who? You might wonder why Audie Murphy decided as a producer to invest in this nobody. It's a mystery to everyone who's seen it. He came and went unnoticed. There's one really great performance in the movie with Victor Jory as Judge Roy Bean though, so all is not lost. Not as subtle and menacing as Walter Brennan's portrayal in an earlier film but over the top sort of great, announcing hangings with great glee and his dentures falling out. The director, Budd Boetticher, who made seven fine, even great minor westerns starring Randolph Scott, must have been drunk when he made this. There's no real explanation as to how this film went so badly wrong but I've given it 3 stars, one each for the beautifully clear cinematography, Audie Murphy as Jesse James (all too briefly) and best of all, Victor Jory.

"Cimarron Kid" director Budd Boetticher's last western "A Time for Dying" shares a common narrative thread with his cult Randolph Scott sagebrushers from the 1950s. The stark outdoors action unfolds as part of a journey of self-discovery and initiation for the twentysomething hero and heroine in the rugged southwest. Indeed, this picaresque adventure follows a young man who is swift on the draw with his six-guns and later a young girl who becomes his wife as they make their way to and from the notorious Texas town of Silver City. Along the way, our hero and heroine encounter two prominent historical figures, Jesse James and Judge Roy Bean.

Sadly, this 67-minute Boetticher picture lacks those classic qualities that distinguished his earlier oaters. The characters are sympathetic, but far from charismatic. The actor and actress were unknowns. Audie Murphy, who produced this low budget film, appears briefly as the infamous Jessie James and his presence marginally enhances the film, while Victory Jory all but steals the show with his hillbilly portrayal of the infamous hanging judge. "A Time for Dying" suffers, too, from a downbeat ending.

"A Time for Dying" opens with a sharp shooting horseman Cass Dunning (Richard Lapp of "Barquero"),blasting the head off a rattlesnake (apparently a real 'live' rattlesnake) as it is about to strike a baby rabbit. Three riders confront Cass and warn him about wearing his matched pair of six-guns tied down when he rides into nearby Silver City. When Cass challenges Billy Pimple (Robert Random of "Time Walker") about this Silver City rule, Pimple points out that he is the exception to the rule and slaps his Colt revolver that he affectionately calls 'Thunder' and 'Lightning.' Later, Cass encounters this predicament in a Silver City saloon when the patrons and the barkeep warn him about wearing sidearms tied down. Before Pimple and his cohorts ride away, Pimple tells Cass about the new girl scheduled to arrive in Silver City. She is going to be employed at Mamie's brothel, and everybody is awaiting her arrival. Anyway, Cass spots the picture of the girl that Pimple was talking about in the saloon and he asks the barkeep and patrons about Billy Pimple. The barkeep says that Pimple is itching to be the next Billy the Kid and has 'the deposition of a rattlesnake in the sun.' Pimple had bought everybody drinks on the house because he was such a sharp shooter himself. Cass demonstrates his prowess with a pistol and the barkeep clamors that Cass' shooting skills surpass Pimple.

When the stagecoach arrives, Cass rides to Nellie Winter's (Anne Randall of "The Split") rescue and carries her off with him. Nellie explains that she has had a difficult time finding a decent job. She says, "A decent job doesn't always mean the men folks will stay decent." Cass tells her that he rescued her because Nellie is the prettiest girl that he has ever seen. Moreover, he didn't want any of the men touching her. Cass has determined that he wants to become a bounty hunter. They ride into Vinegaroon, Texas, and check into a hotel.

While Nellie sleeps in the bed with her clothes in the room, Cass slumbers in the hallway with a chair tilted back against the wall and his Winchester cradled in his arms. Two of Judge Roy Bean's deputies surprise and disarm him and arrest Nellie and Cass because they have violated the 'indecent conduct' law of not registering as man and wife. Judge Roy Bean (Victor Jory of "Dodge City" who bears a remarkable resemblance to Bean) convenes his court and sentences a young horse thief to hang for his crimes. Afterward, Bean marries Cass and Nellie and tells them that they will get a hotel room to celebrate their wedding.

Later, Bean releases them and sends them on their way with a horse for Nellie to ride. Cass tells Nellie that his father is his only relative, and Nellie states that both her parents are deceased. Cass gives her a demonstration of his sharp shooting skills and Nellie is impressed. About this time, Jesse James (Audie Murphy of "The Cimarron Kid") rides up and disarms Cass. Nevertheless, Jesse admires Cass' shooting prowess. If Cass ever wants to join him, Jesse will be happy to accommodate him.

Later, a gang gets the drop on Cass and abducts Nellie and takes her into Silver City. Eventually, Cass has a showdown with Pimple and Pimple kills him when Cass refuses to draw on him.

Apart from Murphy's single scene in the movie, Boetticher's savory dialogue and lenser Lucian Ballard's color cinematography are the best assets of "A Time for Dying."

Audie Murphy makes his last appearance on screen as Jesse James, and an excellent Jesse James he is (I wish he had more screen time here!) But the film is much more than just an Audie Murphy vehicle. Victor Jory's portrayal of the infamous sadistic judge Roy Bean is hard to forget. It is good to see Anne Randall in her pre-"Westworld" days. The little-known Richard Lapp is convincing as a farm boy and a bounty hunter wannabe Cass Bunning, and so is Bob Random as a neurotic wannabe bandit Billy Pimple who tries to establish himself as a bandit and as a gunfighter. Good actors' work throughout the film!

Made on a low budget and only lasting 67 minutes, the film nevertheless provides food for thought. It makes you think about trying to use your fighting skills despite having no previous experience - and then your whole life slips out of your sweaty hands like a couple of pistols. You may be lucky once or twice, but not the third time. You want "fun" and you go into town with your wife that you saved from a whorehouse, even though you could take her straight to your ranch. As a result, you end up dead, and your wife ends up in the same whorehouse you saved her from. As I said, it is a bit of a downer but still an excellent western. Well done, Mr. Budd Boetticher!