Buster Crabbe returned to feature films after four years in television with this surprisingly complex low-budget Western. He stars as a retired cavalry officer traveling to the Wyoming Territory to join his brother (Neville Brand) on his ranch. When he gets there, however, he discovers Brand isn't a rancher but rather part of a band of rustlers and bandits. Caught in the middle of their clash are saloon singer Ann Robinson and Lita Milan, both of whom fall for Crabbe. Although he was pushing 50, Crabbe still cut an impressive figure on the screen and was quick to take his shirt off at any opportunity. He carries off the heroics while Brand supplies the depth as his conflicted brother. Directed by B-Western veteran Sidney Salkow, the film features a supporting cast full of memorable character actors, including Michael Ansara as the head of Brand's gang, Walter Sande as the real-life trapper Yellowstone Kelly (played by Clint Walker in 1958's Yellowstone Kelly), James Seay as a crooked gambler, Roy Barcroft as the town sheriff and Slim Pickens and Dorothy Ford as husband-and-wife ranchers. The film's uncredited producer was Edward Small, whose Television Programs of America had distributed Crabbe's syndicated series Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion (1955-1957). Gun Brothers was remade in 1961 as Gun Fight, starring James Brown and Gregg Palmer as the dueling brothers.

By Frank Miller