Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

No Name on the Bullet Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 22, 2021

Jack Arnold's "No Name on the Bullet" (1959) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include new audio commentary recorded by critics Steve Mitchell and Gar Gerani as well as vintage trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The man who came to kill

Professional killer John Gant (Audie Murphy) arrives in the western town of Lordsburg and books a room at the local saloon. When he is recognized, some of the most important people in town begin panicking because they realize that he has come to do a job.

But Dr. Luke Canfield (Charles Drake), who has never heard of Gant before, approaches the stranger and completely unaware of the paranoia that has began suffocating the town invites him to play a game of chess with him. The two men then discover that they do not like to mince words and quickly earn each other’s respect.

As Gant’s arrival becomes the biggest news in town, Dr. Canfield concludes that a violent confrontation involving various parties is incoming, and in a desperate attempt to prevent it decides to take matters into his own hands. But much to his annoyance, Gant refuses to end his visit and instead publicly confirms that he has a contract to fulfill.

Jack Arnold’s No Name on the Bullet is filled with so much symbolism that it could be the subject of a terrific doctoral dissertation. Also, it is so brilliantly crafted, especially in regard to its characterizations, that it is more than a bit strange that it is not considered one of the director’s best efforts.

Arnold worked with a screenplay that was handed to him by Gene L. Coon, who had adapted an original story by Howard Amacker. However, the true inspiration behind No Name on the Bullet may have been Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal because these two films use their stories to reexamine some centuries-old truths about life in very similar ways. For example, Murphy’s arrival in Lordsburg, which by the way isn’t a random town name, is the same type of litmus test that materializes in Bergman’s film after the emergence of Bengt Ekerot. Naturally, it does not take long to realize that Murphy isn’t just a professional killer who intends to put a bullet in someone’s head, he is in town to deliver closure in that definitive way that actually exposes the recipient’s entire life. So, is Murphy the Grim Reaper? He may not look like it, but his words and actions absolutely suggest that he is.

This type of intelligent symbolism isn’t exactly rare in Arnold’s films either. In fact, it is the primary reason why so many of Arnold’s films feel so relevant today. Consider for instance The Incredible Shrinking Man in which an ordinary man gradually begins to lose his human identity. The drama that unfolds while he suffers has a wide range of familiar genre thrills, but the film is actually an astonishing examination of the nature of human existence. The drama in No Name on the Bullet is again used to force the viewer to ponder completely different themes and certainties about life that are unrelated to it.

Murphy looks incredible as the professional killer, which is why it is incredibly easy to accept that a man like him can make an entire town go berserk. Canfield impresses as well, especially later on, after it become clear that a violent confrontation is inevitable. There are memorable cameos by old pros like R.G. Armstrong, Warren Stevens, Karl Swenson, and Willis Bouchey.

Arnold shot No Name on the Bullet with Harold Lipstein, who is probably best known for his work on the classic Damn Yankees.

No Name on the Bullet Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, No Name on the Bullet arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from an older master that was supplied by Universal Pictures. While there are some obvious signs of aging on it, I liked it quite a lot because it does not have any of the digital corrections that are common on older masters that emerge from the major's vaults. Depth and delineation, for instance, can be pretty good even in areas where it is easy to tell that time has left its mark. Density levels are pretty strong as well. Some of the daylight footage reveals the biggest limitations, primarily because of some thicker edge definition, not edge-enhancement, that produces light halo-like effects, but on my system the visuals still looked good. Color balance is good, but there is room for some stability improvements. Image stability is very good. All in all, even though this film can look better if it is properly restored, I think that the current presentation is fine. My score is 3.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

No Name on the Bullet Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The lossless audio is surprisingly strong. I had the volume on my system turned up quite a bit and did not encounter any distracting anomalies in the upper register, where these types of older films usually reveal weaknesses. I thought that dynamic intensity was very good as well. The dialog was clear, stable, and easy to follow.

No Name on the Bullet Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - vintage trailer for No Name on the Bullet. In English, not subtitled.

• Commentary - this new audio commentary was recorded by critics Steve Mitchell and Gar Gerani. I thought that it was excellent because a lot of the observations that are shared in it sum up perfectly how I feel about No Name on the Bullet. Also, the two commentators share plenty of interesting information about the exact period in which No Name on the Bullet was produced, Audie Murphy's incredible life and career, Jack Arnold's legacy, etc. I recommend that you find the time to listen to it in its entirety.

No Name on the Bullet Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I think that No Name on the Bullet is a near perfect western. (Only Edgar Stehli's performance felt a bit overly melodramatic). It is filled with layered symbolism that reminded me of The Seventh Seal, which was completed only a couple of years earlier. Audie Murphy looks fantastic as the professional killer John Gant as well, though this is entirely predictable. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from an older, a bit rough, but nice organic master that was supplied by Universal Pictures. It is included in the Audie Murphy Collection three-disc box set. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.