5.3
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
The Restless Gun (1957)
The Restless Gun (1957)
Overview
The Restless Gun is an American western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an idealistic person who prefers peaceful resolutions of conflict wherever possible. He is gregarious, intelligent, and public-spirited. The half-hour black-and-white program aired seventy-eight episodes. Jeanne Bates appeared in varying roles with Payne in five episodes of The Restless Gun. The Restless Gun theme song begins: "I ride with the wind, my eyes on the sun, and my hand on my restless gun..." The song composer is probably Paul Dunlap, credited as the primary series composer, but could have been contributed to by either of the two other series composers, Dave Kahn and Stanley Wilson, also. Two versions are currently posted on YouTube, but neither posting lists any composer or performance credits.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
PhiloRating & Dimensions
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Traditional
Political: Leans Right
Diversity: Low
Christianity: Positive
Viewer Rating
5.3
Overview
The Restless Gun is an American western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an idealistic person who prefers peaceful resolutions of conflict wherever possible. He is gregarious, intelligent, and public-spirited. The half-hour black-and-white program aired seventy-eight episodes. Jeanne Bates appeared in varying roles with Payne in five episodes of The Restless Gun. The Restless Gun theme song begins: "I ride with the wind, my eyes on the sun, and my hand on my restless gun..." The song composer is probably Paul Dunlap, credited as the primary series composer, but could have been contributed to by either of the two other series composers, Dave Kahn and Stanley Wilson, also. Two versions are currently posted on YouTube, but neither posting lists any composer or performance credits.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
PhiloDetailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Traditional
Primary
The film is rated +1 (Right-Leaning) as its central narrative champions individual responsibility and self-reliance as the primary means to establish justice and order in a lawless environment, emphasizing personal action over institutional solutions.
The movie exhibits traditional casting practices, consistent with its era as a 1950s Western, featuring a predominantly white cast without explicit DEI-driven recasting. The narrative maintains a traditional framing, not engaging in critical portrayals of traditional identities or explicit DEI themes.
Secondary
The series, a classic Western, implicitly and often explicitly upholds Christian-influenced moral values such as justice, community, and personal integrity. When religious institutions or figures like preachers appear, they are generally portrayed as positive forces for guidance and social cohesion, reinforcing the dignity and virtues associated with the faith.
The Restless Gun, a Western television series from the 1950s, does not include any discernible LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The narrative focuses on traditional Western tropes and does not engage with queer identity or experiences, resulting in no portrayal of LGBTQ+ elements.
This 1957 Western television series does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The narrative focuses on typical Western tropes, and there is no depiction of transgender identity in any capacity within the show's known episodes.
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
The Restless Gun is an original television series from 1957, not an adaptation or reboot of pre-existing characters. Therefore, there is no prior source material or historical record for its characters to establish a different canonical gender.
The Restless Gun is an original Western television series from 1957. It does not adapt pre-existing source material with established character races, nor does it depict historical figures. Therefore, no characters could have been race-swapped.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
7.5
3.0
Critic Ratings
N/A
N/A
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