Rough Night in Jericho | |
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Original theatrical poster
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Directed by | Arnold Laven |
Produced by | Martin Rackin |
Written by |
Marvin H. Albert (novel and screenplay) Sydney Boehm (screenplay) |
Starring |
George Peppard Dean Martin Jean Simmons John McIntire Slim Pickens |
Cinematography | Russell Metty |
Edited by | Ted J. Kent |
Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date
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Running time
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104 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $1,750,000 (US/ Canada) |
Rough Night in Jericho is a 1967 western film directed by Arnold Laven and starring George Peppard, Dean Martin, and Jean Simmons. The picture was based on the novel The Man in Black, written in 1965 by Marvin H. Albert, who also wrote the screenplay. The supporting cast includes John McIntire and Slim Pickens. Rough Night in Jericho is the only film in which Dean Martin portrayed the villain.
A stagecoach bound for the town of Jericho is ambushed by Alex Flood, a lawman gone bad. Sharpshooting from a safe distance, Flood wounds the coach's driver, Ben Hickman, who is brought to town by the only passenger, a gambler named Dolan.
Hickman is a former Santa Fe lawman and Dolan was once his deputy. They now are partners in the stage line with Molly Lang, whom they have come to Jericho to meet. She was once Flood's lover when he came to Jericho to restore law and order, but now she hates the man who has seized power in the town.
Flood forms a lynch mob that hangs a man who dared confront one of his gang, then burns down the home of another townsman who tried to organize a secret meeting. While the wounded Hickman recovers from the gunshot, Dolan takes a liking to Molly and decides to help her when Flood's men try to take over her stagecoach line. He gets into a violent fight with Yarbrough, one of Flood's men.
Dolan begins to create havoc in Flood's empire, stealing his cattle and causing explosions at Flood's ranch and gold mine. He is assisted by Hickman and by Jace, the town's former sheriff. Flood returns to Jericho seeking revenge. He shoots Hickman in the back, killing him. Dolan sets out after Flood for a final showdown in the hills.