Line #23 Film/TerrorInATexasTown


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/terror_in_a_texas_town.jpg]]
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3	''Terror in a Texas Town'' is a 1958 American Western film directed by Joseph Lewis and starring Creator/SterlingHayden.
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5	George Hanson is an honest, hardworking whaler, who returns to his Texas hometown after 20 years at sea. Hearing the tragic news of his father's death two days earlier, George finds little support from the local sheriff. Investigating on his own, George uncovers an evil conspiracy that involves [=McNeil=], an oil speculator, who had his father killed over a land sale gone wrong.
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7	Probably the only {{Western}} to feature a ShowdownAtHighNoon between a six gun and a harpoon.
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9	!!Tropes used in ''Terror in a Texas Town'' include:
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11	* ArtificialLimbs: TheGunslinger Johnny Crale had his right hand shot off, and now wears a steel prosthetic that he can use as a bludgeon.
12	* BigEater: [=McNeil=] is eating or drinking in every scene he is, and has lobsters and oysters imported from the east coast for his personal delectation.
13	* BullyingADragon: [=McNeil=] makes the mistake of mocking [[TheDragon his dragon]] Johnny Crale while Johnny is in the middle of a VillainousBreakdown. Johnny suddenly decides that he doen't care about [=McNeil=] or his money anymore and shoots [=McNeil=].
14	* CallToAgriculture: George Hanson wants to take over his father's farm and work the land like his father did. The only trouble is that the oil speculator [=McNeil=] wants the land for himself, and will stop at nothing to get it.
15	* ClothingConcealedInjury: TheGunslinger Johnny Crale wears ConspicuousGloves to conceal the fact his right hand has been replaced by a [[ArtificialLimbs metal prosthesis]], forcing him to draw with his left hand.
16	* ConspicuousGloves: Gunslinger Johnny Crale wears black leather gloves. His employer [=McNeil=] comments that he never saw Crale wear gloves before and asks why. Crale claims he has a rash and has to keep his hands covered, but the real reason is that he has lost his right hand and had it replaced with a steel prosthesis and is trying to keep it secret.
17	* TheDragon: Johnny Crale is a gunslinger who serves as [=McNeil=]'s chief enforcer.
18	* FiringInTheAirALot: [=McNeil=]'s men do this while stampeding the cattle as part of their efforts to drive the farmers of their land.
19	* FatBastard: The corpulent [=Mcneil=] seeks to control all the land in the valley, and uses threats, intimidation and violence to drive the farmers off their land.
20	* TheGunslinger: TheDragon Johnny Crale is a QuickDraw, who is trying to hide the fact his right hand has been replaced by [[ArtificialLimbs a prosthesis]]; forcing him to draw with his left.
21	* HandicappedBadass: [=McNeil=]'s [[TheDragon dragon]] is TheGunslinger Johnny Crale, who had his right hand shot off and replaced it with a steel prosthesis.
22	* TheHeavy: TheGunslinger Johnny Crale acts as the BigBad [=McNeil=]'s enforcer. He commits all of the dirty acts required so [=McNeil=] can keep his hands clean. So while it is [=McNeil=]'s scheme that drives the plot, it is Crale's acts that put the match to the powder keg.
23	* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In the final fight, Hanson impales Johnny with a harpoon.
24	* InsigniaRipOffRitual: When Sheriff Stoner finds [=McNeil=]'s dead body on the floor, he decides the town is getting too hot for him. He gathers up the money on the floor, then takes off the sheriff badge and tosses atop of [=McNeil=]'s body before [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere hightailing it out of town]].
25	* InterestingSituationDuel: The climax is a ShowdownAtHighNoon between Johnny armed with sixshooter, and Hanson armed with a harpoon.
26	* JavelinThrower: George Hanson is a whaler, who uses his father's harpoon in a ShowdownAtHighNoon against [[TheGunslinger a gunslinger]].
27	* KneelBeforeZod: When Johnny Crale goes to murder Mirada, he attempts to make Mirada kneel and beg for his life. Mirada realises that he is going to die regardless of whether he kneels or stands, and chooses to defy Crale and remain standing. Crale shoots him, but Mirada's actions drive him into a VillainousBreakdown, as he has never encountered someone who was not afraid to die.
28	* NeverBringAGunToAKnifeFight: The final showdown pits Hanson's harpoon against Johnny's pistol. Although Hanson takes a bullet, he still manages to fatally impale Johnny.
29	* PistolWhipping: During the fight in the saloon, Keeno buffaloes Hanson with his revolver.
30	* ReadyForLovemaking: After meeting with [=McNeil=], Johnny returns to his room to find Molly waiting for him in his bed. However, the situation soon devolves into an argument.
31	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: When Sheriff Stoner discovers [=McNeil=]'s body, he decides that things in Prairie City are about to get unhealthy for him. He grabs all of the money [=McNeil=] had dropped and scarpers.
32	* ShowdownAtHighNoon: The movie climaxes in a confrontation in the main street between Johnny and Hanson. [[InterestingSituationDuel Johnny is armed with a sixshooter, and Hanson is armed with a harpoon]].
33	* ShownTheirWork: Hanson explains to Pepe that you don't use a harpoon to kill a whale. The harpoon is used to hook the whale. The weapon used to kill it is a lance.
34	* TwilightOfTheOldWest: No specific date is given for the movie, but the importance of oil indicates it is probably the early 20th century. TheWildWest is coming to an end and multiple characters remark that a gunslinger like Johnny Crale is an anachronism. One man with a gun cannot wander into a town and dominate it anymore, and developments like an organized state police make it harder for outlaws to hide.
35	* VillainousBreakdown: Johnny Crale undergoes one after he encounters, for the first time in his life, a man who was unafraid to die.
36	* YouKilledMyFather: George Hanson arrives at his father's farm after 20 years at sea, only to learn that his father had been murdered two days before. Hanson sets out to learn the truth about his father's death and avenge him, and to secure his inheritance of the farm.
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Context Film / TerrorInATexasTown