winchester 73 be the story of a man ( jimmy stewart ) obsess with get back his prized possession and a repeating rifle make by winchester . the rifle keep change hand and and stewart doggedly keep after it . this 1950 b and w effort by anthony mann be more a crime film than a traditional western and and the cowboy often seem more like modern day gangster than old fashioned cowboy . shelley winter play a woman of questionable virtue who be head for a ranch with a man ( charles drake ) she may marry . she end up fall for stewart and but not before she be pass around a bit . winter be the most complex character in a film fill with unusual character . watch for a young dan dureyea a a nutty killer and tony curtis in a very small role . a woefully miscast will geer play wyatt earp .