The 16 Mar 1955 DV announced King Brothers Productions’ acquisition of “Heaven With a Gun,” an original story by Meyer Dolinsky. The 4 Aug 1955 NYT credited Robert Presnell, Jr., as screenwriter. That same day, LAT claimed that three major stars, including Gregory Peck, were being considered for the lead role. Eleven months later, associate producer Herman King told the 27 Jun 1956 Var that he was planning to film on location in Australia. While the King Brothers continued to postpone production, the 12 Feb 1959 DV reported that they had filed a protest with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) against Paramount Pictures, which had recently registered the title, Heller With a Gun.
       Heaven With a Gun remained in limbo for nearly four years, until the 22 Apr 1963 LAT stated that Gregory Peck was reading a revised screenplay by Dalton Trumbo. The 30 Mar 1966 Var later revealed that Trumbo had written the original screenplay, but was prevented from registering it under his own name, as he had been “blacklisted” by the entertainment industry for his alleged subversive political affiliations. The final draft of the script was attributed to Richard Carr.
       Production was postponed again until 15 Sep 1965, when Var reported that filming would take place in Argentina. The 8 Feb 1966 LAT announced Glenn Ford for the lead role, with George Marshall as director. Other proposed castings included Loretta Miller (31 Dec 1965 LAT), William Ludwig (17 Mar 1966 DV), Indian actor Sajid Kahn in the role of a Native American (16 Jun 1966 LAT), and Mexican star Ana Martin (8 Jul 1966 LAT). The 14 Jul 1966 DV noted that location filming was planned for Kanab, UT. On 17 Feb 1967, DV stated that the King Brothers were once again considering Australia. Another year passed before the 23 Feb 1968 LAT announced television director Lee H. Katzin as Marshall’s replacement. The picture marked Katzin’s debut as a theatrical feature director; he had served as assistant director on several films prior to Heaven With a Gun.
       Although the 18 Mar 1968 DV reported that scouting was underway in New Mexico, the 10 May 1968 issue confirmed that the producers had instead chosen seven locations in Arizona. Principal photography was scheduled to begin 20 May 1968. The 17 May 1968 DV identified Nogales, AZ, as the first location.
       Cast members included Mike Montgomery, older brother of veteran actor George Montgomery (1 Jun 1968 LAT), Rayford Barnes (22 Apr 1968 DV), equestrienne Marjorie Greenough (6 Jun 1968 DV), and Casey Tibbs (19 Jun 1968 Var). The 7 May 1968 DV credited Glenn Ford’s son, Peter Ford, as dialogue coach.
       Nine days into production, the 29 May 1968 Var reported that the company had moved to Patagonia, AZ. Co-star Carolyn Jones contracted a virus while on location in Tucson, AZ, according to the 11 Jul 1968 DV. On 3 Jul 1968, Var announced the company’s return to MGM Studios in Culver City, CA, after five weeks on location.
       Heaven With a Gun opened 14 May 1969 in St. Louis, MO, indicated by 21 May 1969 Var box-office reports. Openings followed in Los Angeles, CA, on 2 Jul 1969, and in New York City on 11 Jul 1969. While critical notices were mixed, opposing reviews in the 4 Jul 1969 LAT and the 12 Jul 1969 NYT both implied that the film was standard Western fare. The latter noted a saloon sequence that included the historically incorrect song, “Emily,” written for the 1964 MGM production, The Americanization of Emily (see entry).
       The picture was rated “M” by the MPAA, although the organization mistakenly gave it a “G” rating in early press releases. The 2 Apr 1969 Var noted that a correction was issued, but not before distributor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc., had already released advertising and press materials carrying the “G” rating. The National Screen Service reportedly issued streamers to rectify the error, yet a poster on display at the Lyric Theatre in New York City remained uncorrected. An article in the 26 Mar 1969 Var revealed that a nude scene was edited to achieve the “M” rating, while it was left intact for foreign markets. The picture was rated “A-3” (“morally unobjectionable for adults”) by the National Catholic Office for Motion Pictures (NCOMP), based on a rape sequence and the “totally gratuitous” nude scene.
       Heaven With a Gun was listed among fifty top-grossing current releases in the 25 Jun 1969 Var. Earnings to date totaled $115,050.
       A series of quarter-page advertisements ran in DV from 16 Jan 1970 through 4 Feb 1970, promoting the theme song, “A Lonely Place,” as a possible Academy Awards contender.