Bare Fists

{{Infobox film

| name = Bare Fists

| image = Bare Fists - newspaper 1919.jpg

| caption = Newspaper advertisement

| director = John Ford

| producer = Pat Powers

| writer = Eugene B. Lewis
Bernard McConville

| starring = Harry Carey

| cinematography = John W. Brown

| distributor = Universal Pictures

| released = {{film date|1919|5|5}}

| runtime = 60 minutes

| country = United States

| language = Silent
English intertitles

}}

Bare Fists (also known as The Man Who Wouldn't Shoot) {{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/490226/bare-fists|title=Bare Fists (1919) - Overview - TCM.com|website=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=December 11, 2017}} is a 1919 American Western film directed by John Ford and featuring Harry Carey. It is considered to be a lost film.{{cite web |url=http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/B/BareFists1919.html |title=Progressive Silent Film List: Bare Fists |access-date=February 27, 2008|work=silentera.com}}

John Ford and actor Harry Carey collaborated on at least 25 films in the years of 1917-1921. During these collaborations, Carey made more per film than Ford. By 1919 Ford was making 300 dollars a week, Carey was making 1,250. This differential in pay led to tension between the two.{{cite book |title=John Ford: A Bio-bibliography |last=Levy |first=Bill |year=1998|publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=0313275149}}

Plot

The film takes place in a lawless town in southwestern Kansas during the era of outlaws and cowboys. After the marshal is killed while breaking up a saloon fight, his son, Cheyenne Harry avenges his father's death by killing two of the men involved. His mother pleads with him to never carry a gun again and Cheyenne Harry agrees.

Harry is wooing the beautiful Conchita. Conchita is also being wooed by the devious Boone Travis. In order to eliminate his rival, Travis murders a man and frames Harry. Harry is sentenced to die, but is allowed one last visit to see his mother.

During this trip he is told that his brother Bud was attacked and branded by cattle thieves. Harry escapes custody and punishes the men who attacked his brother. He is also cleared of the charge of murder.