Style: Western
Director: Robert Clever
Working Time: 88 minutes
Synopsis: Drifting cowboy and skilled gunslinger Jim Garry (Robert Mitchum) is recruited by his previous buddy Tate Riling (Robert Preston) to hitch a gaggle of ranchers defending their territory in opposition to encroachment by cattle-baron John Lufton (Tom Tully). After tangling with Lufton’s daughter Amy (Barbara Bel Geddes), Jim learns he could also be on the improper facet of this battle, and that Riling is conspiring with evil authorities agent Pindalest (Frank Faylen) to take advantage of the ranchers and purchase Lufton’s herd on a budget.
What Works Nicely: This can be a moody psychological western, enlivened by bursts of motion however specializing in the gradations of gray between proper and improper. Robert Mitchum’s stoic and unflappable persona is ideal for a protagonist bruised by life, establishing an undesirable popularity as a gun for rent, however nonetheless able to being the supply of sunshine within the darkness of competing greed. He’s helped by the budding love of Amy, a hard-as-nails cowgirl astute sufficient to see the person hiding behind cynicism. Either side of the standard cattlemen-versus-ranchers battle are sympathetically portrayed, with exploitive profiteers as the actual antagonists.
What Does Not Work As Nicely: Given the brief operating time, the plot is sort of too wealthy and over-stocked with characters. One actual romance, one duplicitous romance, one grieving father (Walter Brennan), a few hardened gunslingers, one stampede, and a protracted siege are all one way or the other wedged into the drama, leaving solely restricted room for reflection.
Key Quote:
Jim: I have been combined up in numerous issues, Tate, however to date, I’ve by no means been employed for my weapons.
Riling: Are you able to afford to be so explicit?
