Robert Ryan is Jeff Clanton, a Union officer sent to bring in the last of Quantrill’s raiders. He convinces the Youngers, the James, et. al, to take an oath to the Union in return for pardons, but has to kill a member of a mob determined to hang the former Rebels.
The man whipping the mob into a frenzy is Matthew Foster (Robert Preston), king of the local carpetbaggers, who had hoped to cash in on the rewards offered for the former Rebels. And when he finds out Clanton’s stint in the Union army ended three days earlier, he has him arrested and put on trial for murder, the oaths taken from Quantrill’s men declared void.
Clanton’s about to be hanged when an unlikely friend surfaces — Lily Fowler (Claire Trevor), Matthew Foster’s wife, a woman tired of watching her husband trample everyone in his path to gain fame and riches.
Soon, Clanton reunites with the former raiders and help organize a series of holdups on Fowler’s interests. Lily shows up at the hideout, too, though most of the bandits are unaware of her last name. When the raiders discover her true identity, Clanton’s forced to strike the final blow, with Doc Butcher (Walter Brenna) and Bob Younger (Jack Buetel) as his only allies.
Review:
Director Russell manages to throw the James and Younger names around without making the movie all about them. And he keeps the action coming fast and furious.
Some of his characters, however, show remarkable power of recovery. Lilly in particular is so badly wounded at one point that she can’t ride a horse. And next day, she’s on her feet as though nothing happened.
Walter Brennan has fun in his role as a man who collects bridles and doens’t mind if there’s a horse attached. Jack Buetel plays a young man with one crippled arm, a desperate crush on Lilly and his own reason for getting even with her husband. This marked his first film in nearly 10 years after making his screen debut in “The Outlaw.”
Directed by:
William D. Russell
Cast:
Robert Ryan … Jeff Clanton
Claire Trevor … Lily Fowler
Jack Buetel … Bob Younger
Robert Preston … Matthew Fowler
Walter Brennan … Doc Butcher
Bruce Cabot … Cole Younger
Robert J. Wilke … Jim Younger
John Cliff … John Younger
John Archer … Curly Ringo
Lawrence Tierney … Jesse James
Tom Tyler … Frank James
Barton MacLane … Joad
Lee MacGregor … Lieutenant
Emmett Lynn … Oscar
Carleton Young … Wilson
Runtime: 84 min.
Memorable lines:
Doc Butcher to Quantrill’s upset men: “Step back a bit, and reflect on the joys of living.”
Doc Butcher on Clanton’s offer of pardons: “I’d rather be a sensible, live quitter than a stubborn, dead hero.”
Jeff Clanton: “My troopers are under orders to open fire 10 minutes after I headed up here. I haven’t looked at my watch lately, but time ain’t running backwards.”
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