Howard Duff playsTom Ketchum, a former fast gun who wants to settle down on a ranch and live a quiet life in Horshoe Valley.
But he won’t marry lady love Nita Riordan (Margaret Field) because he’s afraid his past will catchup with him.
One day at the Ox Horn Relay Station, he gunned down a man who was harassing a friend, then tried to shoot Tom in the back. That man happened to be Burl Tetlow, and his three brothers run one of the biggest ranching operations around.
Sure enough, Jared Tetlow shows up in Horsehoe Valley, looking for land to graze his cattle on. And if he needs to buy his way onto the range by taking over some of the homesteads — well, he’s willing to do that.
He’s also willing to use force if no one wants to sell, and that seems to be the case in Horseshoe Valley. One homesteader is gunned down when he rejects the Tetlow offer; then Jared has his men start a stampede during which Nita’s father is trampled to death.
But one man stands in the way of Tetlow getting his way. That man is Tom “Blackjack” Ketchum. And not even Tetlow’s supposedly feared fast gun, Dee Havalik, can run him off.
Review:
Not bad, but not a particularly memorable Western starring Duff, one of about a half dozen he had a lead role in between 1949 and 1959 before moving on to appear on a number of TV sereis.
He’s the dressed-all-in-black title character, though that title is a bit misleading. He’s not really a desperado. In fact, when Havalik and six men head off into the hills to hunt down Ketchum, he sends them back to town with their tails between their legs without killing anyone.
Victor Jory plays the villain, yet again. This time his villain doesn’t mind ordering others to kill, but shies away when it comes to putting his life on the line. Robert Rorke plays Ben Tetlow, the more gentle brother whose actions lead to what seems like an overly happy ending.
Bob Early, Mac Gilla and Doc Blaine are leading citizens who rally around Blackjack when everyone else is fearful of doing so. Angela Stevens has a small role as a stage passenger who saw Ketchum shoot down Burl Tetlow and later accidentally reveals that fact to Jared Tetlow, setting much of the upcoming trouble in motion.
Directed by:
Earl Bellamy
Cast:
Howard Duff … Tom “Blackjack” Ketchum
Margaret Field … Nita Riordan
Victor Jory … Jared Tetlow
George Mather … Andy Tetlow
Robert Rorke … Ben Tetlow
William Tannen … Dee Havalik
Angela Stevens … Laurie Webster
Martin Garralaga … Jaime Brigo
Don C. Harvey … Mac Gill
Jack Littlefield … Burl Tetlow
David Orrick … Bob Early
Ken Christy … Sheriff Mach
Pat O’Malley … Doc Blaine
Sydney Mason … Matt Riordan
Runtime: 76 min.
Memorable lines:
Stage driver: “Here you are, folks — Ox Horn relay station. Eat, drink and be sorry.”
Blackjack: “You can find law and order in a town. It’s a little harder in the people.”
Blackjack: “A woman ties onto a man for life. She shouldn’t have to feel every time the sun comes up she might be a widow.”
Nita: “All right. You couldn’t put it any plainer.”
Blackjack: “Give it time, Nita, for the sake of both of us.”
Nita: “All right, Tom. As long as you don’t put your brand on some other hide.”
Jared Tetlow to son Ben: “It’s time you got over mom’s notions and learned how men get things done.”
Carson: “You’re too big for your britches.”
Dee Havalik: “Speaking of britches, yours are falling down.”
When Carson reaches for his belt, Dee shoots him dead.
Havalik: “You all seen him. Seen him reach.”
Bob Early: “The only time there’s law and order is when there’s more of it than anything else. This time, there was more of Jared Tetlow.”
){kind=link}