Three Gatling guns and scores of Winchester rifles have been stolen from the army arsenal, and Gen. William Sherman is worried someone is dealing them to the Sioux.
So he has Col. George Deering dispatch his best scout — ex-Confederate Kirby Frye (Rod Cameron) — to investigate.
Frye heads to Red Bluff, where he encounters a pretty saloon and store owner named Claire Conville (Audrey Long), a jealous officer who’s courting her (Jim Davis as Lt. Spaulding) and a suspicious freighter named Gavin (James Millican).
Gavin is indeed peddling arms to the Indians, swapping them for a fortune in furs. He smuggles the arms through inspection posts by disguising them as simple trade good. For example, he hides the barrel of the Gatling in a bolt of cloth.
It all works until one of his men (James Arness as Barth) botches the job when he’s supposed to kill Frye. From then on, things begin to unravel quickly for Gavin and his cohorts.
But before they get caught, they’re determined to deliver the last two Gatlings. In the aftermath of Custer’s defeat at the Little Bighorn, no less.
Review:
The ending is pure silliness considering the Indians have just massacred Custer and his men. It’s doubtful the cavalry would be in nearly such a merciful mood.
But before you get there, this is an okay Western, with Cameron rock steady as he hops in the saddle yet once again.
And it’s interesting to see pre-Gunsmoke James Arness in a role as one of the villains.
Audrey Long plays Claire, and her three-headed romance with Lt. Spaulding and Kirby takes a predictable path.
You might remember her as the lass John Wayne falls for in “The Tall Saddle” (1944). That was one of her first credited roles; this marked one of her last. She’d make just one more film, playing the female lead opposite George Montgomery in “Indian Uprising” (1952).
Directed by:
Lesley Selander
Cast:
Rod Cameron … Kirby Frye
Audrey Long … Claire Conville
Jim Davis … Lt. Spaulding
James Millican … Martin Gavin
James Arness … Barth
John Doucette … Varney
William Phillips … Sgt. Wilkins
Stephen Chase … Col. Drumm
Roy Mallinson … Corporal
Eddy Waller … Gen. William Sherman
Frank Wilcox … Matson
Cliff Clark … Col. George Deering
Runtime: 78 min.
Memorable lines:
Barth: “They (the Indians) want those Gatlings and the ammunition. Now.”
Gavin: “They’ll get them. They’ll get them when we’ve got the pelts off every fur-bearing animal between here and the Rocky Mountains. And not before.”
Gavin: “You keep on worrying, you’re going to upset your indigestion.”
Barth, fearing he’s been seen knocking out Frye: “I’m more worried about my neck.”
Trooper after inspecting Gavin’s wagon, complete with bolts of cloth packed with ammunition for the Gatlings: “You sure got a load of cloth this time, Mr. Gavin. And heavy. Those Indians are certainly going to be well dressed.”
Kirby Frye: “The trouble with this country is everything is too darn normal.”
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