Panhandle (1948)

Rod Cameron is John Sands, a south-of-the-border saddle maker forced to deal with a fiesty, rifle-wielding female customer who thinks she’s been shortchanged.

After he’s able to straighten out the mixup, the customer (Cathy Downs as “Dusty” Stewart) delivers devastating news: Three men have been murdered recently in the town of Sentinel.

Among them: A newspaperman named Billy Sands, John’s brother.

John’s wanted by the law in some areas because of past gunplay. He’d set aside his six-shooter. But he straps it back on now, determined to find those responsible for his brother’s death.

In Sentinel, he finds a town boss named Matt Garson (Reed Hadley), who rules with an iron fist and the help of paid gunfighters, including a young hothead named Floyd Schofield (Blake Edwards).

He also meets Garson’s pretty secretary June O’Carroll (Anne Gwynne), who’d give him reason to want to hang around Sentinel even if he wasn’t there on his mission of vengeance.

Rod Cameron as John Sands, stunned by news of his brother’s death in Panhandle (1948)

Reed Hadley as Matt Garson, talking about the trouble John Sands could cause in Sentinel in Panhandle (1948)

Review:

A well-done Cameron film featuring a wild fistfight that spills into the street and a romance between John Sanda and June O’Carroll that’s more playful than normal.

Oh, there’s some nonsense about a concho missing from Garson’s gunbelt that Sands uses to provoke a final showdown. But by the time that happens, you’re invested in the film’s outcome.

The movie also marked one of Blake Edwards’ final screen roles before turning to directing and eventually gaining fame for his Pink Panther films.

He’s quite convincing here as the snarling fast gun wannabe, who sees a gunfight with the famous John Sands as a quick route to a bad reputation.

As for the film’s pretty ladies, Cathy Downs got top billing as the former fiance of Sands’ brother. But it’s Anne Gwynne who steals the show.

Anne Gwynne as June O’Carroll, meeting John Sands for the first time in Panhandle (1948)

Cathy Down as Jean ‘Dusty’ Stewart, thinking she’s been shortchanged in a purchase of saddles in Panhandle (1948)

Directed by:
Lesley Selander

Cast:
Rod Cameron … John Sands
Cathy Downs … Jean “Dusty” Stewart
Reed Hadley … Matt Garson
Anne Gwynne … June O’Carroll
Blake Edwards … Floyd Schofield
Dick Crockett … Elliott Crockett
Rory Mallinson … Sheriff Jim
Charles Judels … Botticelli, the barber
Alex Gerry … Raven McBride
Francis McDonald … Crump
J. Farrell MacDonald … Doc Cooper
Henry Hall … Wells
Stanley Andrews … Tyler
Jeff York … Jack
James Harrison … Harland
Charles La Torre … Juan
Frank Dae … Regan
Billy Wayne … Gambler

Runtime: 85 min.

Blake Edwards as Floyd Schofield, Matt Garson’s young hired gun, eager to test himself against John Sands in Panhandle (1948)

Francis McDonald as Crump and Dick Crockett as Eddie Crockett, town leaders encouraging John Sands to stand up to Matt Garson on their behalf in Panhandle (1948)

Memorable lines:

Jean “Dusty” Stewart: “Do you have to walk so far, you long-legged galoot?”

Doc Cooper, warning about vengeance as John Sands straps on his six-gun: “In the end, that gun will kill you.”
John Sands, hanging up his gunbelt and grabbing another: “No it won’t. I’ll use Billy’s.”

Gambler, glancing at John Sands as he leaves the poker table: “If you feel like joining in, don’t take this chair. It’s been unlucky all day.”

Young gun: “Killing you, Sands, is something that’s just waitin’ to be done.”

Garson henchman: “Guess we’ll need a new deck?”
Poker player: “Why?”
Garson henchman, fanning out a dead man’s poker hand, a bullet hole in each card: “Garson shot him right through a full house.”

Matt Garson to John Sands: “See that cloud? It’s headed this way. When it hits, I don’t want you around to get wet.”

John Sands, marching toward a showdown: “You’re taking up an awful lot of street, Floyd.”
Floyd, Matt Garson’s fast gun: “I plan on giving you six feet of it.”

Rod Cameron as John Sands, warned to get out of town before a storm strikes by Matt Garson (Reed Haley) in Panhandle (1948)

Rory Mallinson as Sheriff Jim, who tries to arrest Sands and winds up with a sort gun hand in Panhandle (1948)

Anne Gwynne as June O’Carroll, considering a split with Matt Garson (Reed Hadley) in Panhandle (1948)

Rod Cameron as John Sands, being shown the valley his brother loved so much by ‘Dusty’ Stewart in Panhandle (1948)