Return to Warbow (1958)

Philip Carey is Clay Hollister. He escapes from prison with two accomplices — Red and Johnny — and the promise of a $30,000 payoff if he can make it back to Warbow.

Eleven years earlier, he and his brother Frank (James Griffith) robbed a stage. Clay got caught, but Frank got the loot.

Clay’s sure he hid it for safe keeping. Now he’s offered to split his share with his two fellow escapees.

But Hollister knows he can’t ride back into Warbow. That’s where an old lover named Kathleen Fallam (Catherine McLeod) comes in.

He plans to stop by her ranch, then send her husband Murray to fetch his brother.

Once they reach the ranch, Mr. Fallam is nowhere to be found, and no one seems eager to tell the truth about his whereabouts.

When Red and Johnny start working over Kathleen’s son, David, for information, the truth comes out: The boy is really Clay’s son.

Mr. Fallam is aware of that; the son is not. And the Fallams are determined to keep it that way, even if it means helping Clay.

As for Frank Hollister? Now a drunken barfly, he’s no more eager for a reunion with Clay than anyone else in Warbow.

Philip Carey as Clay Hollister, the man who breaks out of prison after 11 years and returns to Warbow to find his brother and the loot they stole in Return to Warbow (1958)

James Griffith as Frank Hollister, Clay’s drunken brother, hardly looking forward to a reunion with his sibling in Return to Warbow (1958)

Review:

Not the worst of Nazarro’s quickie Western, though the ending cascades into silliness. Just watch Clay Hollister wade through the debris from a cave-in, pushing beams and boulders aside as though they were made of paper mache.

Jay Silverheels has a minor part as Indian Joe, a blind helper for the Fallam family. He was blinded during the aforementioned stage holdup. In another silly scene, he recognizes Clay by his voice … from 11 years before.

Andrew Duggan plays the husband determined to protect his wife and son. William Leslie and Robert Wilke have the roles as Clay’s less-than-trustworthy partners. They’re discussing plans to rid themselves of him no sooner than they’ve broken jail.

Andrew Duggan as Murray Fallam, the man who married Clay Hollister’s former flame and raised the outlaw’s son as his own in Return to Warbow (1958)

Christopher Olsen as David Fallum rushes to his mom (Catherine McLeod as Kathleen) under the threats of Clay Hollister and his co-hoodlums in Return to Warbow (1958)

Directed by:
Ray Nazarro

Cast:
Philip Carey … Clay Hollister
Catherine McLeod … Kathleeen Fallam
Andrew Duggan … Murray Fallam
Christopher Olsen … David Fallam
William Leslie … Johnny
Robert Wilke … Red
James Griffith … Frank Hollister
Jay Silverheels … Indian Joe
Francis De Sales … Sheriff
Harry Lauter … Deputy Tom
Paul Picerni … Deputy

Runtime: 67 min.

Jay Silverheels as Indian Joe, left blind by a bullet from one of Clay Hollister’s men in Return to Warbow (1958)

William Leslie as Johnny, Robert WIlke as Red and Philip Carey as Clay Hollister stumble upon the possibility of fresh clothes and fresh horses in Return to Warbow (1958)

Memorable lines:

Johnny, after the escapees have lost their horses and waded through a creek to get away: “That’s the longest bath I ever took. My feet ain’t got no bottoms left.”
Clay Hollister: “We’ll be riding something soon.”
Johnny: “That jackrabbit you promised?”
Clay: “This is cattle country. We’re bound to hit a herd.”
Johnny: “Yeah, I’m just itchin’ to ride a cow.”

Red, about the stolen loot: “Where is it?”
Frank Hollister: “In the Tunson mine. The old Tunson mine. I took it there after the holdup.”
Clay: “That old death trap?”
Frank: “Well, it’s safe there. Since the mine caved in, everybody’s afraid to go in there.”
Red: “But you’ll go in, won’t you Frank?”
Frank: “Well, I’d be … we’d all be fools. There’s been new cave-ins. Money’s probably buried by now.”

Townsman, when Frank is wounded: “Frank’s so full of whiskey, the Doc won’t even need any disinfectant.”

Frank, once they reach the mine: “We shouldn’t go in there. Even our voices could start another cave-in.”

Philip Carey as Clay Hollister, wondering if he’s getting the truth from former flame Kathleen Fallum (Catherine McLeod) in Return to Warbow (1958)

Francis De Sales (right) as the sheriff and Harry Lauter as Tom, one of his deputies, trying to recapture Clay Hollister and his gang in Return to Warbow (1958)

Paul Picerni as a deputy, taking a shot at one of Clay Hollister’s men as they ride off from town in Return to Warbow (1958)

Philip Carey as Clay Hollister, James Griffith as Frank Hollister, William Leslie as Johny and Robert Wilke as Red reach the mine where $30,000 is supposedly hidden in Return to Warbow (1958)