Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Audie Murphy is Clay O’Mara, a railroad engineer who leaves Colorado and heads to the town of Santiago after learning his father and brother have been killed.

He goes to the local sheriff, hoping for a deputy’s badge to help his solve the mystery surrounding their deaths.

The sheriff gives him a badge, at the urging of a local attorney named Meredith, and sets him on the trail of Whitey Kincaid (Dan Duryea), a dangerous outlaw.

What O’Mara doesn’t know is that the sheriff and lawyer were behind the slayings and rustled his father’s cattle. They’ve sent him out to bring in Kincaid figuring he’ll be killed trying to accomplish the mission.

But things don’t work out quite like they planned.

In fact, O’Mara and Kincaid become friends of sorts. And diverting O’Mara from the mission of finding the real killers isn’t an easy chore.

Susan Cabot plays Laurie Kenyon, the woman who falls for Murphy. To complicate matters, she’s the niece of the sheriff, the man who keeps sending Clay on supposed suicide missions. And the former fiancee of Meredith.

Audie Murphy as Clay O’Mara, determined to find those responsible for the deaths of his father and brother in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Dan Duryea as Whitey Kincaid, an outlaw with a sense of humor who befriends O’Mara in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Review:

One of the more entertaining Audie Murphy vehicles. Outlaw Whitey Kincaid keeps hinting at the truth about the sheriff of Santiago. Murphy’s Clay O’Mara keeps thinking he’s joking.

As usual, Duryea provides a nice touch as the slightly maniacal outlaw, torn between watching Murphy wriggle out of tough spots and lending a hand.

Russell Johnson of future Gilligan’s Island fame plays Jed Ringer, an often drunk henchman who does dirty work for Sheriff Kenyon and Meredith. Abbe Lane plays his barroom singer girlfriend, who was once romantically involved with Whitey.

After several twists and turns, Clay realizes Whitey has been serious about the sheriff being crooked, leading to a well-down final showdown.

Paul Birch as Kenyon, the crooked sheriff who underestimates O’Mara’s knack for survival in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

William Pullen as Tom Meredith, Clay’s attorney and the man engaged to Laurie in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Directed by:
Jesse Hibbs

Cast:
Audie Murphy … Clay O’Mara
Susan Cabot … Laurie Kenyon
Dan Duryea … Whitey Kincaid
Abbe Lane … Kate
Russell Johnson … Jed Ringer
Paul Birch … Sheriff Kenyon
William Pullen … Tom Meredith
Jack Elam … Tim Lowerie
Denver Pyle … Rev. Moorehead
Hamilton Camp … Andrew O’Mara
Tim Graham … Patrick O’Mara

Runtime: 81 min.

Susan Cabot as Laurie Kenyon, about to give a lesson in how to court someone else’s girl in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Abbe Lane as Kate, a dance hall singer who was once Whitey Kincaid’s girl in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Memorable lines:

Tim Lowerie: “Strangers don’t ask questions in Diablo. They just answer them.”

Whitey Kincaid: “Kenyon’s gonna be the most surprised man in the county if you bring me in.”
Clay O’Mara: “When I bring you in.”
Whitey: “Well, you got a right to your own opinion.”

Clay O’Mara: “Here’s your gun.”
Whitey Kincaid: “It’s loaded.”
Clay: “Wouldn’t do you much good empty.”
Whitey: “Listen, kid, you’re talkin’ to Whitey Kincaid. Nobody hands me loaded guns. I shoot people in the back … How did you ever manage to live this long?”

Audie Murphy as Clay O’Mara chats with a jailed Whitney Kincaid (Dan Duryea) in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Susan Cabot as Laurie Kenyon chides her uncle and fiance (William Pullen as Tom Meredith) in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Russell Johnson as Jed Ringer, the man hired to get rid of Clay O’Mara in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Audie Murphy as Clay O’Mara, bringing in an outlaw no one thought he could in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Abbe Lane as Kate with beau Jed Ringer (Russell Johnson), wishing the worst for Whitey Kincaid in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Jack Elam as Tim Lowerie, being questioned about a missing white stallion in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Susan Cabot as Laurie Kenyon cares for a wounded Clay O’Mara (Audie Murphy) in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)

Dan Duryea as Whitey Kincaid and Audie Murphy as Clay O’Mara, pinned down on the ride back to town in Ride Clear of Diablo (1954)