Showdown at Abilene (1956) - Once Upon a Time in a Western

Jock Mahoney is Jim Trask, an ex-Confederate officer who returns from war feeling guilty and gun shy. And as though he owes a huge debt to an old friend named Dave Mosely (Lyle Bettger).

When they were young, Trask caused an accident that cost Mosely his right hand. During the Civil War, with his men pinned down in a seemingly hopeless situation, Trask shot and killed Mosely’s brother, mistaking him for a Union soldier.

Bearing those psychological scars, Trask rides back into post-war Abilene, a town divided into two camps. There’s the cattlemen, led by Mosely, hungry for land to graze their herds. And there are the ranchers, fed up with the cattlemen’s strong-armed antics.

Out of a sense of debt, Trask takes the job of sheriff at Mosely’s request. He even looks the other way when he learns Mosely is about to marry his former sweetheart (Martha Hyer as Peggy Bigalow).

But when Mosely’s ranch hands whip a young farmer nearly to death … well, Trask can only avoid gun play for so long.

Jock Mahoney as Jim Trask, returning to post-Civil War Abilene to find lots of changes in Showdown at Abilene (1956)

Lyle Bettger as Dave Mosely, building a cattle empire at the expense of farmers in Showdown at Abilene (1956)

Review:

Better than average Western with a solid performance by Mahoney. Bettger wears a black stump where his missing hand should be and pretends to be helpless around guns, though he’s been secretly practicing with his left hand for the day he might need one. Ted de Corsia plays his vicious foreman, convinced fear is the only way to keep the farmers in line.

The film features an early performance by David Janssen in the role of Deputy Vern Ward. He would go on to star in the TV series “The Fugitive” and “Harry O” before dying of a heart attack at age 48.

Martha Hyer as Peggy Bigalow, discovering the man she loves didn’t really die in the Civl War in Showdown at Abilene (1956)

Ted de Corsia as Dan Claudias, right hand man for Dave Mosely in Showdown at Abilene (1956)

Directed by:
Charles F. Haas

Cast:
Jock Mahoney … Jim Trask
Lyle Bettger … Dave Mosely
Martha Hyer … Peggy Bigalow
Ted de Corsia … Dan Claudias
David Janssen … Deputy Vern Ward
Grant Williams … Chip Tomlin
Harry Harvey … Ross Bigelow
Dayton Lummis … Jack Bedford
Richard H. Cutting … Nelson
Robert Anderson … Sprague
John Maxwell … Frank Scovie
Lane Bradford … Loop

Runtime: 80 min.

Grant Williams as Chip Tomlin, a farmer whipped by Dan Claudias and his men in Showdown at Abilene (1956)

Jock Mahoney as Jim Trask with his deputy Vern Ward (David Janssen) in Showdown at Abilene (1956)

Memorable lines:

Frank Scovie, after Jim rides into Abilene: “Man, you’re supposed to be dead.
Jim Trask: “I don’t kill so easy.”

Farmer to Jim Trask, shortly after his return to Abilene: “I don’t know what you figure on doing, Jim. But if you stay, you can’t fan yourself on the sideline. You’re gonna have to pick a side.”

Chip Tomlin, after being whipped: “Funny, man has to fight to live in peace.”