Howard Duff is Jess Collins, a down-on-his-luck miner who just happens along when Sonny Grover (Ed Kemmer) is being beaten by two men.
He intervenes and saves Grover from near-certain death. Grover tells about how his attackers where trying to jump his claim.
The two men become quick friends and, soon, Grover is offering Collins a meal and a grub stake.
But when Collins gets to the town of Colton to claim that grub stake — from saloon and hotel owner Bert Gaines (Dick Foran) — he learns few share their affection for the young man he saved.
Oh, Gaines vouches for Sonny. After all, Gaines is his older half-brother and helped raise the young man.
But Gaines’ wife has nothing good to say about Sonny. The sheriff and Lem Gotch (Barton MacLane) raise questions about who was jumping whose claims.
Even Meg Anderson (Gloria McGehee), the woman who hoped to marry Sonny, is quickly tiring of waiting for the day he’s ready to settle down.
Then Sonny commits an act that makes it clear to everyone — well, everyone but his half-brother: He’s on the wrong side of the law.
Review:
A mediocre Western that fails to capitalize on its rather unique premise and was clearly compromised by a shoestring budget. Just check out the street scenes. And the shortage of extras.
It’d all be more believable if the script didn’t foist Jess Collins and Meg Anderson into a romantic relationship.
Let’s see, she’s just spent years waiting for one no-account to settle down. Now she’s swept off her feet by a penniless drifter?
And Collins is grateful for the free roof over his head and the grubstake that Sonny makes possible. But not so grateful that he won’t move in on Sonny’s girl the first chance he gets. Hmm.
Neither of the female leads will be household names to Western fans, though McVeagh enjoyed a long TV career.
Directed by:
Lee Sholem
Cast:
Howard Duff … Jess Collins
Dick Foran … Bert Gaines
Eve McVeagh … Ruth Gaines
Gloria McGehee … Meg Anderson
Barton MacLane … Lem Gotch
John Hoyt … Sheriff
George E. Stone … Dan
Ed Kemmer … Sonny Grover
Robert Foulk … Tom Simmons
Henry Kulky … Bartender Matt
Byron Foulger … Claim Clerk Kelso
Runtime: 74 min.
Memorable lines:
Jess Collins: “I’ve never been in a town where I made such a bad first impression.”
Jess Collins: “I sure appreciate your hospitality, Mrs. Gaines.”
Ruth Gaines: “It’s not mine, it’s my husband’s. You wouldn’t stay here a minute if I had my way.”
Jesse Collins: “I’m the nervous type, sheriff. When someone shoots at me, I shoot right back.”
Stage driver:, as he hands over the Wells Fargo cash box after the shotgun guard has been killed “You’ll never live to spend this.”
Sonny Grover: “Shut up. Or you’ll never live to bury him.”
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