Jimmy Lydon and Rayford Barnes play friends Tom Cameron and Ray Novak, Texans forced to buckle under as carpetbaggers control the state. Tired of being beaten for the smallest offense by a sheriff known as Captain Thornton (Nestor Paiva), they turn the tables on him and find themselves on the run as a result.
Their journey crosses paths with Sam Garrett (Wayne Morris), an infamous gunman with a $10,000 price tag on his head. Ray wants to turn Garrett in for the reward; Tom will have no part of it, so they part ways.
A grateful Garrett takes Tom under his wing, though the youngster soon proves a capable hand with the gun himself. On one return trip home, Tom discovers his father has been killed, pistol whipped to death by Thornton. He heads to town to even the score, but can’t because Thornton won’t pull his gun.
But as soon as Tom and Garrett ride off, Ray grabs a gun and shoots the captain and a trooper; then runs to the sheriff to pin the blame on Tom. That way he gets his own measure of revenge and also gets Tom’s girl (Beverly Garland as Lauren Bannerman).
Review:
The ending is a real groaner and the path there isn’t anything very special. One problem is the character played by Wayne Morris — Sam Garrett, a vicious killer who has supposedly gunned down 20 men. Even with a partial beard, Morris’ Garrett seems miles from vicious.
For trivia buffs, Lee Van Cleef plays two roles — that of twins Paul and Buck Crayton — both of whom are gunned down by young Tom Cameron. By the way, Jimmy Lyndon, who plays that part, went on to become a TV producer and one of the creators of “M.A.S.H.”
Just four years later, this film was remade as “Cole Younger, Gunfighter.”
Directed by:
Thomas Carr
Cast:
Wayne Morris … Sam Garrett
Jimmy Lydon … Tom Cameron
Beverly Garland … Laurie Bannerman
Rayford Barnes … Ray Novak
Dabbs Greer … Marshal Langley
Lee Van Cleef … The Crayton twins
Nestor Paiva … Captain Thornton
Roy Barcroft … Martin Novack
Florence Lake … Mrs. Cameron
Runtime: 81 min. B&W
Memorable lines:
Ray: “Didn’t you hear what I said. He’s Sam Garrett. He’s killed 20 men. He’ll kill that many more if someone doesn’t stop him. Stopping a man like that isn’t just a job for the law. It’s a job for every man who wants to live in peace. For every man who wants law and order to come back to Texas.”
Tom: “For every man who wants to save his hide and collect $10,000 bounty. Stop making righteous speeches, Ray.”
Sam Garrett to Tom: “Only a fool sticks his neck out for somebody else. Don’t get in the habit of it.”
Sam Garrett, of Ray Novak: “I should have killed him. A man like me has no business with silly scruples.”
Sam Garrett to Tom: “Some folks will tell you a good shot only needs one gun. That’s a lot of foolishness. Two of anything is better than one.”
Buck Crayton: “Run into anybody back along the trail?”
Tom Cameron: “There are a lot of trails leading a lot of places. And a lots of strangers riding ’em who would like to keep on being strangers.”
){kind=link}