The Lonesome Trail (1955)

John Agar is Johnny Rush, a man who returns home from fighting Apache to find his home burned to the ground.

Seems businessman Harold Brecker Jr. (Earle Lyon) has laid claim to the entire area, including the property rightfully owned by Johnny and his neighbors.

Worse yet, one of those neighbors, Dan Wells (Edgar Buchanan) has struck a deal that will allow his family to remain on their homestead.

That deal: His pretty young daughter Pat (Margia Dean) — Johnny’s sweetheart — will marry Brecker.

Johnny heads to the town of Tyrone to confront Brecker, makes little progress, then is bushwacked on his way back home.

Left for dead, he’s nursed back to health by Crazy Charley Bonesteel, an old-timer who’s also been forced off his land, and an Apache named Gonaga.

Johnny, after all, is a half-breed. And with his gun arm damaged by a bullet wound, he learns to use the bow and arrow during his recovery.

Crazy Charley tells him the bow is to be used only to kill game.

Johnny Rush has other ideas.

John Agar, returning home from an Indian war to find him home burn and his girl promised to another man in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

Margia Dean as Pat Wells, in love with Johnny Rush but promised to another man in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

Review:

A routine, low-budget 1950s Western, unique only because of the weapon Johnny uses to get his revenge.

Oddly, Wayne Morris is the top-billed actor, though he plays a bartender who isn’t at all central to the plot.

Director Richard Bartlett doubles as the Brecker henchman who ambushes Johnny.

He also directed “Two-Gun Lady” (1955), “The Silver Star” (1955) and a trio of more impressive Jock Mahoney vehicles, “Joe Dakota” (1957), “Slim Carter” (1957) and “Money, Women and Guns” (1958).

He also co-wrote the script for this one with Ian McDonald and Gordon D. Shirreffs.

Earle Lyon as Harold Brecker Jr., confronting Dan Wells about Johnny Rush’s whereabouts in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

Richard Bartlett as Larry Baker, one of Harold Brecker’s henchmen in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

Directed by:
Richard Bartlett

Cast:
Wayne Morris … Dandy Dayton
John Agar … Johnny Rush
Margia Dean … Pat Wells
Edgar Buchanan … Dan Wells
Adele Jergens … Mae
Douglas Fowley … Crazy Charley Bonesteel
Earle Lyon … Harold Brecker Jr.
Ian MacDonald … Gonaga
Richard Bartlett … Larry Baker
Diane DeLaire … Mrs. Wells

Runtime: 73 min.

Douglas Fowley as Crazy Charlie Bonesteel, the man who nurses Johnny Rush back to health in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

Ian MacDonald as Gonaga, the Apache who finds Johnny Rush wounded and gets him help in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

Memorable lines:

Johnny Rush, upon learning that Dan Wells has worked out a deal with Hal Brecker that will allow him to stay on his hand: “I guess that leaves me all by myself.”
Dan Wells: “It’s a lonesome trail, son. What do you expect to do alone?”

Pat Wells, of her impending marriage to Hal Brecker: “It’s the only weapon we have.”

Johnny Rush: “Two alone are not lonely.”

Crazy Charlie: “Johnny, remember what I said about the bow. It’s for animals.”
Johnny Rush, snarling: “Yeah. For animals.”

Wayne Morris as bartender Dandy Dayton, overhearing talk that might be trouble for Johnny Rush in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

Edgar Buchanan as Dan Wells, one of the homesteaders threatened with eviction in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

Adele Jergens as Mae, showing a flash of jealousy when she learns her lover plans to marry another woman in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

Helen Jay as Julie, watching a confrontation between her man, Larry Baker, and Johnny Rush in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

John Agar as Johnny Rush, confronting Harold Brecker Jr. (Earle Lyon) about his land-grabbing ways while Danny Dayton (Wayne Morris) looks on in The Lonesome Trail (1955)

John Agar as Johnny Rush, learning to use a bow and arrow after his gun arm is damaged in The Lonesome Trail (1955)