William Conrad is Chris Hamish, a deputy traveling south of the border to bring back a man named Bob Kallen (Anthony Quinn) to stand trial in Scottsville, Texas, for shooting and killing two men.

He discovers Kallen is well-liked in the south-of-the-border town he calls home. He’s also shacked up with the priest’s pretty sister Elana (Lita Milan).

She proves to be Hamish’s first obstacle, because she trails them on their “ride back” and attempts to set Kallen free.

Other obstacles will crop up, too, including a band of liquored-up Apaches and a young girl who’s the lone survivor after her parents and twin sister have been killed by those very same Apaches.

And then there’s Kallen himself. He professes his innocence, saying he killed the two men when they came gunning for him after losing a card game.

But he’s not eager to risk a trial in a town where he’s a stranger.

So he’ll take advantage of any little mistake Hamish makes in order to escape.

William Conrad as Chris Hamish, having cornered his prey in The Ride Back (1957)

Anthony Quinn as Bob Kallen, threatening Hamish with his knife skills in The Ride Back (1957)

Review:

A slow-moving character study of the two men as the deputy sheriff begins to suspect Kallen might really be innocent and Kallen slowly grows to admire Hamish’s resolve to accomplish his mission.

Hamish explains that resolve. He considers himself a failure. He doesn’t have friends like Kallen. He doesn’t have a woman who loves him like Kallen.

Even the young girl they rescue takes a liking to Kallen rather than him. This ride back is one thing he’s determined not to fail at.

And, yes, that is the actor Eddy Albert of “Green Acres” fame singing the title tune.

Lita Milan as Elena, the young girl who’s taken up with Kallen against her relatives’ wishes in The Ride Back (1957)

Victor Milan as Father Ignatius, who helps lawman Hamish find outlaw Kallen in The Ride Back (1957)

Directed By:
Allen H. Miner

Cast:
Anthony Quinn … Bob Kallen
William Conrad … Chris Hamish
Lita Milan … Elena
Victor Millan … Father Ignatius
Jorge Trevino … Border Guard
Ellen Hope … Little Girl
Joe Dominguez … Luis
Louis Towers … Boy

Runtime: 79 min.

Title tune: “The Ride Back”
sung by Eddie Albert

Jorge Trevino as the border guard who gives Hamish permission to track Kallen in The Ride Back (1957)

Ellen Hope as the frightened orpahn Kallen and Hamish find after an Apache raid in The Ride Back (1957)

Memorable lines:

Kallen: “They don’t want me to go. If I said the word, they’d kill you.”
Hamish: “Are you going to say the word?”
Kallen: “I can do my own kiling.”

Kallen: “You afraid of Indians, Hamish?”
Hamish: “I’m respectful of any man who’s got enough liquor in his to make him kill. Seems to me I’ve heard something like that about you, Kallen.”