Marshall Dan Mitchell, who is the law in Abilene, has the job of keeping peace between two groups. For a long time, the town had been divided, with the cattlemen and cowboys having one end of town to themselves, while townspeople occupied the other end. Mitchell liked it this way, it made things easier for him, and kept problems from arising between the two factions. However…
Randolph Scott
Marshall Dan Mitchell
Ann Dvorak
Rita
Edgar Buchanan
Sheriff Bravo Trimble
Rhonda Fleming
Sherry Balder
Lloyd Bridges
Henry Deiser
Helen Boyce
Big Annie
Howard Freeman
Ed Balder
Richard Hale
Charlie Fair
Jack Lambert
Jet Younger
Dick Curtis
'Cap' Ryker
Earl Schenck
George Hazelhurst
Eddy Waller
Hannaberry
Hank Patterson
Doug Neil
Dick Elliott
Townsman (uncredited)
Director
Edwin L. Marin
Novel
Ernest Haycox
Screenplay
Harold Shumate
July 7, 2022
6
This has all the ingredients of a sure-fire western adventure. Set in the latter part of the 19th century, Randolph Scott is ("Dan Mitchell") the marshall in Abilene who alongside his cohort Edgar Buchanan ("Sheriff Trimble") is trying to contain the restless farmers (led by Lloyd Bridges) and cattle drivers who are constantly at each other's throats whilst the encroaching railroad makes it's presence felt too. It's got loads of gunfights to keep it moving and even the romance (with the delightful Ann Dvorak and Rhonda Fleming) is not too interfering to the pacy, action-driven plot. As ever, for me anyway, the singing just gets on the nerves - though the twee lyrics that rhyme in the cheesiest of fashions always come in useful for a toilet break, or to boil the kettle - but I see little else of value in these instrumental breaks that frequently suck the momentum from the story. There was always something just a little too clean cut about Randolph Scott (a bit like Alan Ladd) for these kinds of parts, but here he is actually quite decent as he does his job and fends off the two women simultaneously, but the acting plaudits go to Buchanan who does most pf the heavy lifting. It's not great, this - but I like the genre, and found it quite watchable for 90 minutes.
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00