Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Powerful

One of my all time favorites.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Martin and Peppard are not my idea of great actors, nor Englishwoman Jean Simmons of the Western female (true, she played opposite Greg Peck in BIG COUNTRY, but in that film she was a sophisticated outsider) but it is an interesting cast all the same, plus Slim Pickens in fine form. The plot has holes, direction, too, and yet something keeps you interested in watching this movie. Martin plays the villain, against type; he commands a troop of convincing heavies; Peppard comes into town, the silent fellow who ends up restoring order. ROUGH NIGHT is pleasant enough, with some quirky touches, like Martin telling Peppard to bury one of his henchmen, the poker game between the two, and a whipping of Peppard that brings to mind Marlon Brando's in ONE-EYED JACKS.

It's a bit unusual seeing Dean Martin play the part of a villain, especially having been a regular viewer of his variety show back in the 1960's. I couldn't help thinking that any minute he would enter the Ace Deuce, hop up on a piano and start belting out 'That's Amore'. There was at least one similarity to Martin's weekly show with the presence of a gorgeous blonde babe hanging around. No, not Jean Simmons, but that saloon girl Claire (Carol Andreson), who if I had to bet, would probably have shown up on one of his shows as well.Actually, Martin handled the role of a heavy pretty well, but I kept wondering if the movie might have been better served with Dino and George Peppard switching roles. The casting of Slim Pickens as Alex Flood's (Martin) top henchman also seemed to go against the grain. I mean, can you picture Andy Devine as a bad guy, or Smiley Burnette, or Chill Wills, or ..., well you get the idea. But at least Pickens took the role and ran with it, nasty bull whip and all.As for Peppard, he becomes the reluctant hero after Flood pushes all the right buttons, and especially when he makes the move on Molly Lang's (Simmons) stagecoach business. Martin's character makes it a point to own fifty one percent of every enterprise in Jericho, but you know, I kept wondering why he allowed the 4 Aces Saloon to operate in town; it didn't seem like Jericho was all that big.Hey, can you beat those medical fees back in the 1800's? For fixing up a gunshot wound in old Ben Hickman (John McIntire) the Doc charges just a dollar! Kind of makes you wonder how much it cost to go to med school. Too bad Hickman didn't make it to the end of the picture, I kind of liked his deliberate, methodical style.Of course the ending is never in question, the fun is in watching how the good guy plan separates Flood's gang of outlaws so they can narrow the odds. The one thing I would have allowed for earlier in the story would be showing Peppard's character and his prowess with a knife. As it is, the way Dolan took out Flood made me sit up and ask, 'where did that come from'?

Off beat casting of Dean Martin as the town tyrant who, among other things wants the stagecoach line that his former lover, Jean Simmons, currently owns. In steps George Peppard, playing a former deputy, who comes to town and eventually gets caught up in things when his better sense tells him that he shouldn't stay. Simmons plays a hand in this. Slim Pickens, who usually played good guys, played one of Matin's henchmen. The film gets rather violent--especially the fight scene between Peppard and Pickens-which begins with Pickens using a whip. Acting was quite good. I liked Don Galloway and John McIntyre in supporting roles. It was a bit of a stretch to believe Martin as a total villain--but he pulled it off quite well

Dean Martin plays the villain for the first time, but doesn't add any dimension to his role. George Peppard steals the movie as a gambler who doesn't want any trouble until situation becomes impossible. Jean Simmons is adorable as usual.The plots are quite routine, the action scenes passable. It's a bit unreasonable that Simmons would let Peppard, a stranger who rides to town on her stagecoach, stay in her house. Although such arrangement is made by the writers, it's a shame that their relationship is not fully developed.Fortunately we see some familiar supporting actors, including Don Galloway (of TV series IRONSIDE), John McIntire (of WAGON TRAIN), and it's interesting to watch comic actor Slim Pickens as mean, sadistic character again after his wonderful performance in ONE-EYED JACKS (1961).