the audience applauded

Excellent but underrated film

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I've seen this movie rated as 1 1/2 stars on the 5-scale in some places but it's much, much better than that. True, it's a low budget film, but it doesn't take a big budget to come up with a good script and people who know how to play their roles with conviction. This movie has one of the best fistfight scenes I've seen in a long time, with the big mirror behind the bar as the first casualty - followed by chairs, the front window of the saloon, and a lot of wear and tear on Brock Mitchell and Miley Sutton (played by John Derek and John Smith respectively) who end up being dragged down the street beneath a wagon. This is a movie with good guys you like and bad guys you like to hate. It may be a low budget film, but I've seen some with much bigger budgets that I didn't like anywhere near as much. This one is well worth your time - get out the popcorn and enjoy a good Western.

An excellent director (Gerd Oswald, who also directed A Kiss Before Dying), excellent cinematographer Joseph LaShelle (River of No Return and Marty among many others) and great performances by John Derek and Nick Adams make this an outstanding western. Derek is Brock Mitchell a rancher who was just released from jail, where he was because he killed a man in self defense. Nick Adams is Tracy, his brother. The fact is that the man Brock killed is the brother of an important man in town who will do everything he can against him. One way out would be for Brock to go away to a distant place, but there are certain reasons for him to stay, like paying the loan Tracy took to develop the ranch, which will not be difficult considering the railroad is going to pass there. It will be just a question of getting a letter from the railroad confirming the deal, but time is running against them. Another reason is that Brock loves Ginny, whose father is against him because he thinks he killed because of jealousy. One more reason is that Brock needs the sense of belonging, that he feels in his home town. There is a heavy ambiance, increased by the black and white cinematography.

Excellent collaboration between Oscar-winning cinematographer Joseph LaShelle and competent director Gerd Oswald tip the scales on the plus side for this B+ western. The big old Columbia western town set never looked more authentic. Dig the dogs harassing the stagecoach horses. The tracking shots and camera set-ups are all A picture quality. Note the use of the extras. Not the usual aimless wandering, but natural and with attitude. We often see the action from their point of view. Good stuff. The story needs it because their ostracizing of the young hero strains credulity. John Derek is a misunderstood hothead who wants to cool off but they won't let him. Very 50s. He and Nick Adams are very good and quite believable as brothers. The action (aka violence) is unpredictable, well-staged and bloody. The good musical score, played mainly by a lonesome harmonica and guitar, is by another Oscar winner, Harry Sukman. Was the last shot a happy accident or planned? It works.

This western has a very small budget.But the story and the actors are as powerful and motivated as it were a blockbuster.John Derek delivers a convincing portrait of a young man full of goodwill and also full of wrath. He is perfect for the leading part. His supporting cast - although not so well known - is a good one. Especially Nick Adams and the actor who plays the sheriff.Gerd Oswald directed a couple of movies with stories of high morality. This one is his best.The story is about a man who was in prison for manslaughter. He tries to come back to society and to his profession as a farmer but there is a man who wants revenge for the death of his brother...Village people are not very happy too...