Have never viewed this film and never realized that John Wayne would ever play a role like this character he did in this Western! John Wayne,(Robert Marmaduke Sangster Hightower),"Brannigan,",'75, got himself in trouble with the law and managed to find himself adopting a BABY much to his disliking. Marmaduke also had to travel in the desert and gave the baby his last drop of water from his canteen and was able to find a donkey to help him arrive back in town. Ward Bond(Perley,'Buck'Sweet)," caught up with Marmaduke and was determined to put him in jail for 20 years. Guy Kibbee,(Judge),"Fort Apache",'48, made this film his final Swan Song, who was a great character actor. This is definitely a John Wayne Christmas FILM !