Like most westerns between 1945 and 1985, the hero begins as an outlaw. I always called this Saul/Paul syndrome. Americans love a bad guy gone good better than anything. That said, this formula western had a creative twist a lot of people who enjoyed the movie never noticed. It may be the only Western ever where the lead character chickened out of fistfights and still held his dignity. In this movie, Audie Murphy plays a man who has virtually one skill-gunmanship. He is not a champion boxer, fighter, cowhand; he can do one thing good, and he is thinking about his future. In fact, his character is much like what the later anti hero of the seventies strived to be. That said, this is a very action packed interesting movie, with bad guys, wise guys, and good direction.
