Confederate special ops are sent to the Gold Country in Nevada to rob a gold shipment and then take the gold to Confederate Texas. After killing everyone, they find out that the war was over a month ago and now they are nothing more than robbers and killers. That description fits Lee Marvin's part fairly well, as when confronted by the leader of the squad played by Randolph Scott about killing the guy who was supposed to be helping them escape, Marvin answers that that's what they've been doing through the whole war. Chased by a posse of guys who are far worse than they are, they hijack a stage coach with young Donna Reed who plays a nurse, and her coach mate played by Richard Denning. The posse is led more or less by Ray Teal in another one of his classic cutthroat roles (see him in Along The Great Divide). The posse's problem is that there is no honor amongst thieves and their greed as much as other factors gets the better of them, but not before several tense scenes unfold in the way station where Scott and his men are holed up with Reed, Denning, and the father and daughter (who have their own issues) who run the place. Gold subverts just about every one in the movie, especially the cold opportunist played by Denning. That Confederate genteelness that you hear so much about in 50's westerns seems to contrast well with the greed and violence that seems about to erupt. It really doesn't extend much to Marvin's part who gets carried away with Donna Reed's good looks as he has her up against the fireplace, provoking a great fist-fight scene with southern gentleman Scott. Though the script doesn't always stand out and at times is a distraction, (maybe the story itself has some problems) this is still a western worth watching for a lot of reasons.
Review of Hangman's Knot
