Newspaperman Ned meets up with old friend Blair in Fort Worth where their friendship wobbles over a girl and Blair's overriding ambitions. Complicating matters is outlaw Clevenger and his gang of thugs.
Solid western, more complex than most, but with good production values. The ambivalent relationship between Ned (Scott) and Blair (Brian) is the story's core. Blair has got to be one of the most charming connivers in oater annals. So which is going to win out: Blair's liking for old friend Ned, or Blair's clever greed and scheming. I agree with another reviewer: Brian steals the film with a lively, nuanced performance. Scott, of course, is Scott, as we fans count on. That excellent actress, the rather plain Phyllis Thaxter, gets the big distaff role, while I suspect the luscious Helena Carter (Amy) was added for eye appeal.
The effects may be borrowed, but the fire aboard the moving train is a real eye-catcher, along with the cattle stampede through the wagons. I'm not surprised that action studio Warner Bros. produced the slickly done 80-minutes. Then too, Director Marin keeps things moving without cheating the plot. Unfortunately, it looks like he died soon after the film's wrap. For fans of the Saturday matinée, that diminutive dynamo Bob Steele picks up a payday as a henchman. They should have tossed more baddie screen time his way since he proved what a good cold-blooded killer he could be in The Enforcer (1951).
My one complaint is the general lack of eye-catching scenery. Nonetheless, it's solid Technicolor western of the sort they unfortunately don't make anymore.
Solid western, more complex than most, but with good production values. The ambivalent relationship between Ned (Scott) and Blair (Brian) is the story's core. Blair has got to be one of the most charming connivers in oater annals. So which is going to win out: Blair's liking for old friend Ned, or Blair's clever greed and scheming. I agree with another reviewer: Brian steals the film with a lively, nuanced performance. Scott, of course, is Scott, as we fans count on. That excellent actress, the rather plain Phyllis Thaxter, gets the big distaff role, while I suspect the luscious Helena Carter (Amy) was added for eye appeal.
The effects may be borrowed, but the fire aboard the moving train is a real eye-catcher, along with the cattle stampede through the wagons. I'm not surprised that action studio Warner Bros. produced the slickly done 80-minutes. Then too, Director Marin keeps things moving without cheating the plot. Unfortunately, it looks like he died soon after the film's wrap. For fans of the Saturday matinée, that diminutive dynamo Bob Steele picks up a payday as a henchman. They should have tossed more baddie screen time his way since he proved what a good cold-blooded killer he could be in The Enforcer (1951).
My one complaint is the general lack of eye-catching scenery. Nonetheless, it's solid Technicolor western of the sort they unfortunately don't make anymore.