"The Proud Ones" gives star Robert Ryan one of his rare chances to play the hero in a western. In this one, he plays town marshal Cass Silver a tough no nonsense lawman in a town where large herds of cattle are arriving for shipment east. He is supported by his deputy Jim Dexter (Arthur O'Connell) who is nervously awaiting the birth of his first child, and crusty old jailer Jake (Walter Brennan) .
Arriving with one of the herds is a two gun young man named Thad Anderson (Jeffrey Hunter) who has a bone to pick with Cass. It seems that Cass had killed the young man's father in a gunfight. Despite Cass's efforts to explain what happened, Thad retains his doubt of the incident.
With the town prospering, gambler "Honest" John Barrett (Robert Middleton) arrives and sets up shop in the local saloon. Along with him are his floor manager Dillon (George Matthews) and his two gun fighter pals, Pike (Ken Clark) and Chico (Rodolfo Acosta). It seems that Cass and Barrett have a history. Faithful girl friend Sally (Virginia Mayo) stands by her man Cass.
Cass is grazed by a bullet during a shoot out and begins to experience periods of blindness. Cass meanwhile, gradually wins the confidence of Thad, hiring him as a relief jailer. But when Cass is forced to shoot Chico, Thad believes that Cass gunned down an unarmed man and renews his hatred of Cass. When Dexter resigns as deputy, Cass offers the job to Thad who accepts. Gradually Thad learns the truth about his father and Chico's deaths and becomes allied with Cass in his efforts to rid the town of Barrett. Sally wants to take Cass and leave town and get help for his vision problems.
When the three of Barrett's men that Cass had arrested are broken out of jail, Cass and Thad pursue them but Cass experiences a blind spell.
Ryan as always is better than his material. His reactions to Thad, his blind spells and his confrontations with the villains are well played. Virginia Mayo does her best with a limited role and Jeffrey Hunter is convincing as the young man seeking revenge. I thought Walter Brennan's role was all too brief. Robert Middleton gives one of his best oily villain roles as the chief baddie.
Other recognizable faces in the cast include Ed Platt as the town doctor, Whit Bissell as a town councilor, Paul E. Burns as the sympathetic town drunk as well as, silent film child star Jackie Coogan, Richard Deacon as the town barber/undertaker and William Fawcett and I' Stanford Jolley in other brief roles.
Arriving with one of the herds is a two gun young man named Thad Anderson (Jeffrey Hunter) who has a bone to pick with Cass. It seems that Cass had killed the young man's father in a gunfight. Despite Cass's efforts to explain what happened, Thad retains his doubt of the incident.
With the town prospering, gambler "Honest" John Barrett (Robert Middleton) arrives and sets up shop in the local saloon. Along with him are his floor manager Dillon (George Matthews) and his two gun fighter pals, Pike (Ken Clark) and Chico (Rodolfo Acosta). It seems that Cass and Barrett have a history. Faithful girl friend Sally (Virginia Mayo) stands by her man Cass.
Cass is grazed by a bullet during a shoot out and begins to experience periods of blindness. Cass meanwhile, gradually wins the confidence of Thad, hiring him as a relief jailer. But when Cass is forced to shoot Chico, Thad believes that Cass gunned down an unarmed man and renews his hatred of Cass. When Dexter resigns as deputy, Cass offers the job to Thad who accepts. Gradually Thad learns the truth about his father and Chico's deaths and becomes allied with Cass in his efforts to rid the town of Barrett. Sally wants to take Cass and leave town and get help for his vision problems.
When the three of Barrett's men that Cass had arrested are broken out of jail, Cass and Thad pursue them but Cass experiences a blind spell.
Ryan as always is better than his material. His reactions to Thad, his blind spells and his confrontations with the villains are well played. Virginia Mayo does her best with a limited role and Jeffrey Hunter is convincing as the young man seeking revenge. I thought Walter Brennan's role was all too brief. Robert Middleton gives one of his best oily villain roles as the chief baddie.
Other recognizable faces in the cast include Ed Platt as the town doctor, Whit Bissell as a town councilor, Paul E. Burns as the sympathetic town drunk as well as, silent film child star Jackie Coogan, Richard Deacon as the town barber/undertaker and William Fawcett and I' Stanford Jolley in other brief roles.