In the early 1940s, Robert Sterling appeared bound for stardom. After all, MGM was grooming him for bigger things and even co-starred him with their biggest star, Clark Gable. However, over the years, Sterling's career never really took off and by the time of "Roughshod", he was starring in what was essentially a second-rate film. It wasn't a B, as at nearly 90 minutes it was too long to be a B-movie. But its cast and aspirations weren't exactly huge and it was made by the struggling RKO.
The story begins with a senseless murder. It seems three convicted killers somehow escaped from prison and to get clothes and a meal, they bushwhack three innocent guys. Soon the territory is crawling with folks looking for the escapees...and the leader of the escapees (John Ireland) is looking to find Clay (Sterling) and make him pay for some past wrong.
As for Clay, the story is told from his viewpoint and his younger brother (Claude Jarmin Jr.). The pair are planning on retiring to a nice ranch somewhere when they learn about the escape....and Clay knows they'll be coming for him. However, what he never could have anticipated was their being saddled with some 'bad girls'* and much of the film is spent trying to get them to safety.
I put bad girls in quotations because the film is VERY vague about them. I assume they were prostitutes but could have perhaps been B-girls (women who hang out in bars and whose job it is to get customers to drink). I think the Production Code prevented the film from being more explicit.
So is the story any good? Well, it's a slightly better western than average but it also isn't much of an opportunity for Sterling to show his talents. Mostly his character just seems bilious and grouchy, but the story is decent and Jarmin and Gloria Graham are excellent in supporting roles.
The story begins with a senseless murder. It seems three convicted killers somehow escaped from prison and to get clothes and a meal, they bushwhack three innocent guys. Soon the territory is crawling with folks looking for the escapees...and the leader of the escapees (John Ireland) is looking to find Clay (Sterling) and make him pay for some past wrong.
As for Clay, the story is told from his viewpoint and his younger brother (Claude Jarmin Jr.). The pair are planning on retiring to a nice ranch somewhere when they learn about the escape....and Clay knows they'll be coming for him. However, what he never could have anticipated was their being saddled with some 'bad girls'* and much of the film is spent trying to get them to safety.
I put bad girls in quotations because the film is VERY vague about them. I assume they were prostitutes but could have perhaps been B-girls (women who hang out in bars and whose job it is to get customers to drink). I think the Production Code prevented the film from being more explicit.
So is the story any good? Well, it's a slightly better western than average but it also isn't much of an opportunity for Sterling to show his talents. Mostly his character just seems bilious and grouchy, but the story is decent and Jarmin and Gloria Graham are excellent in supporting roles.