An original Western feature from producer Edward Small, a prolific filmmaker then making low-budget features under a deal with United Artists. “B” movies – movies made to support a larger budgeted feature on a double bill - were being phased out by major studios during the 1950s as television made inroads into their traditional market, but there was still enough demand at that stage to ensure some filmmakers such as Small could make a living from them.
Sterling Hayden stars here as a gunslinger who returns to his old home town to warn them of an impending attack by a gang of outlaws. Rod Taylor has a small but showy part as a cocky young cowboy who repeatedly challenges Hayden to a shoot out. His performance is a bit amateurish, with the actor clearly grappling with his cowboy accent and a tendency to over-act, but his enthusiasm is sweet to see and the film - which seems to owe more than a little to High Noon (1951) – quite watchable.
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