Weird. So weird. I mean, it starts off okay - you've got Kirk Douglas as a cowboy meeting up with old flame Dorothy Malone who's married to Joseph Cotten. And then Rock Hudson turns up to arrest Douglas for murder but he can't do it because he's in the wrong jurisdiction. That's fine. And Hudson and Douglas wind up on a cattle drive together and they're harassed by Neville Brand and his gang. That's good, solid, if formulaic stuff. They spice it up by having Rock Hudson fall for Malone, and Cotten be a coward in the civil war.
Its the subplot of this that'll get you. Malone and Cotten's daughter Carol Lynley has a crush on Douglas, which is good dramatically, even if at 15 it's a bit too young. But instead of a love triangle between mother and daughter, which would've been ideal, Malone falls for Hudson. Lynley falls for Douglas. There's a reveal that Douglas is her father... then if I'm not mistaken HE GOES AND SLEEPS WITH HER. I mean we don't see them kiss but they sort of embrace then cut to them lying on a hay bale together looking tired and happy - that's sex in 1961 Hollywood. He finds out she's his daughter and goes and sleeps with her!!!!
Hudson is affable, Malone good. Douglas recites some poetry and acts up a storm. I wish Cotten had had more to do - they get rid of his character far too earlier. He would've been a useful threat - they should've kept him alive until the end.
Carol Lynley isn't up to the demands of her role. She's adequate - but it needed someone better. Sandra Dee, who was offered it, would've been better - though I think the best choice would have been Tuesday Weld, who apparently was going to do it.
Neville Brand and Jack Elam and their young sidekick look like they're going to do something interesting, but don't really.
It's a really muddled film. Aldrich disliked it. I'm surprised the incest of this isn't better known.
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