Perhaps Flynn's best western - not without flaws (the support characters could be sketched out more, it could have handled a subplot) - but it is unpretentious, self contained. It is low budget but that suits the story - a group of eight confederate soldiers invade California to try and start a rebellion there. They rescue a woman from an Indian attack and have to deal with the woman's Union officer husband and the elements and all that stuff.
It proceeds logically and with a deal of tension. It helps that the ending results in all the southerners getting wiped out even the painfully young kid - a dog rushing to them is a lovely touch.
It could have done with a stronger cast - I wish Lauren Bacall had done it as originally intended but can understand why she turned it out. Patrice Wymore is sweet, just inexperienced - ditto Scott Forbes. The support soldier actors are good though including Slim Pickens.
This falls into the category of later period Flynn movies that suit his later disintegrated state - he's tired, worn out by war, nostalgically thinking of the old days, trying to make something of his life, being gentlemanly with the lady. I really like this film - it's not a masterpiece, but it's fine.
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