Ken "Hell Fire" Austin comes back to his western home with his war buddy Bouncer and after bailing on a cafeteria check are sentenced to a chain gang. Ken is paroled in the custody of Edmonds in hope that the former rodeo champion will race in the champion horse race. Ken however would rather race for ranch owner Judy Brooks, who needs to win the race in order to pay the mortgage, which is controlled by Edmonds. Ken and Bouncer escape the chain gang and are hunted by the sheriff but Ken still plans to enter the race despite the sheriff and plans of Edmonds. A decent B western, but by no means Maynard's best. I think the script could focus a bit less on the interplay b/w Maynard & Pendleton and more of Maynard vs. the sheriff & Edmonds, since the conflict only takes place in the last half of the film. The redeeming point of the film would be the horse race. Rating, based on B westerns, 6.
Review of Hell-Fire Austin
