Legendary western outlaws by the score (almost), are faced down by lawman Vance (Randolph Scott) in this routine picture from Ray Enright. Two heroines, one a reformed bad girl, Cheyenne, (Anne Jeffreys)who becomes a telegraphist for part of the film, (now that's a new one); the other heroine reluctant banker John Pettit's (Gabby Hayes) widowed daughter Madge (Jacqueline White). These ladies fight for the attentions of Scott though Madge is already engaged to him.
The eponymous bad men cause problems for banks in the usual fashion and number some old favourites among their ranks (the Youngers, the Daltons, Billy The Kid, Wild Bill Doolin and the Sundance Kid (Robert Ryan). Ryan is portrayed as a really nasty piece of work, he shoots men in cold blood and seems more interested in killing than robbing.
The shoot out in the ghost town where the outlaws have organised a dance (another first?) is nicely done and the black and white photography makes it work.
Liked also, old reliable Gabby Hayes' scene with Randolph Scott in which he warns of the futility of shaving "you realise you lose four full days out o' your life every year - just hackin' your whiskers off?" The two female leads are attractive, with contrasting personalities, White is demure but with a steely resolve, while Jeffreys is vivacious, stubborn, plays tough but has a soft feminine centre. They are both central to the plot and not just pretty faces.
The Doolin (Robert Armstrong) character is interesting too, a hard but pragmatic outlaw who is just about able to keep Sundance under control.
All in all a fair B Western with some nice touches.
The eponymous bad men cause problems for banks in the usual fashion and number some old favourites among their ranks (the Youngers, the Daltons, Billy The Kid, Wild Bill Doolin and the Sundance Kid (Robert Ryan). Ryan is portrayed as a really nasty piece of work, he shoots men in cold blood and seems more interested in killing than robbing.
The shoot out in the ghost town where the outlaws have organised a dance (another first?) is nicely done and the black and white photography makes it work.
Liked also, old reliable Gabby Hayes' scene with Randolph Scott in which he warns of the futility of shaving "you realise you lose four full days out o' your life every year - just hackin' your whiskers off?" The two female leads are attractive, with contrasting personalities, White is demure but with a steely resolve, while Jeffreys is vivacious, stubborn, plays tough but has a soft feminine centre. They are both central to the plot and not just pretty faces.
The Doolin (Robert Armstrong) character is interesting too, a hard but pragmatic outlaw who is just about able to keep Sundance under control.
All in all a fair B Western with some nice touches.