When it is the romantic storyline in a western film that ends up being the most memorable part of the plot, that's a major issue. That's not to say that westerns shouldn't have romance, but they should not advertise the adventure aspect over the romantic aspect. There is intrigue as far as ruthless lawmakers running the show and three strangers in town trying to expose the villains, but the three men (Fred MacMurray, Gilbert Roland and Albert Dekker) aren't exacting law-abiding citizens either, being caught stealing from innocent settlers. They turn out to be fairly decent, however, with MacMurray romancing the pretty Patricia Morison whose younger sister (Betty Brewer) has an obvious crush on him even though she's only 13. The confrontation with the villains leaves one of the major characters dead which in the shadow of World War II travesties must have been pretty horrifying to audiences.
The major issue is the fact that the available print seems to be more of a negative copy than a positive print, giving the impression that everything is set at night. The darkness of it makes it very difficult to watch. Even in the dullest of poverty row westerns, the outdoor scenery is always one of the highlights. Where the romance takes over the political intrigue of Schildkraut's domination is a tender scene where MacMurray shows Morison how to play the piano. Brewer tends to talk a bit too much and too fast, making her sometimes a little hard to tolerate. MacMurray's confrontation with Joseph Schildkraut is chilling, however, with Schildkraut giving an outstanding performance, delivering a monologue of his motives that reveals a lot of layers. If only the rest of the story was as real.
The major issue is the fact that the available print seems to be more of a negative copy than a positive print, giving the impression that everything is set at night. The darkness of it makes it very difficult to watch. Even in the dullest of poverty row westerns, the outdoor scenery is always one of the highlights. Where the romance takes over the political intrigue of Schildkraut's domination is a tender scene where MacMurray shows Morison how to play the piano. Brewer tends to talk a bit too much and too fast, making her sometimes a little hard to tolerate. MacMurray's confrontation with Joseph Schildkraut is chilling, however, with Schildkraut giving an outstanding performance, delivering a monologue of his motives that reveals a lot of layers. If only the rest of the story was as real.